What Does the Bible Say About Flattery?

“And Jacob said, Nay, I pray thee, if now I have found grace in thy sight, then receive my present at my hand: for therefore I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of God, and thou wast pleased with me.”

“And the men of Ephraim said unto him, Why hast thou served us thus, that thou calledst us not, when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites? And they did chide with him sharply. Why: Heb. What thing is this thou hast done unto us sharply: Heb. strongly”

“And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that when any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel. came: Heb. to come”

“And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee. there: or, none will hear thee from the king downward”

“Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice!”

“And it was so, that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him.”

“And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.”

“He that speaketh flattery to his friends, even the eyes of his children shall fail.”

“Let me not, I pray you, accept any man's person, neither let me give flattering titles unto man.”

“For I know not to give flattering titles; in so doing my maker would soon take me away.”

“Lead me, O LORD, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face. mine: Heb. those which observe me”

“For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue. faithfulness: or, stedfastness their mouth: Heb. his mouth, that is, the mouth of any of them very: Heb. wickednesses”

“They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak. a double: Heb. an heart and an heart”

“The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things: proud: Heb. great”

“For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be found to be hateful. until: Heb. to find his iniquity to hate”

“This their way is their folly: yet their posterity approve their sayings. Selah. approve: Heb. delight in their mouth”

“Though while he lived he blessed his soul: and men will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself. while: Heb. in his life”

“Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues.”

“For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil: mouth: Heb. palate”

“To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman. of the: or, of the strange tongue”

“That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words.”

“With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.”

“He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks; straightway: Heb. suddenly”

“Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.”

“The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: but the rich hath many friends. the rich: Heb. many are the lovers of the rich”

“Wealth maketh many friends; but the poor is separated from his neighbour.”

“Many will intreat the favour of the prince: and every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts. him: Heb. a man of gifts”

“He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips. flattereth: or, enticeth”

“He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.”

“He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him:”

“A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring.”

“He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him; dissembleth: or, is known”

“A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.”

“Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. deceitful: or, earnest, or, frequent”

“As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so is a man to his praise.”

“He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favour than he that flattereth with the tongue.”

“A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet.”

“All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions. decree: or, interdict”

“And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries. estate: or, place”

“Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries.”

“Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.”

“And they asked him, saying, Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest thou the person of any, but teachest the way of God truly : truly: or, of a truth”

“And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.”

“And when he was called forth, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, Seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietness, and that very worthy deeds are done unto this nation by thy providence,”

“Then Paul, after that the governor had beckoned unto him to speak, answered, Forasmuch as I know that thou hast been of many years a judge unto this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself:”

“I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews:”

“Especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.”

“For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.”

“For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.”

“But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.”

“For neither at any time used we flattering words , as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness:”

“Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome , as the apostles of Christ. been: or, used authority”

“These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage.”