Acts 23:20

for as he thinks about the cost, so he is. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.

If he comes to see me, he speaks falsehood. His heart gathers iniquity to itself. When he goes abroad, he tells it.

In this I also practice always having a conscience void of offense toward God and men.

For those who are such don’t serve our Lord, Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and flattering speech, they deceive the hearts of the innocent.

I thank God, whom I serve as my forefathers did, with a pure conscience. How unceasing is my memory of you in my petitions, night and day

His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and oppression. Under his tongue is mischief and iniquity.

Then you will call, and Yahweh will answer. You will cry for help, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’ “If you take away from among you the yoke, finger pointing, and speaking wickedly;

Their tongue is a deadly arrow. It speaks deceit. One speaks peaceably to his neighbor with his mouth, but in his heart, he waits to ambush him.

For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and sincerity of God, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God we behaved ourselves in the world, and more abundantly toward you.

For there is no faithfulness in their mouth. Their heart is destruction. Their throat is an open tomb. They flatter with their tongue.

Don’t draw me away with the wicked, with the workers of iniquity who speak peace with their neighbors, but mischief is in their hearts.

whose mouths speak deceit, whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

For even your brothers, and the house of your father, even they have dealt treacherously with you! Even they have cried aloud after you! Don’t believe them, though they speak beautiful words to you.

As for both these kings, their hearts will be to do mischief, and they will speak lies at one table; but it won’t prosper, for the end will still be at the appointed time.

As also the high priest and all the council of the elders testify, from whom also I received letters to the brothers, and traveled to Damascus to bring them also who were there to Jerusalem in bonds to be punished.

For I know nothing against myself. Yet I am not justified by this, but he who judges me is the Lord.

Pray for us, for we are persuaded that we have a good conscience, desiring to live honorably in all things.

He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, Yahweh appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty. Walk before me and be blameless.

Of Zebulun, such as were able to go out in the army, who could set the battle in array, with all kinds of instruments of war: fifty thousand who could command and were not of double heart.

With persuasive words, she led him astray. With the flattering of her lips, she seduced him.

When his speech is charming, don’t believe him, for there are seven abominations in his heart.

That which enters into the mouth doesn’t defile the man; but that which proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man.”

They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.

But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Men and brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. Concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!”

When I was told that the Jews lay in wait for the man, I sent him to you immediately, charging his accusers also to bring their accusations against him before you. Farewell.”

“I will hear you fully when your accusers also arrive.” He commanded that he be kept in Herod’s palace.

After five days, the high priest, Ananias, came down with certain elders and an orator, one Tertullus. They informed the governor against Paul.

They ought to have been here before you, and to make accusation, if they had anything against me.

I answered them that it is not the custom of the Romans to give up any man to destruction before the accused has met the accusers face to face and has had opportunity to make his defense concerning the matter laid against him.

But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by the manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.

Servants, in the same way, must be reverent, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for money,

Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you, than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me.”

The sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father with deceit when they spoke, because he had defiled Dinah their sister,

Then he said to Zebah and Zalmunna, “What kind of men were they whom you killed at Tabor?” They answered, “They were like you. They all resembled the children of a king.”

Delilah said to Samson, “Please tell me where your great strength lies, and what you might be bound to afflict you.”

David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” Uriah departed out of the king’s house, and a gift from the king was sent after him.

Absalom came to the king, and said, “See now, your servant has sheep shearers. Please let the king and his servants go with your servant.”

Absalom said to him, “Behold, your matters are good and right; but there is no man deputized by the king to hear you.”

The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself, and go into the battle; but you put on your robes.” The king of Israel disguised himself, and went into the battle.

I went to the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabel, who was shut in at his home; and he said, “Let us meet together in God’s house, within the temple, and let’s shut the doors of the temple; for they will come to kill you. Yes, in the night they will come to kill you.”

“If I have walked with falsehood, and my foot has hurried to deceit

Everyone lies to his neighbor. They speak with flattering lips, and with a double heart.

They also who seek after my life lay snares. Those who seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and meditate deceits all day long.

His mouth was smooth as butter, but his heart was war. His words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords.

For the sin of their mouth, and the words of their lips, let them be caught in their pride, for the curses and lies which they utter.

They fully intend to throw him down from his lofty place. They delight in lies. They bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly.

Rescue me, and deliver me out of the hands of foreigners, whose mouths speak deceit, whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

He who goes about as a tale-bearer reveals secrets; therefore don’t keep company with him who opens wide his lips.

The wicked flee when no one pursues; but the righteous are as bold as a lion.

A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet.

Moreover Jeremiah said to king Zedekiah, “How have I sinned against you, against your servants, or against this people, that you have put me in prison?

For there will be no more any false vision nor flattering divination within the house of Israel.

They sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are honest, and teach the way of God in truth, no matter whom you teach, for you aren’t partial to anyone.

They asked him, “Teacher, we know that you say and teach what is right, and aren’t partial to anyone, but truly teach the way of God.

“Brothers, it was necessary that this Scripture should be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who was guide to those who took Jesus.

All who sat in the council, fastening their eyes on him, saw his face like it was the face of an angel.

but their plot became known to Saul. They watched the gates both day and night that they might kill him,

The people shouted, “The voice of a god, and not of a man!”

that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality, from which if you keep yourselves, it will be well with you. Farewell.”

“Brothers and fathers, listen to the defense which I now make to you.”

But on the next day, desiring to know the truth about why he was accused by the Jews, he freed him from the bonds, and commanded the chief priests and all the council to come together, and brought Paul down and set him before them.

Paul, looking steadfastly at the council, said, “Brothers, I have lived before God in all good conscience until today.”

When it was day, some of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul.

By examining him yourself you may ascertain all these things of which we accuse him.”

while he said in his defense, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I sinned at all.”

in that they show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience testifying with them, and their thoughts among themselves accusing or else excusing them)

Finally, brothers, rejoice! Be perfected. Be comforted. Be of the same mind. Live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.

For neither were we at any time found using words of flattery, as you know, nor a cloak of covetousness (God is witness),

but the goal of this command is love, out of a pure heart and a good conscience and sincere faith,

having a good conscience. Thus, while you are spoken against as evildoers, they may be disappointed who curse your good way of life in Christ.