Bible Verses About Hypocrisy

that they call themselves people of the holy city or rely on the God of Isra'el - ADONAI-Tzva'ot is his name:

"Oh yes, they seek me day after day and [claim to] delight in knowing my ways. As if they were an upright nation that had not abandoned the rulings of their God, they ask me for just rulings and [claim] to take pleasure in closeness to God,

[asking,] 'Why should we fast, if you don't see? Why mortify ourselves, if you don't notice?' "Here is my answer: when you fast, you go about doing whatever you like, while keeping your laborers hard at work.

Your fasts lead to quarreling and fighting, to lashing out with violent blows. On a day like today, fasting like yours will not make your voice heard on high.

"Is this the sort of fast I want, a day when a person mortifies himself? Is the object to hang your head like a reed and spread sackcloth and ashes under yourself? Is this what you call a fast, a day that pleases ADONAI?

Those others might as well kill a person as an ox, as well break a dog's neck as sacrifice a lamb, as well offer pig's blood as offer a grain offering, as well bless an idol as burn incense. Just as these have chosen their ways and enjoy their disgusting practices,

so I will enjoy making fools of them, and bring on them the very things they fear. For when I called, no one answered; when I spoke, they did not hear. Instead they did what was evil in my sight and chose what did not please me."

Hear the word of ADONAI, you who tremble at his word: "Your brothers, who hate you and reject you because of my name, have said: 'Let ADONAI be glorified, so we can see your joy.' But they will be put to shame."

Yet in spite of all this, her unfaithful sister Y'hudah has not returned to me wholeheartedly; she only makes a pretense of it," said ADONAI.

Then ADONAI said to me, "Backsliding Isra'el has proved herself more righteous than unfaithful Y'hudah.

Look! You are relying on deceitful words that can't do you any good.

First you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, offer to Ba'al and go after other gods that you haven't known.

Then you come and stand before me in this house that bears my name and say, 'We are saved' - so that you can go on doing these abominations!

For you have been behaving deceitfully, against your own interests. You sent me to ADONAI your God, saying, 'Pray for us to ADONAI our God; tell us everything ADONAI our God says, and we will do it.'

Today I have told it to you, but you haven't heeded any part of what ADONAI your God gave me to tell you.

Therefore, know for a fact that you will die by sword, famine and plague in the place where you want to go and live."

For everyone, whether from the house of Isra'el or a foreigner living in Isra'el, who separates himself from me and takes his idols into his heart, thus setting in front of himself the stumblingblock that leads to sin, and then comes to the prophet, asking him to consult me for him, I myself, ADONAI, will answer him.

I will set my face against that person, make him a warning sign and an example, and cut him off from my people. Then you will know that I am ADONAI.

"Now you, human being, your people are gathering and talking about you by the walls and in the doorways of houses. They're saying to each other, each one telling his brother, 'Come, let's go and hear the latest word coming from ADONAI.'

So then they come to you, as people do, sit in front of you as my people, and hear your words; but they don't act on them. For with their mouths they flatter you, but their hearts are set on their own self-interest;

so for them you are like a love-song sung by someone with a nice voice who can play an instrument well - they hear your words, but they don't act on them.

Will they cry out to me, 'We are Isra'el, God, we know you'?

Isra'el has thrown away what is good; the enemy will pursue him.

"I hate, I utterly loathe your festivals; I take no pleasure in your solemn assemblies.

If you offer me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; nor will I consider the peace offerings of your stall-fed cattle.