Topical Bible: Dishonest

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Topical Encyclopedia

Dishonesty is a recurring theme in the Bible, often depicted as contrary to the nature and commands of God. It encompasses deceit, lying, fraud, and any form of falsehood. The Bible consistently warns against dishonest behavior, emphasizing the importance of truthfulness and integrity in the life of a believer.

Old Testament References

The Old Testament frequently addresses the issue of dishonesty, particularly in the context of the Israelite community and their covenant relationship with God. In the Ten Commandments, God explicitly commands, "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor" (Exodus 20:16). This command underscores the importance of truthfulness in maintaining justice and community harmony.

Proverbs, a book rich in wisdom literature, repeatedly contrasts honesty with deceit. Proverbs 12:22 states, "Lying lips are detestable to the LORD, but those who deal faithfully are His delight" . This verse highlights God's disdain for dishonesty and His pleasure in those who practice truthfulness.

The prophet Micah also addresses dishonest practices, particularly in commerce, saying, "Shall I acquit a man with dishonest scales and with a bag of false weights?" (Micah 6:11). Here, dishonest business practices are condemned as violations of justice and righteousness.

New Testament References

In the New Testament, Jesus Christ embodies truth and calls His followers to live in truth. In John 14:6, Jesus declares, "I am the way and the truth and the life" , establishing Himself as the ultimate standard of truthfulness.

The Apostle Paul, in his letters, frequently admonishes believers to abandon deceitful practices. In Ephesians 4:25, he writes, "Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body" . Paul emphasizes the communal aspect of honesty, linking it to the unity and health of the body of Christ.

In the book of Acts, the account of Ananias and Sapphira serves as a stark warning against dishonesty within the church. Their deceit regarding the sale of their property results in severe consequences, as Peter confronts them, saying, "You have not lied just to human beings but to God" (Acts 5:4).

Theological Implications

Dishonesty is fundamentally at odds with the character of God, who is described as a God of truth (Deuteronomy 32:4). The Bible teaches that Satan is the "father of lies" (John 8:44), positioning dishonesty as a tool of the enemy. Believers are called to reflect God's truthfulness in their lives, rejecting deceit in all its forms.

The call to honesty is not merely a moral directive but a reflection of the transformative work of the Holy Spirit in the believer's life. As followers of Christ, Christians are to be "salt and light" (Matthew 5:13-16), demonstrating integrity and truthfulness in a world often marked by deceit.

Practical Applications

In practical terms, the Bible's teachings on dishonesty have implications for personal conduct, business ethics, and community relationships. Believers are encouraged to examine their hearts and actions, ensuring that they align with the truth of God's Word. This includes being honest in speech, fair in business dealings, and transparent in relationships.

The biblical call to honesty challenges Christians to live counter-culturally, upholding truth in a society where dishonesty may be prevalent. By doing so, they bear witness to the transformative power of the Gospel and the character of the God they serve.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

1. (a.) Dishonorable; shameful; indecent; unchaste; lewd.

2. (a.) Dishonored; disgraced; disfigured.

3. (a.) Wanting in honesty; void of integrity; faithless; disposed to cheat or defraud; not trustworthy; as, a dishonest man.

4. (a.) Characterized by fraud; indicating a want of probity; knavish; fraudulent; unjust.

5. (v. t.) To disgrace; to dishonor; as, to dishonest a maid.

Greek

147. aischrokerdos -- from eagerness for base gain
... Word Origin adverb from aischrokerdes Definition from eagerness for base gain
NASB Word Usage sordid gain (1). for the sake of dishonest gain. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/147.htm - 6k

Strong's Hebrew

1215. betsa -- gain made by violence, unjust gain, profit
... Word Origin from batsa Definition gain made by violence, unjust gain, profit NASB
Word Usage dishonest gain (4), end (1), gain (7), illicitly (1), plunder (1 ...
/hebrew/1215.htm - 6k

4820. mirmah -- deceit, treachery
... Origin from ramah Definition deceit, treachery NASB Word Usage deceit (21), deceitful
(6), deceitfully (2), deception (2), deceptive (1), dishonest (1), false ...
/hebrew/4820.htm - 6k

1214. batsa -- to cut off, break off, gain by violence
... 1), break (1), break ranks (1), completed (1), cut me off (1), cut off (1), cuts
me off (1), finish (1), gains by violence (1), get dishonest (1), gets (1 ...
/hebrew/1214.htm - 6k

Library

Dishonest Tenants
... DISHONEST TENANTS. 'And He began to speak unto them by parables. ... II. The next
scenes paint the conduct of the dishonest vine-dressers. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture d/dishonest tenants.htm

Cheating and Dishonest Ways of Making Money are Utterly Unfit for ...
... Book III. Chapter IX. Cheating and dishonest ways of making money are utterly
unfit for clerics whose duty is? Cheating and dishonest ...
/.../ambrose/works and letters of st ambrose/chapter ix cheating and dishonest.htm

