There are many verses about sinful pride in the Bible. While some self-respect can be a good thing, the kind of pride that the Bible warns about is something else… This prideful person only sees the sins of others, while they are blind to the evil things in their own life. Those with too much pride in the Bible think too highly of themselves and therefore they cannot surrender to God.
Let’s consider some examples of pride in the Bible by studying some verses together:
Quick Assessment
Why does your prayer life keep falling flat?
It's usually one of four things — and each one needs a completely different strategy to break through. This 2-minute assessment tells you exactly which pattern is blocking you.
My adversaries pursue me all day long; in their pride many are attacking me.
Psalm 73:6
Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence.
Proverbs 16:19
Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud.
Proverbs 21:4
Haughty eyes and a proud heart— the unplowed field of the wicked—produce sin.
These verses show that arrogant pride is equated with evil in the Bible. The word pride is used to describe the haters of God’s people. Great pride is not a good thing, but a man’s pride in his own accomplishments makes it hard for him to view God rightly.
The arrogant person does not fear God
Psalm 10:4
In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.
Proverbs 8:13
To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.
Proverbs 9:10
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
A proud person followed the desires of the flesh and desires of the eyes and there is no room for God in their heart. When the Bible talks about fearing God – a better word for it is to ‘revere’ God. God needs to be placed first, everything else comes second. That’s why the proud turn their backs on God.
God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.
Isaiah 2:12
The LORD Almighty has a day in store for all the proud and lofty, for all that is exalted (and they will be humbled),
Leviticus 26:19
I will break down your stubborn pride and make the sky above you like iron and the ground beneath you like bronze.
Isaiah 25:11
God will bring down their pride despite the cleverness of their hands.
Isaiah 23:9
The LORD Almighty planned it, to bring down her pride in all her splendor and to humble all who are renowned on the earth.
Proverbs 16:5
The LORD detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.
Proverbs 6:16-17
These six things the Lord hates, yes, seven are an abomination to him: a proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies, and one who stirs up conflict among brothers.
The things listed in this last verse are sometimes called the seven deadly sins – and pride is the first one! There are lots of verses in the Bible telling us how God hates the proud. God made people to exist in perfect friendship with Him, but when people choose sin they ultimately choose themselves. Therefore, pride can be understood as the very root of all sin. It’s saying: “It is about what I want, not you, God!” Pride is a byproduct of selfishness.
For God does speak—now one way, now another— though no one perceives it. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they slumber in their beds,he may speak in their ears and terrify them with warnings, to turn them from wrongdoing and keep them from pride, to preserve them from the pit, their lives from perishing by the sword.
This verse mentions that God warns the proud in some ways and He reaches out to them – maybe in dreams, maybe in other ways. So, even though God despises the proud, He also has compassion for them. We should not turn our backs on people who struggle with the sin of pride, since God never gives up on them. We can pray for them, model how to live a life of humble surrender before God, and kindly show them a better way.
But when his heart became arrogant and hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne and stripped of his glory.
2 Chronicles 26:16
But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the Lord his God, and entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense.
2 Chronicles 32:26
Then Hezekiah repented of the pride of his heart, as did the people of Jerusalem; therefore the Lord’s wrath did not come on them during the days of Hezekiah.
Job 20:6-7
Though the pride of the godless person reaches to the heavens and his head touches the clouds, he will perish forever, like his own dung; those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’
James 1:10
But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower.
Obadiah 1:3
The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rock and make your home on the heights, you who say to yourself, ‘Who can bring me down to the ground?’
These practical, real examples show people in the Bible who were proud and it led to failure. Pride always leads to destruction. When we think too highly of ourselves, we cannot see who God says we are – so, we get lost, confused, and hurt. Pride in the Bible is always followed by failure.
The importance of humility versus pride in the Bible
Philippians 2:3
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,
Matthew 15:18-19
But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.
Proverbs 11:2
When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.
James 4:10
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
The opposite of pride is to be humble. God’s Word says that the humble will be lifted up. There are many more verses in the Bible about humility, these are just a few that stand out. We can grow more by focusing on the positive than the negative. If you’re struggling to get out of pride, focus more on learning to be humble and the pride will be drowned out by the good…
The Biblical sin of pride
Proverbs 29:33
Pride brings a person low, but the lowly in spirit gain honor.
Proverbs 13:10
Where there is strife, there is pride, but wisdom is found in those who take advice.
Proverbs 16:18
Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.
Ecclesiastes 7:8
The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride.
Proverbs 14:3
A fool’s mouth lashes out with pride, but the lips of the wise protect them.
These sayings of the wise King Solomon of the Old Testament times show us once more that pride is not a good thing according to God’s way. It’s funny because the modern world will tell you to Love Yourself and to Be Proud and to Stand Tall – but the Bible says the opposite. God’s Kingdom is upside-down and it cannot be compatible with the way of the world.
Pride in the Bible is a sin against God
2 Kings 19:22
Who is it you have ridiculed and blasphemed? Against whom have you raised your voice and lifted your eyes in pride? Against the Holy One of Israel!
Jeremiah 9:23
Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches,
1 John 2:16
For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.
2 Corinthians 10:17-18
But, Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord. For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.
Proverbs 3:7
Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil.
The first verse here (2 Kings 19:22) makes it very clear that pride is a sin against God. It’s interesting if you think about it: Most sin is against people. Jealousy, Gossip, Cheating… Some sins are against yourself. Addiction, Laziness, Sexual sin… But then some are against God. It’s saying: “No thanks, I am good, I need you!”
How should lovers of God differ from lovers of self when it comes to pride?
Romans 12:16
Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
Galatians 6:4
Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else.
Romans 12:3
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.
1 Peter 5:5
In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”
Galatians 6:3
If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves.
Proverbs 27:2
Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth; an outsider, and not your own lips.
These verses show that the people of God are not prideful in their own strength and they don’t think much of themselves. In fact, faith in Christ is determined by the statement: “I couldn’t do it on my own, that’s why I need a Savior!”. To be a Christian is to lay aside pride and selfish ambition, to take up your cross, and to walk the way of Jesus Christ.
It is not a flashy or impressive lifestyle. It’s not much, according to the world’s standards. But in the way that really matters, it is the only way that lasts and has any eternal value. Consider one final verse:
Matthew 6:19-21
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Eljoh Hartzer is combining theology and art to nurture faith journeys across generations. She is a Masters-level Practical Theologian with the University of Stellenbosch. She is also a writer and editor in the niche of Christianity and children's content and she illustrates children's books. Eljoh resides in the Swartland area in the Western Cape province of South Africa.
You can follow Eljoh on LinkedIn or Instagram.
