What does the Bible say about itching ears?
One of the most dangerous traps is craving messages that align with what we know in our hearts is wrong. This often happens when we craft idols, false gods that permit us to live in ways that contradict Scripture. These idols lead us to compromise, nudging us to seek out voices that justify our choices. If you’re wrestling with something you suspect is sinful and find yourself searching for people, churches, or websites to ease your conviction, pause and reflect. That impulse may be a sign you’re straying, and it’s time to repent. Be honest with yourself. When you open God’s Word, don’t read it to confirm your desires. Instead, seek the Lord’s guidance with an open heart, letting His truth lead you. Beware of deception, remember Satan’s words to Eve: “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” Ask yourself: Am I being shaped by the world or by the Word? Are you chasing fleeting comforts or God’s truth? This is a serious matter—don’t ignore it.
Many people attend churches where sin goes unaddressed because they prefer comforting messages that allow them to continue in their sin. They may find leaders who soften or twist Scripture to align with their desires, enabling lifestyles marked by issues like sexual immorality, materialism, or other sins. Don’t let this be your story. Genuine faith in Christ alone for salvation transforms your life, reorients your priorities, and deepens your relationship with God’s Word. It calls for true surrender.
2 Timothy 4:3-4 (NIV)
“For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.”
Jeremiah 5:31 (ESV)
“The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule at their direction; my people love to have it so, but what will you do when the end comes?”
Isaiah 30:10 (NKJV)
“Who say to the seers, ‘Do not see,’ and to the prophets, ‘Do not prophesy to us right things; speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits.’”
2 Peter 2:1 (NASB)
“But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.”
Matthew 7:15 (KJV)
“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.”
Proverbs 16:25 (NLT)
“There is a path that seems right to a person, but its end is the way to death.”
Galatians 1:8 (Holman)
“But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.”
Ezekiel 13:19 (NIV)
“You have profaned me among my people for a few handfuls of barley and scraps of bread. By lying to my people, who listen to lies, you have killed those who should not have died and have spared those who should not live.”
1 John 4:1 (ESV)
“Beloved, 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.”
2 Corinthians 11:13-14 (NKJV)
“For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.”
Proverbs 29:5 (NASB)
“A man who flatters his neighbor is spreading a net for his steps.”
Romans 16:18 (KJV)
“For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.”
Jeremiah 23:16 (NLT)
“This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says to his people: ‘Do not listen to these prophets when they prophesy to you, filling you with futile hopes. They are making up everything they say. They do not speak for the Lord!’”
2 Thessalonians 2:11 (Holman)
“For this reason God sends them a strong delusion so that they will believe the lie.”
Micah 2:11 (NIV)
“If a liar and deceiver comes and says, ‘I will prophesy for you plenty of wine and beer,’ that would be just the prophet for this people!”
Colossians 2:4 (ESV)
“I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments.”
Proverbs 26:28 (NKJV)
“A lying tongue hates those who are crushed by it, and a flattering mouth works ruin.”
Acts 20:29-30 (NASB)
“I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.”
Psalm 12:2 (KJV)
“They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.”
Titus 1:16 (NLT)
“Such people claim they know God, but they deny him by the way they live. They are detestable and disobedient, worthless for doing anything good.”
2 Peter 2:3 (NIV)
“In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.”
Jeremiah 6:14 (ESV)
“They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace.”
1 Timothy 4:1 (NKJV)
“Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons.”
Proverbs 27:6 (NASB)
“Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.”
Matthew 24:11 (KJV)
“And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.”
2 Timothy 3:13 (Holman)
“Evil people and impostors will become worse, deceiving and being deceived.”
Ezekiel 22:28 (NLT)
“And your prophets cover up for them by announcing false visions and making lying predictions. They say, ‘My message is from the Sovereign Lord,’ when the Lord hasn’t spoken a single word to them.”
Proverbs 20:19 (NIV)
“A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid anyone who talks too much.”
Romans 1:25 (ESV)
“Because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.”
Jude 1:16 (NKJV)
“These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage.”
Isaiah 5:20 (NASB)
“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!”
Matthew 15:14 (KJV)
“Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.”
2 Corinthians 4:2 (NLT)
“We reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods. We don’t try to trick anyone or distort the word of God. We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know this.”
Proverbs 28:23 (Holman)
“One who rebukes a person will later find more favor than one who flatters with the tongue.”
1 Thessalonians 2:5 (NIV)
“You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness.”
Jeremiah 23:32 (ESV)
“Behold, I am against those who prophesy lying dreams, declares the Lord, and who tell them and lead my people astray by their lies and their recklessness, when I did not send them or charge them.”