A Man Expects to Reap the Same Kind as He Sows.
... clerks to lie and to misrepresent, to put a French or an English tag on domestic
goods and sell them for imported goods, so long they will have dishonest clerks ...
//christianbookshelf.org/moody/sowing and reaping/chapter iv a man expects.htm

Petty Dishonesty.
... INTRODUCTION."The dishonest Steward in to-day's Gospel shows us the natural tendency
of the human heart when in a scrape"to have recourse to dishonesty to ...
/.../the village pulpit volume ii trinity to advent/xlvi petty dishonesty.htm

From the Seventh to the End of the Tenth Commandment
... Children who indulge in this trifling thievery seldom correct the habit
in after life and grow up to be dishonest men and women. ...
/.../kinkead/baltimore catechism no 4/lesson 34 from the seventh.htm

Jesus' Law for the Use of Money.
... It is in that sixteenth chapter of Luke. He is talking about the dishonest
overseer of a wealthy man's estate. His dishonest practices ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/gordon/quiet talks on service/jesus law for the use.htm

He that is Unjust in the Least is Unjust Also in Much. Luke 16:10.
... this: One who is dishonest in small matters, is not really honest in anything.
The order which I shall pursue is the following: ...
/.../finney/lectures to professing christians/he that is unjust in.htm

Eighth Commandment
... On the other hand, many a person who would not steal himself, holds stock in companies
that make dishonest profits; but "though hand join in hand, the wicked ...
//christianbookshelf.org/moody/weighed and wanting/eighth commandment.htm

Resolves to Go to College. Friends Oppose. Wife Decides It. Hard ...
... Holds Several Meetings. Dishonest Preacher. Resolves to Go to College. Friends Oppose. ...
First Pay for Preaching. Holds Several Meetings. Dishonest Preacher. ...
/.../chapter viii resolves to go.htm

Felicitous Phrases
... corrupt, self-seeking, and dishonest. countenance, voice, and manner. ... deceitful,
lazy, and dishonest. decent, respectable, and sensible. ...
/.../kleiser/fifteen thousand useful phrases/section iii felicitous phrases.htm

Thesaurus

Dishonest (33 Occurrences)
... 3. (a.) Wanting in honesty; void of integrity; faithless; disposed to cheat or defraud;
not trustworthy; as, a dishonest man. ...Dishonest (33 Occurrences). ...
/d/dishonest.htm - 16k

Gainer (3 Occurrences)
... Gainer (3 Occurrences). Psalms 10:3 Because the wicked hath boasted Of the desire
of his soul, And a dishonest gainer he hath blessed, He hath despised Jehovah. ...
/g/gainer.htm - 7k

Gaining (17 Occurrences)
... Jeremiah 6:13 For from their least unto their greatest, Every one is gaining dishonest
gain, And from prophet even unto priest, Every one is dealing falsely ...
/g/gaining.htm - 11k

Dishonestly (5 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (adv.) In a dishonest manner. Multi-Version
Concordance Dishonestly (5 Occurrences). Acts 5:2 with her ...
/d/dishonestly.htm - 7k

Dealing (36 Occurrences)
... Luke 16:8 "His lord commended the dishonest manager because he had done wisely,
for the children of this world are, in their own generation, wiser than the ...
/d/dealing.htm - 17k

Unjust (44 Occurrences)
... 1. (a.) Acting contrary to the standard of right; not animated or controlled
by justice; false; dishonest; as, an unjust man or judge. ...
/u/unjust.htm - 18k

Scales (33 Occurrences)
... Proverbs 20:23 Yahweh detests differing weights, and dishonest scales are not pleasing. ...
(BBE NAS NIV). Hosea 12:7 A merchant has dishonest scales in his hand. ...
/s/scales.htm - 18k

Greedy (24 Occurrences)
... the overseer must be blameless, as God's steward; not self-pleasing, not easily
angered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for dishonest gain; (WEB ...
/g/greedy.htm - 13k

Detests (7 Occurrences)
... the Lord. (See NIV). Proverbs 20:23 Yahweh detests differing weights, and
dishonest scales are not pleasing. (WEB NIV). Proverbs 29 ...
/d/detests.htm - 8k

Mammon (4 Occurrences)
... of unrighteousness," follows as a comment on the parable of the Unjust Steward,
there is danger of the inference that Jesus approved the dishonest conduct of ...
/m/mammon.htm - 10k

Resources

What is the meaning of the Parable of the Unjust Steward (Luke 16:1-13)? | GotQuestions.org

What are the qualifications of elders and deacons? | GotQuestions.org

What does the Bible say about being passive-aggressive? | GotQuestions.org

Dishonest: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus

Concordance

Dishonest (33 Occurrences)

Luke 16:8
"His lord commended the dishonest manager because he had done wisely, for the children of this world are, in their own generation, wiser than the children of the light.
(WEB WEY RSV NIV)

