Bible Verses About Self-Righteousness

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous.

And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’

So you testify against yourselves that you are the sons of those who murdered the prophets.

When the scribes who were Pharisees saw Jesus eating with these people, they asked His disciples, “Why does He eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

“Watch out!” He cautioned them. “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod.”

As Jesus started on His way, a man ran up and knelt before Him. “Good Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

“Why do you call Me good?” Jesus replied. “No one is good except God alone.

You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not cheat others, honor your father and mother.’”

“Teacher,” he replied, “all these I have kept from my youth.”

Jesus looked at him, loved him, and said to him, “There is one thing you lack: Go, sell everything you own and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”

But the man was saddened by these words and went away in sorrow, because he had great wealth.

But the Pharisees and their scribes complained to Jesus’ disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”

Then one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to eat with him, and He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table.

When a sinful woman from that town learned that Jesus was dining there, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume.

As she stood behind Him at His feet weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears and wipe them with her hair. Then she kissed His feet and anointed them with the perfume.

When the Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, He would know who this is and what kind of woman is touching Him—for she is a sinner!”

But Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, Teacher,” he said.

“Two men were debtors to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.

When they were unable to repay him, he forgave both of them. Which one, then, will love him more?”

“I suppose the one who was forgiven more,” Simon replied. “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.

And turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? When I entered your house, you did not give Me water for My feet, but she wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.

You did not greet Me with a kiss, but she has not stopped kissing My feet since I arrived.

You did not anoint My head with oil, but she has anointed My feet with perfume.

Therefore I tell you, because her many sins have been forgiven, she has loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.”

Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”