Cheating is a breach of trust and integrity that affects both earthly relationships and one’s spiritual standing. The Bible addresses the issue of cheating in various contexts, including relationships, finance, and personal integrity, offering a framework to understand God’s perspective on honesty and trustworthiness.
Bible Verses about Cheating
1. Exodus 20:14 – The Commandment Against Adultery
“You shall not commit adultery.” – Exodus 20:14
Cross-References
Matthew 5:27 – “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.'”
Hebrews 13:4 – “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.”
Proverbs 6:32 – “But a man who commits adultery has no sense; whoever does so destroys himself.”
2. Proverbs 11:1 – Dishonest Scales
“The LORD detests dishonest scales, but accurate weights find favor with him.” – Proverbs 11:1
Cross-References
Leviticus 19:36 – “Use honest scales and honest weights, an honest ephah and an honest hin. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt.”
Proverbs 20:23 – “The LORD detests differing weights, and dishonest scales do not please him.”
Micah 6:11 – “Shall I acquit someone with dishonest scales, with a bag of false weights?”
3. Proverbs 12:22 – Lying Lips
“The LORD detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy.” – Proverbs 12:22
Cross-References
Psalm 101:7 – “No one who practices deceit will dwell in my house; no one who speaks falsely will stand in my presence.”
Proverbs 6:16-19 – “There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.”
Ephesians 4:25 – “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.”
4. Matthew 5:28 – Adultery in the Heart
“But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” – Matthew 5:28
Cross-References
Job 31:1 – “I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a young woman.”
James 1:14-15 – “But each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.”
1 John 2:16 – “For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.”
5. Luke 16:10 – Faithfulness in Little Things
“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.” – Luke 16:10
Cross-References
Matthew 25:21 – “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!'”
1 Corinthians 4:2 – “Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.”
6. Proverbs 19:1 – Better the Poor
“Better the poor whose walk is blameless than a fool whose lips are perverse.” – Proverbs 19:1
Cross-References
Proverbs 28:6 – “Better the poor whose walk is blameless than the rich whose ways are perverse.”
Psalm 37:16 – “Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked.”
Proverbs 22:1 – “A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.”
7. Romans 13:9 – Love Your Neighbor
“The commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not covet,’ and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” – Romans 13:9
Cross-References
Galatians 5:14 – “For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'”
James 2:8 – “If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing right.”
Mark 12:31 – “The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
8. Hebrews 13:5 – Money or God
“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’” – Hebrews 13:5
Cross-References
1 Timothy 6:10 – “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”
Matthew 6:24 – “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
Philippians 4:11-12 – “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.”
9. Matthew 7:12 – The Golden Rule
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” – Matthew 7:12
Cross-References
Luke 6:31 – “Do to others as you would have them do to you.”
Romans 13:10 – “Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”
10. Psalm 119:29 – The Way of Falsehood
“Keep me from deceitful ways; be gracious to me and teach me your law.” – Psalm 119:29
Cross-References
Psalm 119:37 – “Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.”
Psalm 119:104 – “I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path.”
Psalm 119:133 – “Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me.”
11. James 4:17 – The Sin of Omission
“If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.” – James 4:17
Cross-References
Luke 12:47 – “The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows.”
John 9:41 – “Jesus said, ‘If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.'”
Romans 14:23 – “But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.”
12. 2 Corinthians 8:21 – Doing What is Right
“For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man.” – 2 Corinthians 8:21
Cross-References
Romans 12:17 – “Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.”
Philippians 2:15 – “So that you may become blameless and pure, ‘children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.’ Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky.”
1 Peter 2:12 – “Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.”
13. Ephesians 4:28 – Working Honestly
“Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.” – Ephesians 4:28
Cross-References
Proverbs 21:25 – “The craving of a sluggard will be the death of him because his hands refuse to work.”
Proverbs 14:23 – “All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.”
2 Thessalonians 3:10 – “For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: ‘The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.'”
14. Proverbs 10:9 – Walking with Integrity
“Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.” – Proverbs 10:9
Cross-References
Proverbs 28:18 – “The one whose walk is blameless is kept safe, but the one whose ways are perverse will fall into the pit.”
Proverbs 11:3 – “The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.”
Psalm 25:21 – “May integrity and uprightness protect me because my hope, LORD, is in you.”
15. Leviticus 19:11 – No Stealing or Deceiving
“Do not steal. Do not lie. Do not deceive one another.” – Leviticus 19:11
Cross-References
Colossians 3:9 – “Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices.”
Exodus 20:15 – “You shall not steal.”
Proverbs 20:17 – “Food gained by fraud tastes sweet, but one ends up with a mouth full of gravel.”
16. Mark 7:21-23 – Evil Thoughts and Deception
“For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance, and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person.” – Mark 7:21-23
Cross-References
Jeremiah 17:9 – “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?”
Romans 1:29-31 – “They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed, and depravity.”
17. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 – The Unrighteous
“Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.” – 1 Corinthians 6:9-10
Cross-References
Galatians 5:19-21 – “The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery…”
1 Timothy 1:9-10 – “We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels…”
Revelation 21:8 – “But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral…”
18. 1 John 3:18 – Love with Actions
“Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” – 1 John 3:18
Cross-References
James 2:17 – “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”
Romans 12:9 – “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.”
