Pride is consistently portrayed as a destructive force that leads to downfall, disgrace, and humiliation (Prov 11:2; 16:18; 29:23). The biblical perspective is clear that God actively opposes the proud while extending grace to those who are humble (James 4:6; 1 Pet 5:5–6). The recommended approach is to humble oneself under God’s guidance, with the promise that He will ultimately exalt those who do so (1 Pet 5:5–6). In contrast to pride, a lowly spirit is associated with obtaining honor (Prov 29:23). These passages collectively emphasize the spiritual and practical dangers of pride, urging individuals to cultivate humility as a virtue that brings wisdom, grace, and potential elevation. Logos AI
A “few” mentions of pride in the English Standard Version:
Prov 16:18Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
Prov 11:2When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.
James 4:6But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
1 Pet 5:5–6Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,
Prov 29:23One’s pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor.
Prov 8:13The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.
Prov 16:5Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord; be assured, he will not go unpunished.
1 John 2:16For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.
Prov 13:10By insolence comes nothing but strife, but with those who take advice is wisdom.
Prov 21:4Haughty eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, are sin.
Obad 3–4The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rock, in your lofty dwelling, who say in your heart, “Who will bring me down to the ground?” Though you soar aloft like the eagle, though your nest is set among the stars, from there I will bring you down, declares the Lord.
Dan 4:37Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.
Prov 26:12Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
Prov 18:12Before destruction a man’s heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor.
Rom 12:3For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.
Gal 6:3For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
Phil 2:3Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
1 Cor 10:12Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.
Jer 9:23–24Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”
Isa 2:11–12The haughty looks of man shall be brought low, and the lofty pride of men shall be humbled, and the Lord alone will be exalted in that day. For the Lord of hosts has a day against all that is proud and lofty, against all that is lifted up—and it shall be brought low;
Prov 6:16–17There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
Prov 15:25The Lord tears down the house of the proud but maintains the widow’s boundaries.
Prov 21:24“Scoffer” is the name of the arrogant, haughty man who acts with arrogant pride.
Prov 27:2Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.
Prov 28:25A greedy man stirs up strife, but the one who trusts in the Lord will be enriched.
Mark 7:21–23For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”
Luke 18:9–14He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
2 Chron 26:16But when he was strong, he grew proud, to his destruction. For he was unfaithful to the Lord his God and entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense.
2 Chron 32:25–26But Hezekiah did not make return according to the benefit done to him, for his heart was proud. Therefore wrath came upon him and Judah and Jerusalem. But Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the Lord did not come upon them in the days of Hezekiah.
Isa 14:12–15“How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ But you are brought down to Sheol, to the far reaches of the pit.
Ezek 28:17Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I exposed you before kings, to feast their eyes on you.
Dan 5:20–23But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was brought down from his kingly throne, and his glory was taken from him. He was driven from among the children of mankind, and his mind was made like that of a beast, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. He was fed grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, until he knew that the Most High God rules the kingdom of mankind and sets over it whom he will. And you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this, but you have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven. And the vessels of his house have been brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know, but the God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have not honored.
Rom 1:30slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents,
1 Tim 3:6He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil.
2 Tim 3:2For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
James 4:10Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
1 Cor 4:7For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?
1 Cor 8:1–2Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up. If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know.
Ps 10:4In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are, “There is no God.”
Ps 73:6Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment.
And yet, we celebrate a month of Pride each year.