Deception
Deception
The intentional misleading of another; many biblical characters use deceptive means to achieve their purposes at a cost to others.
The Bible uses several Hebrew and Greek words to express the concept of deception, since deceit is carried out in various contexts and takes on many forms in the biblical text. The OT uses several Hebrew terms related to lying. For example, Hebrew terms from the roots כזב (kzb; e.g., Hab 2:3) and שׁקר (šqr; e.g., Prov 6:19) often describe instances of lying
The verb רָמָה (rāmâ, “to deceive”) is often used in narrative sections of the OT to describe deceitful actions between characters (e.g., 1 Sam 19:17). Similarly, the term מִרְמָה (mirmâ) denotes deceit and the distortion of the truth, while the related Hebrew terms תָרְמִית (tarmît) and רְמִיָּה (rĕmiyyâ) have a similar semantic range. Other important words for describing deception in the OT include נָשָׁא (nāšāʾ; “to cheat”) and כָּחַשׁ (kāḥaš; “to deny”)
The NT also employs various terms related to the notion of deception, though most come from the ψεύδ- word group. The central idea of this word group is falseness; the verb ψεύδομαι (pseudomai) thus conceives of lying in terms of telling a falsehood (e.g., Matt 5:11; Jas 3:14). Accordingly, the Greek noun ψεύδος (pseudos) refers to a “lie” or “falsehood,” while compound terms are derived from the word to describe imposters or false offices
(e.g., ψευδαπόστολος, pseudapostolos, “false apostle”; ψευδόχριστος, pseudochristos, “false messiah,” Mark 13:22; and ψευδοπροφήτης, pseudoprophētēs, “false prophet,” Acts 13:6). A key type of deception in the NT is “false witness,” which is conveyed through the terms ψευδομαρτύρεω (pseudomartyreō, “to bear false witness”) and ψευδόμαρτυς (pseudomartys, “false witness”; e.g., 1 Cor 15:15). In addition, the NT uses Greek terms such as ἀπατάω (apataō, “to deceive”; e.g., Eph 5:6) and πλανάω (planaō, “to mislead”; e.g., 1 John 2:26) to express various forms of deception.
Deception is present in the Bible from beginning to end (Gen 3:8–15; Rev 21:8). Throughout the Bible, deception is rooted in the treacherous power of idolatry and the beguiling words of false prophets, but ultimately comes from the fallen nature of humanity and its sinful desires.
In the Bible, humans deceive their siblings (e.g., Gen 27:35), nations (Josh 9:22), and even themselves (Jer 49:16; Obad 1:3). They provide false witness in court (Exod 23:1–2; Prov 19:5), though the law forbids such behavior (Exod 20:16; Deut 5:20)
The NT extends the OT ethical prohibition of deception in both the Gospels and the Letters (e.g., Matt 19:18; Mark 10:19; Col 3:9; Jas 3:14; 1 John 1:6), though ironically false witness and deception play an instrumental role in the arrest and trial of Jesus (e.g., Mark 14:56–57)
According to the Bible, deception is perpetrated not only by humans, but also by other figures and powers in the world; the devil—the “father” of lies (see John 8:44)—and various powers of evil deceive and mislead humans (e.g., 2 Cor 4:4; Gal 4:3, 9; Col 2:8). God’s truthfulness and inability to lie stand in contrast to the seemingly endless acts of deceit in the Bible. He is the “true God” whose word is fully trustworthy (Jer 10:10); heaven and earth will pass away before his word fails (see Matt 24:35). The ultimate revelation of God and his truth is Jesus Christ, who is the “image of the invisible God” (Col 1:15) and in whose mouth there was no deceit (1 Pet 2:22; compare Isa 53:9 LXX). He alone can truthfully claim to be “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).
Lexical Information
כָּזַב (kāzab). vb. to lie. Refers to the act of lying or, in the passive voice, being a liar.
This verb occurs 16 times in the OT, primarily in the Niphal and Piel stems. The two occurrences in the Niphal stem (i.e., passive) convey the sense of proving oneself a liar (e.g., Job 41:9; Prov 30:6), while the 12 occurrences in the Piel typically denote the activity of lying to or deceiving others. The OT also uses the verb kāzab to declare that God “does not lie” (Num 23:19) and that his promises, visions, and prophecies are not deceitful (Psa 89:35; 2 Kgs 4:16; Mic 2:11; Hab 2:3).
