What Does the Bible Say About Bad Friends?
Here are 15 Bible verses about bad friends, ordered by how relevant readers found them, with the King James Version and the modern Berean Standard Bible side by side.
- #11 Corinthians 15:33
Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
BSBDo not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.”
- #2Proverbs 16:28
A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.
BSBA perverse man spreads dissension, and a gossip divides close friends.
- #3Matthew 5:30
And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
BSBAnd if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to depart into hell.
- #4Proverbs 22:24-25
Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.
BSBDo not make friends with an angry man, and do not associate with a hot-tempered man, or you may learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.
- #5Proverbs 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.
- #6Proverbs 17:17
A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
BSBA friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
- #7Proverbs 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.
- #81 John 4:8
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
BSBWhoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
- #91 Corinthians 10:13
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
BSBNo temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide an escape, so that you can stand up under it.
- #101 John 4:1
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
BSBBeloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. For many false prophets have gone out into the world.
- #111 John 3:17
But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
BSBIf anyone with earthly possessions sees his brother in need, but withholds his compassion from him, how can the love of God abide in him?
- #12Proverbs 12:26
The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour: but the way of the wicked seduceth them.
BSBA righteous man is cautious in friendship, but the ways of the wicked lead them astray.
- #131 John 3:7-8
Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
BSBLittle children, let no one deceive you: The one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as Christ is righteous. The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the very start. This is why the Son of God was revealed, to destroy the works of the devil.
- #14Proverbs 18:24
A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
BSBA man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who stays closer than a brother.
- #15Titus 3:9-11
But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain. A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject; Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself.
BSBBut avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, arguments, and quarrels about the law, because these things are pointless and worthless. Reject a divisive man after a first and second admonition, knowing that such a man is corrupt and sinful; he is self-condemned.
Verse rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY). Scripture: KJV & BSB (public domain).