Definition and Usage:
The term "deceive" refers to the act of causing someone to believe something that is not true, typically in order to gain some personal advantage. In the biblical context, deception is often associated with sin, falsehood, and the work of Satan, who is described as the father of lies (John 8:44).

Biblical Instances and Themes:

1. The Deception of Eve:
The first instance of deception in the Bible occurs in the Garden of Eden. The serpent, identified as Satan, deceives Eve by questioning God's command and suggesting that disobedience would lead to enlightenment rather than death. Genesis 3:13 records Eve's acknowledgment: "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."

2. Jacob and Esau:
Deception plays a significant role in the account of Jacob and Esau. Jacob deceives his father Isaac to receive the blessing meant for Esau. This act of deception leads to significant familial strife and is a pivotal moment in the narrative of the Israelites (Genesis 27).

3. Laban's Deception:
Jacob himself becomes a victim of deception when Laban, his uncle, tricks him into marrying Leah instead of Rachel, for whom he had worked seven years. This account highlights the cyclical nature of deceit and its consequences (Genesis 29:25).

4. False Prophets and Teachers:
The Bible warns against false prophets and teachers who deceive people by distorting the truth. In Matthew 24:24 , Jesus warns, "For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders that would deceive even the elect, if that were possible."

5. Ananias and Sapphira:
In the New Testament, Ananias and Sapphira attempt to deceive the early church by lying about the proceeds from the sale of their property. Their deception is met with immediate divine judgment, underscoring the seriousness of deceit within the Christian community (Acts 5:1-11).

6. Satan as the Deceiver:
Revelation 12:9 describes Satan as "the great dragon... who deceives the whole world." This highlights the pervasive nature of deception as a tool of the enemy to lead people away from the truth of God.

7. Self-Deception:
The Bible also addresses the concept of self-deception. James 1:22 advises believers, "Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves." This emphasizes the importance of aligning one's actions with God's word to avoid self-deception.

Moral and Theological Implications:

Deception is consistently portrayed as contrary to the nature of God, who is truth (John 14:6). It is a tool of the enemy to disrupt the relationship between God and humanity. Believers are called to live in truth and integrity, reflecting the character of Christ. The Bible encourages discernment and vigilance against deception, urging believers to test all things and hold fast to what is good (1 Thessalonians 5:21).

Related Concepts:

· Truth: The antithesis of deception, truth is a central theme in Scripture, representing the nature of God and the foundation of the Christian faith.
· Integrity: Living a life of honesty and moral uprightness, as opposed to deceitfulness.
· Discernment: The ability to judge well, especially in distinguishing truth from falsehood.

Conclusion:
While deception is a recurring theme in the Bible, believers are called to reject deceit and embrace truth, reflecting the character of God in their lives.1. (v. t.) To mislead; to cause to believe what is false, or disbelieve what is true; to impose upon; to mislead; to cheat; to disappoint; to delude; to ensnare.

2. (v. t.) To beguile; to amuse, so as to divert the attention; to while away; to take away as if by deception.

3. (v. t.) To deprive by fraud or stealth; to defraud.

DECEIVABLENESS; DECEIVE

de-sev'-a-b'-l-nes, de-sev' (nasha', "to lead astray"): "The pride of thy heart hath deceived thee" (Jeremiah 49:16), i.e. "Thy stern mountain fastnesses have persuaded thee that thou art impregnable." In Jeremiah 20:7, "O Lord, thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived," pathah, signifies "to be enticed," "persuaded," as in the American Standard Revised Version and the Revised Version, margin.

In the Old Testament most often, and in the New Testament regularly, the various words rendered in the King James Version "deceive" denote some deliberate misleading in the moral or spiritual realm. False prophets (Jeremiah 29:8), false teachers (Ephesians 5:6) and Satan himself (Revelation 12:9) are deceivers in this sense. In the gospels, the King James Version "deceive" (planao, 9 times Matthew 24:4, 5 parallel Mark 13:5, 6 parallel Luke 21:8 Matthew 24:11, 24 John 7:12, 47) becomes in the Revised Version (British and American) "lead astray"; the same change is made in 1 John 2:26; 1 John 3:7; but elsewhere (13 t) both the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American) render planao by "deceive."

"Deceivableness" (apate), only in 2 Thessalonians 2:10, signifies power to deceive, not liability to deception; the Revised Version (British and American) "deceit."