2 Peter 2:18 (NKJV)
“For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error.”
Psalm 5:9 (NASB)
“There is nothing reliable in what they say; their inward part is destruction itself. Their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongue.”
Matthew 24:24 (KJV)
“For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.”
2 Timothy 2:17-18 (NLT)
“Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have wandered away from the truth.”
Ezekiel 13:10 (NIV)
“Because they lead my people astray, saying, ‘Peace,’ when there is no peace, and because, when a flimsy wall is built, they cover it with whitewash.”
Proverbs 10:18 (ESV)
“The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever utters slander is a fool.”
Galatians 4:17 (NKJV)
“They zealously court you, but for no good; yes, they want to exclude you, that you may be zealous for them.”
Psalm 36:2 (Holman)
“For with his flattering opinion of himself, he does not discover and hate his iniquity.”
Acts 17:11 (NASB)
“Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.”
Jeremiah 9:5 (KJV)
“And they will deceive every one his neighbour, and will not speak the truth: they have taught their tongue to speak lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity.”
2 John 1:7 (NLT)
“I say this because many deceivers have gone out into the world. They deny that Jesus Christ came in a real body. Such a person is a deceiver and an antichrist.”
Proverbs 12:17 (NIV)
“An honest witness tells the truth, but a false witness tells lies.”
Romans 2:8 (ESV)
“But for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.”
Micah 3:5 (NKJV)
“Thus says the Lord concerning the prophets who make my people stray; who chant ‘Peace’ while they chew with their teeth, but who prepare war against him who puts nothing into their mouths.”
Psalm 78:36-37 (NASB)
“But they flattered Him with their mouth and lied to Him with their tongue. For their heart was not steadfast toward Him, nor were they faithful in His covenant.”
Matthew 23:27-28 (KJV)
“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.”
1 Timothy 6:5 (NLT)
“These people always cause trouble. Their minds are corrupt, and they have turned their backs on the truth. To them, a show of godliness is just a way to become wealthy.”
Proverbs 14:5 (Holman)
“A faithful witness does not lie, but a false witness breathes out lies.”
Ephesians 4:14 (NIV)
“Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.”
Jeremiah 23:26-27 (ESV)
“How long shall there be lies in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies, and who prophesy the deceit of their own heart, who think to make my people forget my name by their dreams that they tell one another?”
2 Peter 3:16 (NKJV)
“As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.”
Psalm 55:21 (NASB)
“His speech was smoother than butter, but his heart was war; his words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords.”
Matthew 16:6 (KJV)
“Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.”
2 Timothy 3:6-7 (NLT)
“They are the kind who work their way into people’s homes and win the confidence of vulnerable women who are burdened with the guilt of sin and controlled by various desires. Such women are forever following new teachings, but they are never able to understand the truth.”
Ezekiel 33:31 (NIV)
“My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to hear your words, but they do not put them into practice. Their mouths speak of love, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain.”
Proverbs 19:9 (ESV)
“A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will perish.”
Galatians 5:7 (NKJV)
“You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?”
Psalm 119:29 (Holman)
“Keep me from the way of deceit and graciously give me Your instruction.”
1 Corinthians 2:4-5 (NASB)
“And my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.”
Jeremiah 7:8 (KJV)
“Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit.”
2 Thessalonians 2:9-10 (NLT)
“This man will come to do the work of Satan with counterfeit power and signs and miracles. He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them.”
Proverbs 17:4 (NIV)
“A wicked person listens to deceitful lips; a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.”
Romans 16:17 (ESV)
“I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.”
Micah 7:5 (NKJV)
“Do not trust in a friend; do not put your confidence in a companion; guard the doors of your mouth from her who lies in your bosom.”
Psalm 119:118 (NASB)
“You have rejected all those who wander from Your statutes, for their deceitfulness is useless.”
Matthew 22:16 (KJV)
“And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men.”
2 Timothy 4:2 (NLT)
“Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.”
Ezekiel 12:24 (Holman)
“For there will no longer be any false vision or flattering divination within the house of Israel.”
Proverbs 15:4 (ESV)
“A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.”
1 Timothy 1:3-4 (NIV)
“As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines any longer or to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies.”
Jeremiah 14:14 (NKJV)
“And the Lord said to me, ‘The prophets prophesy lies in My name. I have not sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy to you a false vision, divination, a worthless thing, and the deceit of their heart.’”
Psalm 119:163 (NASB)
“I hate and despise falsehood, but I love Your law.”
John 8:44 (NIV)
“You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”
2 Corinthians 11:3 (KJV)
“But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.”
