Pride

Across the canon

In the King James text (142 verses)

Every verse where Scripture speaks of pride, gathered by word. Quoted below: a spread across the whole canon, Old Testament and New — never more than two from any one book. The complete list is one click beneath them.

1. Exodus 18:11

   Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them.

   ›Commentary on Exodus 18:111 voice

   “Greater than all gods - See Exo 15:11. The words simply indicate a conviction of the incomparable might and majesty of Yahweh. For in ... above them - i. e. the greatness of Yahweh was shown in those transactions wherein the Egyptians had thought to deal haughtily and cruelly against the Israelites. Jethro refers especially to the destruction of the Egyptian host in the Red Sea.

   Everything gathered on Exodus 18:11→

   Verse page →Original language →

2. 2 Samuel 22:28

   And the afflicted people thou wilt save: but thine eyes are upon the haughty, that thou mayest bring them down.

   Verse page →Original language →

3. Job 9:13

   If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him.

   ›Commentary on Job 9:131 voice

   “If God will not withdraw his anger - That is, if he perseveres in inflicting punishment. He will not turn aside his displeasure by any opposition or resistance made to him. The proud helpers - Margin, Helpers of pride, or, strength. Jerome renders this, “under whom they who bear up the world bow down.” The Septuagint, not less singularly, “by him the whales (or monsters - κήτος ketos) which are under heaven, are bowed down.” Codurcus renders it, “aids of pride,” and understands by it all the things on which proud men rely, as wealth, health, rank, talent.

   Everything gathered on Job 9:13→

   Verse page →Original language →

4. Ecclesiastes 7:8

   Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

   ›Commentary on Ecclesiastes 7:81 voice

   “Better is the end - We can then judge of the whole, and especially if the matter relate to the conduct of Divine Providence. At the beginning we are often apt to make very rash conjectures, and often suppose that such and such things are against us; and that every thing is going wrong.

   Everything gathered on Ecclesiastes 7:8→

   Verse page →Original language →

5. Ezekiel 7:10

   Behold the day, behold, it is come: the morning is gone forth; the rod hath blossomed, pride hath budded.

   Verse page →Original language →

6. Habakkuk 2:5

   Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people:

   ›Commentary on Habakkuk 2:52 voices

   “This general rule the prophet goes on to apply in words which belong in part to all oppressors and in the first instance to the Chaldaean, in part yet more fully to the end and to antichrist. “Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine” (or better, “Yea, how much more, since wine is a deceiver , as Solomon says, Pro 20:1, “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging, and whosoever erreth thereby shall not be wise;” and Pro 23:32, “In the end it biteth like a serpent and pierceth like an adder;” and Hosea Hos 4:11, “Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.” As wine at first gladdens, then deprives of all reason, and lays a man open to any deceit, so also pride.

   “(Verse 5 and following) And just as wine deceives a drinker, so too will the proud man be, and he will not be adorned, who has expanded his soul like Sheol and is like death, and he will not be satisfied. And he will gather all nations to himself, and he will heap all peoples to himself. Will not all these take up a proverb against him and a taunting riddle about him, and say: Woe to him who multiplies what is not his own! How long will he heap up thick clay against himself?

   Everything gathered on Habakkuk 2:5→

   Verse page →Original language →

7. Malachi 3:15

   And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.

   ›Commentary on Malachi 3:152 voices

   “(Verse 15) Therefore now we call the arrogant blessed, for they who practice wickedness are built up and they have tested God, and they have escaped. LXX: And now we call the arrogant blessed. Yes, they who work wickedness are built up; yes, they tempted God and escaped. Therefore, we call those arrogant individuals blessed, who boast against God and hurl impious blasphemies. Indeed, they have been successful and enjoy prosperity even after their crimes and blasphemies. They have tested God, whether they resist Him or not, and have been saved.

   “And now we call the proud happy,.... Or "therefore now" (q); since this is the case, that the worshippers of God are not regarded, and there is nothing got by serving him; they that are proud and haughty, that neither fear God nor regard men, are the happy persons; even presumptuous sinners, as the word (r) signifies, that stretch out their hands against God, and strengthen themselves against the Almighty; these enjoy all worldly happiness, while they that serve the Lord are mourning in sackcloth, and are in the utmost distress.