כָּזָב (kāzāb). n. masc. lie. Refers to a lie or deception.
This term refers to a lie or falsehood in a generic sense. It often occurs in the plural form כָזבַיִם (kzbym, “lies”; Judg 16:10, 13; Hos 7:13), including in Proverbs, which condemns both liars and the activity of lying (e.g., Prov 14:5; 19:5; 21:28). Throughout the OT, the term kāzāb is associated with false prophets (Ezek 13:19), idolatry (Amos 2:4), and the wicked (Psa 5:6; 58:3).
שָׁקַר (šāqar). vb. to lie. Describes the act of breaking an agreement or dealing falsely with someone.
The verb appears in the dialogue between Abimelech of Gerar and Abraham, where it means “to not violate” a treaty/covenant (Gen 21:23; compare Pss 44:17; 89:33). The use of the verb šāqar in Lev 19:11 probably refers to the activity of lying in a general sense. First Samuel 15:29 uses šāqar to distinguish Yahweh (“the Glory of Israel”) from humanity by declaring that he will not “break faith” (lōʾ yĕšaqqēr).
שֶׁקֶר (šeqer). n. masc. lie. Refers to a lie or false witness.
This term can refer to various kinds of lies, deceptions, or falsehoods. Accordingly, the OT uses the term in a variety of ways, although it often conveys the idea of deception through speech (e.g., Psa 120:2; Prov 6:17; 12:19). The word šeqer can also be used to describe false charges (e.g., Exod 23:7), false oaths (Lev 6:3, 5; Jer 7:9), and the deceptive path (Psa 119:118, 128). False prophets are known for speaking empty words (e.g., Jer 5:31; 20:6; Mic 2:11).
רָמָה (rāmâ). vb. to betray, to deceive. Describes the act of dealing deceitfully with someone.
This verb describes actions that are intended to deceive or give a false impression. Jacob accuses Laban of deceiving him by giving him Leah instead of Rachel (Gen 29:25). The woman of Endor accuses Saul of trying to deceive her (1 Sam 28:12). Joshua 9:22 uses rāmâ to describe how the Gibeonites deceive Israel into making a covenant with them.
(mirmâ). n. fem. deceit, falsehood. Denotes a trick or fraud intended to deceive someone.
Mirmâ is close in meaning to other words related to the concept of deception, though it tends to denote the distortion of the truth. In the OT, people often act with mirmâ to take advantage of others for their own gain. For example, Jacob uses deceit to gain his brother Esau’s blessings (Gen 27:35; compare Gen 34:13). Tradesmen use false scales (Amos 8:5; Hos 12:7) and weights (Mic 6:11) as means of deception. Both the righteous (Pss 17:1; 24:4) and the Servant of Yahweh (Isa 53:9) are described as being free of mirmâ.
The Hebrew terms תָּרְמִית (tarmît) and רְמִיָּה (rĕmiyyâ) are semantically related to both rāmâ and mirmâ. The five occurrences of tarmît in the OT—sometimes in parallel to kāzab and šēqer—indicate deceitfulness (Jer 8:5) or the peculiar deceitfulness of the human heart (Jer 14:14; 23:26). The expression šēqer tarmitām in Psa 119:118 describes the men despised by Yahweh for their falsehoods. The term rĕmiyyâ often denotes deceitful words that are untrustworthy (e.g., Psa 52:2; Hos 7:16).
תָּלַל (tālal). vb. to deceive. Refers to the act of deceiving, usually involving someone misleading or cheating others.
This verb means “to deceive” by cheating or tricking a person. Exodus uses the word to describe how Pharaoh misleads Moses and the people of Israel (Exod 8:29). The prophetic literature strongly condemns people who deceive and lie to their neighbors (e.g., Jer 9:5 [9:4]).
(kāḥaš). vb. to deny. Indicates the act of denying the truth.