F. K. Farr

5422. phrenapatao -- to deceive the mind
... to deceive the mind. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: phrenapatao Phonetic
Spelling: (fren-ap-at-ah'-o) Short Definition: I deceive the mind Definition: I ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5422.htm - 7k

1818. exapatao -- to seduce wholly, deceive
... to seduce wholly, deceive. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: exapatao Phonetic
Spelling: (ex-ap-at-ah'-o) Short Definition: I deceive thoroughly Definition ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1818.htm - 7k

538. apatao -- to deceive
... to deceive. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: apatao Phonetic Spelling:
(ap-at-ah'-o) Short Definition: I deceive, lead into error Definition: I deceive ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/538.htm - 7k

1387. dolioo -- to deceive
... to deceive. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: dolioo Phonetic Spelling:
(dol-ee-o'-o) Short Definition: I act deceitfully, deceive Definition: I act ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1387.htm - 6k

4105. planao -- to cause to wander, to wander
... cause to wander, to wander. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: planao Phonetic
Spelling: (plan-ah'-o) Short Definition: I lead astray, deceive Definition: I ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4105.htm - 9k

3884. paralogizomai -- to miscalculate, to reason falsely
... reason falsely. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: paralogizomai Phonetic Spelling:
(par-al-og-id'-zom-ahee) Short Definition: I deceive, beguile Definition ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3884.htm - 7k

5574. pseudomai -- to lie
... to lie. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: pseudomai Phonetic Spelling:
(psyoo'-dom-ahee) Short Definition: I lie Definition: I deceive, lie, speak falsely. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5574.htm - 7k

1748. enedreuo -- to lie in wait for, to plot
... Speech: Verb Transliteration: enedreuo Phonetic Spelling: (en-ed-ryoo'-o) Short
Definition: I lie in wait for, seek to entrap, defraud, deceive Definition: I ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1748.htm - 6k

1388. dolos -- a bait, fig. craft, deceit
... 1388 ("deceit motivated by ") uses to snare (deceive) people which implies to
exploit the naive (undiscerning) -- them through (with) their . ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1388.htm - 7k

539. apate -- deceit
... Cognate: 539 -- a false impression, made to deceive or cheat -- ie deceit motivated
by guile and treachery (trickery, fraud). See 538 (). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/539.htm - 6k

3584. kachash -- to disappoint, deceive, fail, grow lean
... kachash. 3585 . to disappoint, deceive, fail, grow lean. Transliteration: kachash
Phonetic Spelling: (kaw-khash') Short Definition: deny. Word Origin a prim. ...
/hebrew/3584.htm - 6k

7952. shalah -- deceive, be negligent
... 7951, 7952. shalah. 7953 . deceive, be negligent. Transliteration: shalah Phonetic
Spelling: (shaw-law') Short Definition: deceive. ... deceive, be negligent ...
/hebrew/7952.htm - 5k

5378. nasha -- to beguile, deceive
... 5377, 5378. nasha. 5379 . to beguile, deceive. Transliteration: nasha Phonetic
Spelling: (naw-shaw') Short Definition: deceive. Word Origin a prim. ...
/hebrew/5378.htm - 6k

2048. hathal -- to deceive, mock
... to deceive, mock. Transliteration: hathal Phonetic Spelling: (haw-thal') Short
Definition: mocked. ... root Definition to deceive, mock NASB Word Usage mocked (1). ...
/hebrew/2048.htm - 5k

8524. talal -- to mock, deceive, trifle with
... 8523, 8524. talal. 8525 . to mock, deceive, trifle with. Transliteration: talal
Phonetic Spelling: (taw-lal') Short Definition: deceived. Word Origin a prim ...
/hebrew/8524.htm - 6k

8591. ta'a' -- to mock
ta'a'. 8590, 8591. ta'a'. 8591a . to mock. Transliteration: ta'a' Phonetic
Spelling: (taw-ah') Short Definition: deceive. deceive, misuse ...
/hebrew/8591.htm - 5k

5377. nasha -- to lend on interest, be a creditor
... Word Origin a prim. root Definition to lend on interest, be a creditor NASB Word
Usage debt (1), debtor (1), deceive (1), exacting (1), made (2). ...
/hebrew/5377.htm - 6k

1589. ganab -- to steal
... root Definition to steal NASB Word Usage actually stolen (1), brought to me stealthily
(1), carries away (1), deceive (1), deceived (1), deceiving (1), fact ...
/hebrew/1589.htm - 6k

6601. pathah -- to be spacious, wide or open
... allure, deceive, enlarge, entice, flatter, persuade, silly one A primitive
root; to open, ie Be (causatively, make) roomy; usually ...
/hebrew/6601.htm - 5k

6231. ashaq -- to oppress, wrong, extort
... 2), rages (1), rob (1). get deceitfully, deceive, defraud, drink up, use
oppression do violence wrong. A primitive root (compare ...
/hebrew/6231.htm - 6k

They Deceive, Instead of Healing.
... Chapter XVIII."They Deceive, Instead of Healing. But medicine and everything
included in it is an invention of the same kind. ...
/.../tatian/tatians address to the greeks/chapter xviii they deceive instead of.htm

