Bible Verses About Boasting

What does the Bible say about boasting?

Are you looking for boasting Bible verses? If so, then you will love this article. Usually when Scripture talks about idle words we think about profanity, but it can also be the sin of bragging. This sin is very easy to commit and I’ve struggled with this in my walk of faith. We can boast without even knowing it. I have to constantly ask myself did I handle that discussion with the atheist or Catholic with love or did I just want to boast and prove them wrong?

Without trying to I can get real arrogant in Bible discussions. This is something I’ve confessed and prayed to God about.

With prayer I’ve seen results. I have more love for others now. I notice this sin more and catch myself when I’m going to boast. Glory to God!

We see bragging all the time in Christianity. More and more pastors and ministers are boasting about their big ministries and the number of people they saved.

When you know a lot about the Bible that can lead to boasting as well. Many people carry on in discussions just to show off their knowledge.

Boasting is showing pride and glorifying yourself. It takes the glory away from the Lord. If you want to glorify someone, then let it be God to encourage others.

Many of the prosperity gospel false teachers are sinful boasters. They mouth off about their huge ministry, which is full of fake Christians to reel in the naive.

Be careful not to boast when giving testimonies. We all know about the ex-cocaine kingpin who glorifies his life before Christ. The testimony is all about him and nothing about Christ.

Be careful also when people are flattering you because that can lead to pride and a big ego. God deserves the glory, the only thing we deserve is hell. All the good that is in your life is from God. Praise His name and let’s all pray for more humility.

Christian quotes

“Least doers are the greatest boasters.” William Gurnall

“Many may boast in the depth of their Bible knowledge and in the excellency of their theological tenets, but those with spiritual discernment are aware that it is dead.” Watchman Nee

“If you show off do not get upset when God doesn’t show up.” Matshona Dhliwayo

“There is no need to boast of your accomplishments and what you can do. A great man is known, he needs no introduction.” CherLisa Biles

Is boasting a sin?

Yes, boasting is a sin. It’s a way of taking away from the glory of God and glorifying self.

1. Jeremiah 9:23 This is what the LORD says: “Don’t let the wise boast in their wisdom, or the powerful boast in their power, or the rich boast in their riches.”

2. James 4:16-17 As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.

3. Psalm 10:2-4 In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak, who are caught in the schemes he devises. He boasts about the cravings of his heart; he blesses the greedy and reviles the LORD. In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.

4. Psalm 75:4-5 “I warned the proud, ‘Stop your boasting!’ I told the wicked, ‘Don’t raise your fists! Don’t raise your fists in defiance at the heavens or speak with such arrogance.”

False teachers love to boast

5. Jude 1:16 These people are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.

6. 2 Peter 2:18-19 For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of the flesh, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity–for “people are slaves to whatever has mastered them.”

Tomorrow

You don’t know what will happen in the future. Why boast?

7. James 4:13-15 Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog–it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.”

8. Proverbs 27:1 Don’t brag about tomorrow, since you don’t know what the day will bring.

Justification by faith stops all boasting

We are saved by faith. If we were justified by works people would be saying “well look at all the good stuff I do.” All the glory belongs to God.

9. Ephesians 2:8-9 For by such grace you have been saved through faith. This does not come from you; it is the gift of God and not the result of actions, to put a stop to all boasting.

10. Romans 3:26-28 he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith. For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.

Don’t boast about yourself

Let other people do the talking. Don’t praise yourself.

11. Proverbs 27:2 Let someone else praise you, not your own mouth–a stranger, not your own lips.

Check your motives for doing things

Examine yourself. What’s going on in your heart as you share? Why do you stand the way that you do? Why do you move the way that you do? Why do certain words come out of your mouth? Why did you share that detail? Always check your heart.

12. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.

Don’t give to boast

We should not be giving to others to brag and be seen by people.

13. Matthew 6:1-2 Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of people in order to be noticed by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So whenever you give to the poor, don’t blow a trumpet before you like the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets so that they will be praised by people. I tell all of you with certainty, they have their full reward!

Let the one who boasts boast in the lord

It’s acceptable to boast, only when you are boasting in God.

14. 1 Corinthians 1:31-1 Corinthians 2:1 Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.

15. 2 Corinthians 11:30 If I must boast, I would rather boast about the things that show how weak I am.

16. Jeremiah 9:24 But those who wish to boast should boast in this alone: that they truly know me and understand that I am the Lord who demonstrates unfailing love and who brings justice and righteousness to the earth, and that I delight in these things. I, the Lord, have spoken!

Increase in boastfulness in the end times

17. 2 Timothy 3:1-5 You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!

Reminders

18. 1 Corinthians 4:7 For what gives you the right to make such a judgment? What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift?

19. 1 Corinthians 13:4-5 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

20. Proverbs 11:2 Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.

21. Colossians 3:12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

22. Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

Examples

23. Psalm 52:1 When Doeg the Edomite had gone to Saul and told him: “David has gone to the house of Ahimelek.” Why do you boast of evil, you mighty hero? Why do you boast all day long, you who are a disgrace in the eyes of God?

24. Psalm 94:3-4 How long, O LORD? How long will the wicked be allowed to gloat? How long will they speak with arrogance? How long will these evil people boast?

25. Judges 9:38 Then Zebul turned on him and asked, “Now where is that big mouth of yours? Wasn’t it you that said, ‘Who is Abimelech, and why should we be his servants?’ The men you mocked are right outside the city! Go out and fight them!”

Fritz Chery

I am a Christian, saved by grace through faith in Christ alone. In 2013, I founded BibleReasons.com, driven by a deep passion to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. My heart’s desire is not only that we come to know Him but that we cultivate an intimate relationship with Him through prayer.

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