Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary defines "hypocrisy" as "the act or practice of pretending to be what one is not, or to have principles or beliefs that one does not have."

How does the Bible view hypocrisy? Have we been hypocritical in our actions?

Job 13:16, "an hypocrite shall not come before Him."

Job 36:13-14, "But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath: . . . .They die in youth, and their life is among the unclean [sodomites]."

Job 17:8, " . . . the innocent shall stir up himself against the hypocrite."

Job 20:5, " . . . the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment . . . ."

Job 27:8, "For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul?"

Job 8:13, "The hypocrite’s hope shall perish."

Job 15:34, "For the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate . . . ."

Proverbs 11:9, "An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbor."

Job 34:30, "That the hypocrite reign not, lest the people be ensnared."

I Timothy 4:2, "Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron."

Jeremiah 23:15, " . . . from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness [margin: "hypocrisy"] gone forth into all the land."

Isaiah 32:6, "For the vile person will speak villainy, and his heart will work iniquity, to practice hypocrisy, and to utter error against the LORD, to make empty the soul of the hungry, and he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail."

Isaiah 33:14, "The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites."

Isaiah 10:6, "I will send him [the Assyrian, verse 5] against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath . . . ."

Matthew 23:13-33 shows that hypocrites, (1) exclude and prevent others from entering God’s kingdom, (2) devour widows' houses (i.e. rob from the poor), (3) make long pretentious prayers, (4) vigorously proselytize, (5) do not understand the spiritual significance of the Creator, (6) meticulously tithe yet gloss over weightier matters, such as judgment, mercy, faith, (7) make sure they are doctrinally "pure" on small issues yet ignore whole sections of the Bible by swallowing false doctrines, (8) appear to be righteous, but actually are extortioners of other people’s money and have a total lack of self control, (9) are full of sins, (10) claim that they would never have sinned as those in the past did, and (11) are snakes who suddenly strike at their victims.

Luke 11:44 adds that, (12) other men are not aware of the true nature of hypocrites. Luke 12:56 and Matthew 16:3 tell us that, (13) hypocrites do not properly understand the times in which they live, although they may claim they do. Mark 7:6-13 and Matthew 15:7-9 indicate that, (14) hypocrites claim to be following God, but in reality their heart is far from God. They stick to man-made traditions and won’t change, even though these traditions violate God’s law. Matthew 22:15,18 says, (15) hypocrites are out to "get" or trick others. They're not really interested in the truth, but only in defending their position and lifestyle. Luke 13:15 tells of, (16) hypocrites who totally pervert the Sabbath. Matthew 6:2, 5, 16 says not to be like, (17) hypocrites who do everything for outward show, wanting praise of men, bragging of their good deeds. Matthew 7:3-5 and Luke 6:41-42 show that, (18) hypocrites spend too much time exposing the sins of others, while they are blind to their own sins.

Psalms 35:16 describes "hypocritical mockers in feasts," while Jude 12 warns of "spots in your feasts of charity." Yes, it is possible for hypocrites to keep the Biblical Holy Days along with sincere, dedicated believers!

Matthew 24:50-51, "The Lord of that servant shall . . . appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

James 3:17-18, "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace." Peace is the natural result of those without hypocrisy.

I Peter 2:1-2, "Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby." W

Bible Study Index