Pelagius' Attempt to Deceive the Apostolic See; He Inverts the ...
... Book II. On Original Sin. Chapter 19."Pelagius' Attempt to Deceive the
Apostolic See; He Inverts the Bearings of the Controversy. ...
/.../augustine/anti-pelagian writings/chapter 19 pelagius attempt to deceive.htm

But Others Deceive Themselves by Fancying that they Can Retain the ...
... Canon V. But others deceive themselves by fancying that they can retain
the property of others which? But others deceive themselves ...
/.../canonical epistle of gregory thaumaturgus/canon v but others deceive.htm

Let no one Deceive Himself, nor Put Forward the Pretext of Having ...
... Canon IV. Let no one deceive himself, nor put forward the pretext of having
found such property.? Let no one deceive himself, nor ...
/.../thaumaturgus/canonical epistle of gregory thaumaturgus/canon iv let no one.htm

That not Only Humble but Also True is that Voice of the Saints ...
... Canon CXIV. (Greek cxv.) That not only humble but also true is that voice of the
Saints: "If we say that we have no sin we deceive ourselves.". ...
/.../schaff/the seven ecumenical councils/canon cxiv greek cxv that.htm

"If we Say that we have no Sin, we Deceive Ourselves, and the ...
... I. and II. Sermon XVI. "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves,
and the truth is not in us.". 1 John 1:8.""If we say ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon xvi if we say.htm

Secundianus of Thambei Said: "We Ought not to Deceive Heretics by ...
... Book VII. Chapter 44. " 86. Secundianus of Thambei said: "We ought
not to deceive heretics by our too? "86. Secundianus of ...
/.../chapter 44 86 secundianus.htm

Pelagius Deceived the Council in Palestine, but was Unable to ...
... Book II. On Original Sin. Chapter 9 [VIII.]"Pelagius Deceived the Council
in Palestine, But Was Unable to Deceive the Church at Rome. ...
/.../augustine/anti-pelagian writings/chapter 9 viii pelagius deceived the.htm

On the Opposing Powers.
... on His left. And the Lord said, Who will deceive Achab king of Israel,
that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? And one said ...
/.../origen/origen de principiis/chapter ii on the opposing powers.htm

The Binding of Satan.
... the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, and cast him into the abyss,
and shut him up, and set a seal over him, that he should deceive the nations ...
/.../bliss/a brief commentary on the apocalypse/the binding of satan.htm

Deceive (48 Occurrences)
... by deception. 3. (vt) To deprive by fraud or stealth; to defraud. Int. Standard
Bible Encyclopedia. DECEIVABLENESS; DECEIVE. de-sev ...
/d/deceive.htm - 22k

Beguile (10 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (vt) To delude by guile, artifice, or craft;
to deceive or impose on, as by a false statement; to lure. ...
/b/beguile.htm - 10k

Deceivableness (1 Occurrence)
... 2. (n.) Liability to be deceived or misled; as, the deceivableness of a child.
Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. DECEIVABLENESS; DECEIVE. ...
/d/deceivableness.htm - 9k

Deceiving (18 Occurrences)
... & vb. n.) of Deceive. Multi-Version Concordance ... (WEY DBY YLT). 1 John 1:8 If we say
that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ...
/d/deceiving.htm - 11k

False.
... 3. (superl.) Not according with truth or reality; not true; fitted or likely
to deceive or disappoint; as, a false statement. 4. (superl ...
/f/false..htm - 16k

Mock (43 Occurrences)
... 2. (vt) To treat with scorn or contempt; to deride. 3. (vt) To disappoint the
hopes of; to deceive; to tantalize; as, to mock expectation. ...
/m/mock.htm - 23k

Deceived (55 Occurrences)
... (imp. & pp) of Deceive. Multi-Version Concordance ... (YLT). Psalms 78:36 And -- they
deceive Him with their mouth, And with their tongue do lie to Him, (See NAS). ...
/d/deceived.htm - 23k

Trustest (8 Occurrences)
... 2 Kings 19:10 Thus shall ye speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying, Let not thy
God in whom thou trustest deceive thee, saying, Jerusalem shall not be ...
/t/trustest.htm - 9k

Reliest (6 Occurrences)
... (DBY). 2 Kings 19:10 Thus shall ye speak to Hezekiah king of Judah saying: Let not
thy God, upon whom thou reliest, deceive thee, saying, Jerusalem shall not be ...
/r/reliest.htm - 8k

Deceives (14 Occurrences)
... See NAS). Job 13:9 Is it good that he should search you out? Or as one deceives
a man, will you deceive him? (WEB NAS RSV). Proverbs ...
/d/deceives.htm - 10k

Why did God use a lying spirit to deceive Ahab? | GotQuestions.org

What does the Bible say about self-deception? | GotQuestions.org

How can I detect a false conversion? | GotQuestions.org

Deceive: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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