Luke 16:10
He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much. He who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.
(WEB WEY RSV NIV)

2 Corinthians 11:13
For men of this stamp are sham apostles, dishonest workmen, assuming the garb of Apostles of Christ.
(WEY)

1 Timothy 3:8
Servants, in the same way, must be reverent, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for money;
(See NIV)

Titus 1:7
For the overseer must be blameless, as God's steward; not self-pleasing, not easily angered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for dishonest gain;
(WEB NIV)

Titus 1:11
whose mouths must be stopped; men who overthrow whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for dishonest gain's sake.
(WEB NIV)

Philemon 1:18
And if he was ever dishonest or is in your debt, debit me with the amount.
(WEY)

1 Peter 5:2
Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, exercising the oversight, not under compulsion, but voluntarily, not for dishonest gain, but willingly;
(WEB)

Revelation 22:11
Let the dishonest man act dishonestly still; let the filthy make himself filthy still; let the righteous practise righteousness still; and let the holy be made holy still."
(WEY)

Exodus 18:21
And thou -- thou dost provide out of all the people men of ability, fearing God, men of truth, hating dishonest gain, and hast placed 'these' over them, heads of thousands, heads of hundreds, heads of fifties, and heads of tens,
(YLT NAS NIV)

Leviticus 19:35
"'You shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in measures of length, of weight, or of quantity.
(See NIV)

1 Samuel 8:3
and his sons have not walked in his ways, and turn aside after the dishonest gain, and take a bribe, and turn aside judgment.
(YLT NAS NIV)

Psalms 10:3
Because the wicked hath boasted Of the desire of his soul, And a dishonest gainer he hath blessed, He hath despised Jehovah.
(YLT)

Psalms 119:36
Incline my heart unto Thy testimonies, And not unto dishonest gain.
(YLT NAS)

Proverbs 1:19
So 'are' the paths of every gainer of dishonest gain, The life of its owners it taketh.
(YLT)

Proverbs 11:1
Scales of deceit are hated by the Lord, but a true weight is his delight.
(See NIV)

Proverbs 15:27
A dishonest gainer is troubling his house, And whoso is hating gifts liveth.
(YLT)

Proverbs 20:23
Yahweh detests differing weights, and dishonest scales are not pleasing.
(WEB NIV)

Proverbs 28:16
A leader lacking understanding multiplieth oppressions, Whoso is hating dishonest gain prolongeth days.
(YLT)

Proverbs 29:27
A dishonest man detests the righteous, and the upright in their ways detest the wicked.
(WEB NIV)

Isaiah 56:11
And the dogs 'are' strong of desire, They have not known sufficiency, And they 'are' shepherds! They have not known understanding, All of them to their own way they did turn, Each to his dishonest gain from his quarter:
(YLT)

Isaiah 57:17
For the iniquity of his dishonest gain, I have been wroth, and I smite him, Hiding -- and am wroth, And he goeth on turning back in the way of his heart.
(YLT)

Jeremiah 6:13
For from their least unto their greatest, Every one is gaining dishonest gain, And from prophet even unto priest, Every one is dealing falsely,
(YLT)

Jeremiah 8:10
Therefore, I give their wives to others, Their fields to dispossessors, For from the least even unto the greatest, Every one is gaining dishonest gain, From prophet even unto priest, every one is dealing falsely.
(YLT)

Jeremiah 22:17
But thine eyes and thy heart are not, Except on thy dishonest gain, And on shedding of innocent blood, And on oppression, and on doing of violence.
(YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Jeremiah 51:13
O dweller on many waters, abundant in treasures, Come in hath thine end, the measure of thy dishonest gain.
(YLT)

Ezekiel 22:13
Behold, therefore, I have struck my hand at your dishonest gain which you have made, and at your blood which has been in the midst of you.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Ezekiel 22:27
Her princes in its midst are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, that they may get dishonest gain.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Ezekiel 28:18
By the multitude of your iniquities, in the unrighteousness of your traffic, you have profaned your sanctuaries; therefore have I brought forth a fire from the midst of you; it has devoured you, and I have turned you to ashes on the earth in the sight of all those who see you.
(See NIV)

Ezekiel 33:31
And they come unto thee as a people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they do them not; for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their dishonest gain.
(DBY YLT)

Hosea 12:7
A merchant has dishonest scales in his hand. He loves to defraud.
(WEB NIV)

Amos 8:5
Saying,'When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell grain? And the Sabbath, that we may market wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel large, and dealing falsely with balances of deceit;
(See NAS NIV)

Micah 6:11
Shall I be pure with dishonest scales, and with a bag of deceitful weights?
(WEB NIV)

Subtopics

Dishonest

Dishonest Gain

Related Terms

Gainer (3 Occurrences)

Gaining (17 Occurrences)

Dishonestly (5 Occurrences)

Dealing (36 Occurrences)

Unjust (44 Occurrences)

Scales (33 Occurrences)

Greedy (24 Occurrences)