   Everything gathered on Malachi 3:15→

   Verse page →Original language →

8. Mark 7:22

   Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:

   Verse page →Original language →

9. Romans 1:30

   Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

   ›Commentary on Romans 1:301 voice

   “Backbiters - Καταλαλους, from κατα, against, and λαλεω, I speak; those who speak against others; false accusers, slanderers. Haters of God - Θεοστυγεις, atheists, contemners of sacred things, maligners of providence, scorners, etc. All profligate deists are of this class; and it seems to be the finishing part of a diabolic character. Despiteful - Ὑβριστας, from ὑβριζω, to treat with injurious insolence; stormy, boisterous; abusing both the characters and persons of those over whom they can have any power. Proud - Ὑπερηφανους, from ὑπερ, above or over, and φαινω, I show or shine.

   Everything gathered on Romans 1:30→

   Verse page →Original language →

10. Ephesians 2:9

    Not of works, lest any man should boast.

    Verse page →Original language →

11. James 3:5

    Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!

    ›Commentary on James 3:52 voices

    “The sword kills the body, but the tongue kills the soul. The tongue knows no moderation—either it is a great good or it is a great evil. It is a great good when it acknowledges that Christ is God, and a great evil when it denies that. Let no one deceive himself into thinking that he has never sinned, for if I have sinned, it is with my tongue. What more monstrous sin is there than blasphemy against God? The devil did not fall because he committed theft, murder or adultery; he fell because of his tongue.

    “Even so the tongue is a little member - Little compared with the body, as the bit or the rudder is, compared with the horse or the ship. And boasteth great things - The design of the apostle is to illustrate the power and influence of the tongue. This may be done in a great many respects: and the apostle does it by referring to its boasting; to the effects which it produces, resembling that of fire, Jas 3:6; to its untameableness, Jas 3:8-9; and to its giving utterance to the most inconsistent and incongruous thoughts, Jas 3:9-

    Everything gathered on James 3:5→

    Verse page →Original language →

12. 1 John 2:16

    For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

    ›Commentary on 1 John 2:162 voices

    “It was still, up to that time, accounted as being in Adam, with its own vicious nature, easily indulging concupiscence after whatever it had seen to be "attractive to the sight," and looking back at the lower things, and checking its itching with fig-leaves.

    “For all that is in the world - All that it can boast of, all that it can promise, is only sensual, transient gratification, and even this promise it cannot fulfill; so that its warmest votaries can complain loudest of their disappointment. The lust of the flesh - Sensual and impure desires which seek their gratification in women, strong drink, delicious viands, and the like. Lust of the eyes - Inordinate desires after finery of every kind, gaudy dress, splendid houses, superb furniture, expensive equipage, trappings, and decorations of all sorts.

    Everything gathered on 1 John 2:16→

    Verse page →Original language →

Words searched, at word start, across the King James text: pride… · proud… · haughty… · arrogan… · boast…

Lives that met it (8)

Curated character profiles whose own account speaks of pride.

• JosephVizier of Egypt · PatriarchalJoseph rose from pit to palace through God's providence. Sold by jealous brothers, he became Egypt's vizier and saved his family from famine. His life powerfully prefigures Christ's rejection and exaltation.
• SamsonStrongest Man · JudgesSamson was a Nazirite with supernatural strength who fought the Philistines. His life of moral compromise ended in sacrificial death as he destroyed more enemies in dying than in living.
• SaulFirst King of United Israel · United MonarchyThe first king of united Israel, chosen by God but ultimately rejected for his disobedience. His reign began with promise but ended in tragedy.
• RehoboamFirst King of Judah · Divided Kingdom - JudahSolomon's son whose foolish response to the people caused the kingdom to split.
• Jehoram of Judah5th King of Judah · Divided KingdomSon of Jehoshaphat who married Ahab's daughter Athaliah and led Judah deeply into Baal worship. He murdered his brothers to secure the throne and died of a terrible bowel disease as prophesied by Elijah.
• Amaziah9th King of Judah · Divided KingdomThe ninth king of Judah who defeated Edom but then foolishly worshipped Edomite gods. He recklessly challenged King Jehoash of Israel, suffered a humiliating defeat, and was eventually assassinated.
• Hezekiah13th King of Judah · Divided KingdomOne of Judah's greatest kings who reversed his father Ahaz's idolatry, reopened the Temple, held the greatest Passover since Solomon, and trusted God when Sennacherib's 185,000-man Assyrian army was destroyed by the angel of the LORD.
• Jehoiakim18th King of Judah · Divided KingdomInstalled as king by Pharaoh Neco, Jehoiakim was a ruthless ruler who burned Jeremiah's scroll, killed the prophet Uriah, and imposed heavy taxation. Daniel was taken to Babylon during his reign in the first deportation.