This verb often denotes deception through deliberate concealment or denial of a truth. These deceptions occur both in ordinary life (Gen 18:15) or in the courts (Lev 6:2–3 [5:21–22]). It is possible to “deny” God by following other gods (Josh 24:27), by ignoring his words (Isa 30:9), or by breaking the covenant (Isa 59:13). The related noun כַּחַשׁ (kḥš) occurs five times in the OT and means “lie” or “deceit” (e.g., Psa 59:12; Hos 10:13; 11:12).
נָשָׁא (nāšāʾ). vb. to cheat, to deceive. Describes the act of deceiving by presenting falsehood as truth.
The first and arguably most notable use of the verb nāšāʾ in the OT occurs in Gen 3:13, where Eve claims that the serpent “deceived” her. The verb is also used to describe Israel’s self-deception in Jer 37:9: “You must not deceive yourselves …” (compare Jer 49:16; Obad 1:3). Other uses of the verb include death’s deception of people (Psa 55:15) and the prophet Jeremiah’s accusation that God deceived the people and Jerusalem (Jer 4:10).
(pth). vb. to deceive, to entice. Refers to deceiving or making a fool out of someone.
In the Qal stem, this term means to be simple or gullible, and in the Niphal stem it refers to allowing oneself to be fooled. In the Piel stem, however, it can mean to persuade someone by enticing or deceiving them. For example, 1 Kings 22:20–22 describes the “lying spirit” that God put in the mouth of false prophets to “make a fool” of the king. The term can also denote deception in the forms of sexual enticement (e.g., Exod 22:16) and gossip (e.g., Prov 20:19).
ψεύδομαι (pseudomai). vb. to lie. Refers to the act of lying or deceiving by lying.
In the LXX the Greek verb pseudomai often translates the Hebrew term kāḥaš (“to deny”; e.g., Lev 19:11; Job 8:18). The verb appears throughout the NT with the basic meaning “to lie.” The word is used in the Sermon on the Mount to describe the activities of those who persecute followers of Jesus (Matt 5:11). Peter accuses Ananias and Sapphira of lying to the Holy Spirit by keeping money for themselves (Acts 5:3; compare Rom 9:1). Paul underlines the truthfulness of his letters by declaring that he is not lying (2 Cor 11:31; Gal 1:20; 1 Tim 2:7). The NT writings also exhort believers to put away lying as part of their former life in order to embrace the truth (Col 3:9; Jas 3:14; and 1 John 1:6).
ψεύδος (pseudos). n. neut. lie, falsehood. Describes anything that is false or untrue.
This noun derives from the related verb pseudomai and has a similar semantic range. In John 8:44 Jesus claims that his opponents are from their father the devil who speaks “the lie” (to pseudos), is a “liar” (pseustēs), and is “the father of [lies].” Paul blames the Gentiles for exchanging the divine truth for “the lie” (Rom 1:25) and exhorts the Ephesians to put aside “the lie.” While most uses of pseudos in the NT refer to “lies” in a general sense, the term can also be used to describe falsehoods associated with belief and idolatry (e.g., 2 Thess 2:11; Rev 22:15).
Several terms related to pseudomai and pseudos appear throughout the NT. The noun ψεύστης (pseustēs), which means “liar,” is used to describe false or “lying” witnesses (Acts 6:13) and “liars” who will be subject to eschatological judgment in the lake of fire (Rev 21:8). There are also a number of compound terms related to this word group. Paul uses ψευδοάδελφοι (pseudoadelphoi, “false brother”) to describe those who pretend to be believers to deceive others (2 Cor 11:26; Gal 2:4). Similarly, he accuses his opponents in Corinth of being ψευδαπόστολοι (2 Cor 11:13; pseudapostoloi, “false apostles”) because they present themselves as apostles of Christ. Other terms used in a similar manner in the NT include ψευδοδιδάσκαλος (pseudodidaskalos, “false teacher”; 2 Pet 2:1), ψευδολόγος (pseudologos, “liar”; 1 Tim 4:2), ψευδόχριστος (pseudochristos, “false messiah”; Matt 24:24; Mark 13:22), and ψευδοπροφήτης (pseudoprophētēs, “false prophet”; e.g., Matt 7:15; Acts 13:6; 2 Pet 2:1; 1 John 4:1; Rev 20:10).
ψευδομαρτύρεω (pseudomartyreō). vb. to bear witness. Describes the activity of serving as a witness who provides false testimony.
