34 Bible Verses about Flattery

With much justifying and enticing argument she persuades him, with the allurements of her lips she leads him [to overcome his conscience and his fears] and forces him along. Suddenly he [yields and] follows her reluctantly like an ox moving to the slaughter, like one in fetters going to the correction [to be given] to a fool or like a dog enticed by food to the muzzle Till a dart [of passion] pierces and inflames his vitals; then like a bird fluttering straight into the net [he hastens], not knowing that it will cost him his life.

A man who flatters his neighbor [with smooth words intending to do harm]
Is spreading a net for his own feet.

Then your maidservant said, ‘Please let the word of my lord the king be comforting, for my lord the king is as the angel of God to discern good and evil. May the Lord your God be with you.’”

In order to change the appearance of things [between Absalom and you, his father] your servant Joab did this thing. But my lord has wisdom like the wisdom of the angel of God, to know everything that is in the earth.”

He who goes about as a gossip reveals secrets;
Therefore do not associate with a gossip [who talks freely or flatters].

A man who flatters his neighbor [with smooth words intending to do harm]
Is spreading a net for his own feet.

He who [appropriately] reprimands a [wise] man will afterward find more favor
Than he who flatters with the tongue.

For such people do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites and base desires. By smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting [the innocent and the naive].

For there will no longer be any false and empty vision or flattering divination within the house of Israel.

For there is nothing trustworthy or reliable or truthful in what they say;
Their heart is destruction [just a treacherous chasm, a yawning gulf of lies].
Their throat is an open grave;
They [glibly] flatter with their [silken] tongue.

They speak deceitful and worthless words to one another;
With flattering lips and a double heart they speak.

“He who denounces and informs against his friends for a share of the spoil,
The eyes of his children will also languish and fail.

May the Lord cut off all flattering lips,
The tongue that speaks great things [in boasting];

For as you well know, we never came with words of flattery nor with a pretext for greed—God is our witness—

And in his place or office [in Syria] shall arise a contemptuous and contemptible person, to whom royal majesty and honor of the kingdom have not been given. But he shall come in without warning in time of security and shall obtain the kingdom by flatteries, intrigues, and cunning hypocritical conduct. Before him the overwhelming forces of invading armies shall be broken and utterly swept away; yes, and a prince of the covenant [with those who were at peace with him] also [shall be broken and swept away].

A lying tongue hates those it wounds and crushes,
And a flattering mouth works ruin.

He who [appropriately] reprimands a [wise] man will afterward find more favor
Than he who flatters with the tongue.

He who goes about as a gossip reveals secrets;
Therefore do not associate with a gossip [who talks freely or flatters].

Then the messenger who went to summon Micaiah said to him, “Listen carefully, the words of the prophets are unanimously favorable to the king. Please let your words be like the word of one of them, and speak favorably.”

Now when they fall they will receive a little help, and many will join with them in hypocrisy.

And the woman said, The word of my lord the king will now give me rest and security, for as an angel of God is my lord the king to hear and discern good and evil. May the Lord your God be with you! Then the king said to the woman, Hide not from me anything I ask you. And the woman said, Let my lord the king speak. The king said, Is the hand of Joab with you in all this? And the woman answered, As your soul lives, my lord the king, none can turn to the right hand or to the left from anything my lord the king has said. It was your servant Joab who directed me; he put all these words in my mouth. read more.
In order to change the course of matters [between Absalom and his father] your servant Joab did this. But my lord has wisdom like the wisdom of the angel of God -- "to know all things that are on the earth.

And all the men of Israel came to the king and said to him, Why have our kinsmen, the men of Judah, stolen you away and have brought the king and his household over the Jordan, and all David's men with him? But all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, Because the king is near of kin to us. Why then be angry about it? Have we eaten at all at the king's expense? Or has he given us any gift? Then the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, We have ten [tribes'] shares in the king; and we have more right to David than you have. Why then did you despise and ignore us? Were we not the first to speak of our bringing back our king? But the words of the men of Judah were more violent than the charges of the men of Israel.

“Get [skillful and godly] wisdom! Acquire understanding [actively seek spiritual discernment, mature comprehension, and logical interpretation]!
Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth.

I will not [I warn you] be influenced by respect for any man's person and show partiality, neither will I flatter any man. For I know not how to flatter, [wasting my time in mere formalities, for then] my Maker would soon take me away.

Nevertheless they flattered Him with their mouths
And lied to Him with their tongues.

For he flatters and deceives himself in his own eyes
Thinking that his sinfulness will not be discovered and hated [by God].

All the commissioners of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the counselors and the governors have consulted and agreed together that the king should establish a royal statute and enforce an injunction that anyone who petitions (prays to) any god or man besides you, O king, during the next thirty days, shall be thrown into the den of lions.

And [he] rose up early and stood beside the gateway; and when any man who had a controversy came to the king for judgment, Absalom called to him, Of what city are you? And he would say, Your servant is of such and such a tribe of Israel. Absalom would say to him, Your claims are good and right, but there is no man appointed as the king's agent to hear you. Absalom added, Oh, that I were judge in the land! Then every man with any suit or cause might come to me and I would do him justice! read more.
And whenever a man came near to do obeisance to him, he would put out his hand, take hold of him, and kiss him. Thus Absalom did to all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

And when he was called, Tertullus began the complaint [against him] by saying: Since through you we obtain and enjoy much peace, and since by your foresight and provision wonderful reforms (amendments and improvements) are introduced and effected on behalf of this nation, In every way and in every place, most excellent Felix, we accept and acknowledge this with deep appreciation and with all gratitude. But not to hinder or detain you too long, I beg you in your clemency and courtesy and kindness to grant us a brief and concise hearing.

I consider myself fortunate, King Agrippa, that it is before you that I am to make my defense today in regard to all the charges brought against me by [the] Jews, [Especially] because you are so fully and unusually conversant with all the Jewish customs and controversies; therefore, I beg you to hear me patiently.

Then the messenger who went to summon Micaiah said to him, “Listen carefully, the words of the prophets are unanimously favorable to the king. Please let your words be like the word of one of them, and speak favorably.”

When the governor nodded for him to speak, Paul answered,

“Knowing that for many years you have been a judge over this nation, I make my defense cheerfully and with good courage.

They asked Him, “Teacher, we know that You speak and teach correctly, and that You show no partiality to anyone, but teach the way of God truthfully.

The assembled people kept shouting, “It is the voice of a god and not of a man!”

While he was still speaking, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest arrived. And Adonijah said, “Come in, for you are a valiant and trustworthy man and you bring good news.”

And the men of Ephraim said to Gideon, Why have you treated us like this, not calling us when you went to fight with Midian? And they quarreled with him furiously. And he said to them, What have I done now in comparison with you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of [your big tribe of] Ephraim better than the vintage of [my little clan of] Abiezer? God has given into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb, and what was I able to do in comparison with you? Then their anger toward him was abated when he had said that.

Jacob replied, “No, please, if now I have found favor in your sight, then accept my gift [as a blessing] from my hand, for I see your face as if I had seen the face of God, and you have received me favorably.

The king of Israel [conceded his defeat and] answered, “By your word, my lord, O king, I am yours, and all that I have.”

Again Mephibosheth lay himself face down and said, “What is your servant, that you would be concerned for a dead dog like me?”

All the commissioners of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the counselors and the governors have consulted and agreed together that the king should establish a royal statute and enforce an injunction that anyone who petitions (prays to) any god or man besides you, O king, during the next thirty days, shall be thrown into the den of lions.