Flattery

Flattery is insincere praise used to please or manipulate, and the Lord shall cut off all flattering lips. This page lists verses on flattering lips, smooth words that hide the heart, flattery used for gain or seduction, and honest words in place of flattery.

Flattering lips

• Psalm 12:2-3
  ²They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.They lie to one another; they speak with flattering lips and a double heart. ³The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things:May the LORD cut off all flattering lips and every boastful tongue.
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• Psalm 5:9
  For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue.For not a word they speak can be trusted; destruction lies within them. Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.
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• Proverbs 29:5
  A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet.A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet.
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• Proverbs 26:28
  A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.A lying tongue hates those it crushes, and a flattering mouth causes ruin.
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• Job 17:5
  He that speaketh flattery to his friends, even the eyes of his children shall fail.If a man denounces his friends for a price, the eyes of his children will fail.
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Smooth words and a hidden heart

• Psalm 55:21
  The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.His speech is smooth as butter, but war is in his heart. His words are softer than oil, yet they are swords unsheathed.
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• Proverbs 26:23-25
  ²³Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross.Like glaze covering an earthen vessel are burning lips and a wicked heart. ²⁴He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him;A hateful man disguises himself with his speech, but he lays up deceit in his heart. ²⁵When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart.When he speaks graciously, do not believe him, for seven abominations fill his heart.
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• Psalm 28:3
  Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbours, but mischief is in their hearts.Do not drag me away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, who speak peace to their neighbors while malice is in their hearts.
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• Psalm 78:36-37
  ³⁶Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues.But they deceived Him with their mouths, and lied to Him with their tongues. ³⁷For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant.Their hearts were disloyal to Him, and they were unfaithful to His covenant.
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Flattery to gain advantage

• 2 Samuel 15:2-6
  ²And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that when any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel.He would get up early and stand beside the road leading to the city gate. Whenever anyone had a grievance to bring before the king for a decision, Absalom would call out and ask, “What city are you from?” And if he replied, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel,” ³And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee.Absalom would say, “Look, your claims are good and right, but the king has no deputy to hear you.” ⁴Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice!And he would add, “If only someone would appoint me judge in the land, then everyone with a grievance or dispute could come to me, and I would give him justice.” ⁵And it was so, that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him.Also, when anyone approached to bow down to him, Absalom would reach out his hand, take hold of him, and kiss him. ⁶And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.Absalom did this to all the Israelites who came to the king for justice. In this way he stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
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• Daniel 11:21
  And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.In his place a despicable person will arise; royal honors will not be given to him, but he will come in a time of peace and seize the kingdom by intrigue.
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• Daniel 11:32
  And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.With flattery he will corrupt those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God will firmly resist him.
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• Romans 16:18
  For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.
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• Jude 1:16
  These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.These men are discontented grumblers, following after their own lusts; their mouths spew arrogance; they flatter others for their own advantage.
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The flattering words of the adulteress

• Proverbs 2:16
  To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words;It will rescue you from the forbidden woman, from the stranger with seductive words
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• Proverbs 5:3-4
  ³For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil:Though the lips of the forbidden woman drip honey and her speech is smoother than oil, ⁴But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a twoedged sword.in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a double-edged sword.
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• Proverbs 6:24
  To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.to keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress.
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• Proverbs 7:21
  With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.With her great persuasion she entices him; with her flattering lips she lures him.
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Honest words rather than flattery

• Proverbs 28:23
  He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favour than he that flattereth with the tongue.He who rebukes a man will later find more favor than one who flatters with his tongue.
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• Proverbs 27:5-6
  ⁵Open rebuke is better than secret love.Better an open rebuke than love that is concealed. ⁶Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.The wounds of a friend are faithful, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
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• Psalm 141:5
  Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.Let the righteous man strike me; let his rebuke be an act of loving devotion. It is oil for my head; let me not refuse it. For my prayer is ever against the deeds of the wicked.
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• Proverbs 24:24-25
  ²⁴He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him:Whoever tells the guilty, “You are innocent”— peoples will curse him, and nations will denounce him; ²⁵But to them that rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.but it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich blessing will come upon them.
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• Job 32:21-22
  ²¹Let me not, I pray you, accept any man’s person, neither let me give flattering titles unto man.I will be partial to no one, nor will I flatter any man. ²²For I know not to give flattering titles; in so doing my maker would soon take me away.For I do not know how to flatter, or my Maker would remove me in an instant.
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• 1 Thessalonians 2:4-5
  ⁴But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.Instead, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, not in order to please men but God, who examines our hearts. ⁵For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness:As you know, we never used words of flattery or any pretext for greed. God is our witness!
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See also

• Speech
• Lying
• Truth
• Hypocrisy
• Sincerity

Notes

1. Verses are quoted in the translation chosen in the Translation menu at the top of the page. See Translations for sources and copyright notices.
2. Each reference links to the full chapter so the verse can be read in context.