Three out of the five NT uses of this verb occur in the Synoptic Gospels’ parallel accounts of Jesus quoting the Ten Commandments (Matt 19:18; Mark 10:19; Luke 18:20; compare Exod 20:16; Deut 5:20). The Gospel of Mark also uses this verb to describe the false witness about Jesus that some people gave to the chief priests and the Jewish council (Mark 14:56–57). There are two words related to pseudomartyreō that appear in the NT: ψευδόμαρτυς (pseudomartys; Matt 26:60; 1 Cor 15:15) refers to a person who serves as a “false witness,” and ψευδομαρτυρία (pseudomartyria, Matt 15:19; 26:59) is the content of the false testimony provided by someone.
ἀπάτη (apatē). n. fem. deceit, delusion. Refers to something that gives a false impression or appearance.
The word apatē appears twice in the Gospels in the parable of the sower, where it refers to the “lure of wealth” that contributes to the failure of the seeds sown among the thorns (Matt 13:22; Mark 4:19). The rest of the NT writings associate apatē either with the non-Christian life (Eph 4:22; 2 Thess 2:10) or with the potentially deceptive nature of certain types of philosophy and sin that can mislead believers (Col 2:8; Heb 3:13).
ἀπατάω (apataō). vb. to deceive. Describes the activity of deceiving or misleading others.
Paul uses this verb in Eph 5:6 to warn his readers not to follow the deceitful teaching of false teachers. In James, the verb describes the religious person who “deceives” himself because he cannot control his tongue (Jas 1:26). Although in the Septuagint version of Genesis Eve claims that “the serpent deceived (ἠπάτησέν, ēpatēsen) me” (Gen 3:13 LXX), 1 Tim 2:14 applies the strengthened verb exapataō to Eve: “and Adam was not deceived (ouk ēpatēthē), but the woman, because she was deceived (exapatētheisa)” (compare 2 Cor 11:3). This intensified verb occurs six times in the NT (all in Paul’s letters), where it means “to deceive” or “to seduce” (see Rom 7:11; 16:18; 1 Cor 3:18; 2 Cor 11:3; 2 Thess 2:3; 1 Tim 2:14).
πλάνη (planē). n. fem. error, deceit, deception. Refers to an error or deception with associations of wandering into error.
This noun occurs in a figurative sense 10 times in the NT. The term planē can denote a wrong opinion or error in relation to religion (e.g., Eph 4:14; 2 Thess 2:11; 2 Pet 2:18; Jude 1:11) or a moral error (e.g. Rom 1:27; Jas 5:20). The related noun πλάνος (planos) can function as either an adjective (“deceitful spirits,” 1 Tim 4:1) or a substantive (“imposter” or “deceiver”; e.g., Matt 27:63; 2 Cor 6:8; 2 John 7).
πλανάω (planaō). vb. to mislead, to cause to err. Refers to wandering or going astray, but figuratively can refer to the act of deceiving or leading others astray.
The literal meaning of this verb is “to go astray” (e.g., Matt 18:12, 13; Heb 11:38). The verb planaō is used more figuratively in the NT, where it means “to mislead” or “seduce.” Satan (or the devil) and false teachers often stand as the subject of the verb (Rev 12:9; 20:10; 2 Tim 2:13; 1 John 2:26). The middle form of the verb means “to deceive himself” or “to let someone be deceived” (or seduced; e.g., 1 Cor 6:9: 15:33; Gal 6:7; 2 Tim 3:13). In Revelation, the verb is used to describe deception that leads to idolatry (e.g., Rev 2:20; 18:23; 19:20; 20:3).
δόλος (dolos). n. masc. fraud. Refers literally to a trick or bait, but metaphorically to fraud or deceit.
This term is used throughout the NT to describe deceitful means to trick a person. For example, Mark 14:1 claims that the chief priests and the scribes sought to arrest Jesus “in stealth” (lit. “by deceit”) in order to kill him (compare Matt 26:4). The term also appears in vice lists in the NT (e.g., Mark 7:22; Rom 1:29; 1 Pet 2:1). The claim in 1 Pet 2:21–22 that Christ suffered without committing sin and with “no deceit (δόλος) in his mouth” draws on the use of δόλος in Isa 53:9 LXX, where the term translates the Hebrew word mirmâ.