What Does the Bible Say About Bad Counsel?
Here are 17 Bible verses about bad counsel, ordered by how relevant readers found them, with the King James Version and the modern Berean Standard Bible side by side.
- #1Proverbs 12:5
The thoughts of the righteous are right: but the counsels of the wicked are deceit.
BSBThe plans of the righteous are just, but the counsel of the wicked leads to deceit.
- #2Proverbs 15:22
Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established.
BSBPlans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.
- #3Jeremiah 23:16
Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lord.
BSBThis is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They are filling you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD.
- #4Proverbs 19:20-21
Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end. There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.
BSBListen to counsel and accept discipline, that you may be wise the rest of your days. Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the purpose of the LORD will prevail.
- #5Psalms 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.
BSBBlessed 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.
- #6Proverbs 14:7
Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge.
BSBStay away from a foolish man; you will gain no knowledge from his speech.
- #7Proverbs 11:14
Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
BSBFor lack of guidance, a nation falls, but with many counselors comes deliverance.
- #8Proverbs 12:15
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.
BSBThe way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to counsel.
- #9Job 42:7
And it was so, that after the Lord had spoken these words unto Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.
BSBAfter the LORD had spoken these words to Job, He said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is kindled against you and your two friends. For you have not spoken about Me accurately, as My servant Job has.
- #10Proverbs 19:20
Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.
BSBListen to counsel and accept discipline, that you may be wise the rest of your days.
- #11Proverbs 13:20
He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.
BSBHe who walks with the wise will become wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed.
- #12Psalms 1:1-2
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. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
BSBBlessed 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. But his delight is in the Law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night.
- #131 Kings 12:8-11
But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him: And he said unto them, What counsel give ye that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which thy father did put upon us lighter? And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou speak unto this people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father’s loins. And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father hath chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
BSBBut Rehoboam rejected the advice of the elders; instead, he consulted the young men who had grown up with him and served him. He asked them, “What message do you advise that we send back to these people who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Lighten the yoke your father put on us’?” The young men who had grown up with him replied, “This is how you should answer these people who said to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you should make it lighter.’ This is what you should tell them: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist! Whereas my father burdened you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. Whereas my father scourged you with whips, I will scourge you with scorpions.’”
- #14Proverbs 24:6
For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety.
BSBOnly with sound guidance should you wage war, and victory lies in a multitude of counselors.
- #15Proverbs 27:9
Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty counsel.
BSBOil and incense bring joy to the heart, and the sweetness of a friend is counsel to the soul.
- #16Jeremiah 7:24
But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward.
BSBYet they did not listen or incline their ear, but they followed the stubborn inclinations of their own evil hearts. They went backward and not forward.
- #172 Samuel 16:20-23
Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do. And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go in unto thy father’s concubines, which he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred of thy father: then shall the hands of all that are with thee be strong. So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and Absalom went in unto his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel. And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.
BSBThen Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give me counsel. What should we do?” Ahithophel replied, “Sleep with your father’s concubines, whom he has left to keep the palace. When all Israel hears that you have become a stench to your father, then the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened.” So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he slept with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel. Now in those days the advice of Ahithophel was like the consultation of the word of God. Such was the regard that both David and Absalom had for Ahithophel’s advice.
Verse rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY). Scripture: KJV & BSB (public domain).