1 Thessalonians 5:15 – “Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.”
19. Psalm 15:1-2 – The Blameless Person
“LORD, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain? The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart;” – Psalm 15:1-2
Cross-References
Psalm 24:3-4 – “Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart…”
Micah 6:8 – “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
20. Jeremiah 9:5 – Deceitful Living
“Friend deceives friend, and no one speaks the truth. They have taught their tongues to lie; they weary themselves with sinning.” – Jeremiah 9:5
Cross-References
Psalm 109:2 – “For people who are wicked and deceitful have opened their mouths against me; they have spoken against me with lying tongues.”
Hosea 4:2 – “There is only cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed.”
Ephesians 4:15 – “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.”
21. Proverbs 28:20 – Faithful or In a Hurry?
“A faithful person will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.” – Proverbs 28:20
Cross-References
1 Timothy 6:9 – “Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires…”
Matthew 6:19-21 – “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy…”
22. Philippians 4:8 – Think on These Things
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” – Philippians 4:8
Cross-References
Colossians 3:2 – “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”
Romans 8:5 – “Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.”
1 Peter 1:13 – “Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.”
23. James 5:12 – Swear Not
“Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’ Otherwise you will be condemned.” – James 5:12
Cross-References
Matthew 5:34-37 – “But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne…”
Ephesians 5:4 – “Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.”
Colossians 3:8 – “But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.”
24. Luke 3:13 – Fairness in Collection
“Don’t collect any more than you are required to, he told them.” – Luke 3:13
Cross-References
Leviticus 19:35 – “Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight or quantity.”
Proverbs 16:11 – “Honest scales and balances belong to the LORD; all the weights in the bag are of his making.”
Matthew 10:8 – “Freely you have received; freely give.”
25. Isaiah 33:15-16 – Walking Righteously
“Those who walk righteously and speak what is right, who reject gain from extortion and keep their hands from accepting bribes, who stop their ears against plots of murder and shut their eyes against contemplating evil— they are the ones who will dwell on the heights, whose refuge will be the mountain fortress. Their bread will be supplied, and water will not fail them.” – Isaiah 33:15-16
Cross-References
Psalm 24:3-5 – “Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart…”
Amos 5:14-15 – “Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the LORD God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is.”
26. Matthew 23:27-28 – Hypocrisy Condemned
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.” – Matthew 23:27-28
Cross-References
Matthew 15:8 – “‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.”
Luke 11:39 – “Then the Lord said to him, ‘Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.'”
Isaiah 29:13 – “The Lord says: ‘These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me…'”
27. Proverbs 21:6 – A Fortune by Lying
“A fortune made by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare.” – Proverbs 21:6
Cross-References
Proverbs 13:11 – “Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.”
Psalm 62:10 – “Do not trust in extortion or put vain hope in stolen goods; though your riches increase, do not set your heart on them.”
28. 1 Timothy 4:2 – Consciences Seared
“Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.” – 1 Timothy 4:2
Cross-References
Titus 1:15 – “To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure.”
Ephesians 4:19 – “Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.”
Hebrews 10:22 – “Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience.”
29. Proverbs 19:5 – False Witness
“A false witness will not go unpunished, and whoever pours out lies will not go free.” – Proverbs 19:5
Cross-References
Proverbs 6:19 – “…a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.”
Exodus 23:1 – “Do not spread false reports. Do not help a guilty person by being a malicious witness.”
Deuteronomy 19:16-19 – “If a malicious witness takes the stand to accuse someone of a crime, the two people involved in the dispute must stand in the presence of the LORD…”
30. 1 Peter 3:10 – Keep Your Tongue from Evil
“For, ‘Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech.’” – 1 Peter 3:10
Cross-References
Psalms 34:13 – “Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies.”
Proverbs 15:4 – “The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.”
James 3:5-6 – “Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts.”
31. Romans 12:2 – Renewal of the Mind
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” – Romans 12:2
Cross-References
Ephesians 4:23-24 – “To be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”
Colossians 3:10 – “And have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.”
2 Corinthians 4:16 – “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.”
32. Isaiah 58:3 – False Fasting
“‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?’ Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers.” – Isaiah 58:3
Cross-References
Jeremiah 14:12 – “Although they fast, I will not listen to their cry; though they offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them.”
Zechariah 7:5 – “Ask all the people of the land and the priests, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months for the past seventy years, was it really for me that you fasted?'”
Matthew 6:16 – “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting.”
While you’re here, why not explore our latest article on: Bible verses about Fake love (With Cross-Reference)
Final Thought
The Bible is clear about the destructive nature of cheating and deception, both on a personal level and within a community. Honesty and integrity serve as a foundation for trust and godly living, echoing the character of God who desires truth in our innermost being. Understanding these biblical principles, believers are encouraged to lead lives that consistently reject cheating and embrace sincerity, truth, and transparency. As the Scriptures assure us, living honestly before God and others opens the gateway to blessings, peace, and a deeper relationship with Christ.
Breaking free from deceit requires not only knowledge of God’s statutes but also an earnest reliance on the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. It is through this submission to divine guidance that we cultivate a life filled with authenticity and faithfulness, reflecting the purity and righteousness expected of us as followers of Christ. Ultimately, by gleaning wisdom from the Word, we align ourselves more fully with God’s eternal and unchanging truth, committing to honor God in all aspects of our lives.