Influence

Influence is the effect people have on one another for good or for evil. This page lists verses on bad company, good companions, being salt and light, setting an example, examples to follow, and the spread of a little leaven.

Bad company

• 1 Corinthians 15:33
  Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.”
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• Proverbs 22:24-25
  ²⁴Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:Do not make friends with an angry man, and do not associate with a hot-tempered man, ²⁵Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.or you may learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.
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• Psalm 1:1
  Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or set foot on the path of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers.
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• Proverbs 1:10-15
  ¹⁰My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.My son, if sinners entice you, do not yield to them. ¹¹If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause:If they say, “Come along, let us lie in wait for blood, let us ambush the innocent without cause, ¹²Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit:let us swallow them alive like Sheol, and whole like those descending into the Pit. ¹³We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil:We will find all manner of precious goods; we will fill our houses with plunder. ¹⁴Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse:Throw in your lot with us; let us all share one purse”— ¹⁵My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:my son, do not walk the road with them or set foot upon their path.
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• Exodus 23:2
  Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment:You shall not follow the crowd in wrongdoing. When you testify in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd.
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• Proverbs 4:14
  Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers.
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Good companions

• Proverbs 13:20
  He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.He who walks with the wise will become wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed.
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• Proverbs 27:17
  Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.
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• Hebrews 10:24-25
  ²⁴And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:And let us consider how to spur one another on to love and good deeds. ²⁵Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.Let us not neglect meeting together, as some have made a habit, but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
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• Psalm 119:63
  I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts.I am a friend to all who fear You, and to those who keep Your precepts.
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Salt and light before others

• Matthew 5:13-16
  ¹³Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its savor, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. ¹⁴Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they set it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
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• Philippians 2:15
  That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world
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• 1 Peter 2:12
  Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.Conduct yourselves with such honor among the Gentiles that, though they slander you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us.
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• 1 Peter 3:1-2
  ¹Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;Wives, in the same way, submit yourselves to your husbands, so that even if they refuse to believe the word, they will be won over without words by the behavior of their wives ²While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.when they see your pure and reverent demeanor.
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Be an example

• 1 Timothy 4:12
  Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.Let no one despise your youth, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.
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• Titus 2:7-8
  ⁷In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,In everything, show yourself to be an example by doing good works. In your teaching show integrity, dignity, ⁸Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.and wholesome speech that is above reproach, so that anyone who opposes us will be ashamed, having nothing bad to say about us.
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• 1 Peter 5:3
  Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.
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• 2 Thessalonians 3:9
  Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.Not that we lack this right, but we wanted to offer ourselves as an example for you to imitate.
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• 1 Thessalonians 1:7-8
  ⁷So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.As a result, you have become an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. ⁸For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.For not only did the message of the Lord ring out from you to Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone out to every place, so that we have no need to say anything more.
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Examples to follow

• John 13:15
  For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.I have set you an example so that you should do as I have done for you.
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• 1 Peter 2:21
  For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His footsteps:
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• 1 Corinthians 11:1
  Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.You are to imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.
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• Philippians 3:17
  Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.Join one another in following my example, brothers, and carefully observe those who walk according to the pattern we set for you.
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• Hebrews 13:7
  Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.
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• 3 John 1:11
  Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God.
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A little leaven

• 1 Corinthians 5:6
  Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven works through the whole batch of dough?
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• Galatians 5:9
  A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.A little leaven works through the whole batch of dough.
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• Hebrews 12:15
  Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God, and that no root of bitterness springs up to cause trouble and defile many.
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• 2 Timothy 2:16-17
  ¹⁶But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.But avoid irreverent, empty chatter, which will only lead to more ungodliness, ¹⁷And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymeneus and Philetus;and the talk of such men will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus,
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See also

• Friendship
• Leadership
• Youth
• Discipleship
• Unequally yoked
• Stumbling block

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.