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They came as a group to oppose Moses and Aaron and said to them, "You have gone too far! The whole community is holy, every one of them, and the LORD is with them. Why then do you set yourselves above the LORD's assembly?"
Numbers Chapter 16: Verse 3
After the LORD your God has driven them out before you, do not say to yourself, "The LORD has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness." No, it is on account of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is going to drive them out before you.
It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity that you are going in to take possession of their land; but on account of the wickedness of these nations, the LORD your God will drive them out before you, to accomplish what he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the LORD your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people. The Golden Calf
Deuteronomy Chapter 9: Verses 4 - 6
He will guard the feet of his saints, but the wicked will be silenced in darkness. "It is not by strength that one prevails;
1 Samuel Chapter 2: Verse 9
Do I have any power to help myself, now that success has been driven from me?
Job Chapter 6: Verse 13
You say to God, 'My beliefs are flawless and I am pure in your sight.'
Oh, how I wish that God would speak, that he would open his lips against you
and disclose to you the secrets of wisdom, for true wisdom has two sides. Know this: God has even forgotten some of your sin.
Job Chapter 11: Verses 4 - 6
"Doubtless you are the people, and wisdom will die with you!
Job Chapter 12: Verse 2
But I desire to speak to the Almighty and to argue my case with God.
Job Chapter 13: Verse 3
"Keep silent and let me speak; then let come to me what may.
Job Chapter 13: Verse 13
Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him; I will surely defend my ways to his face.
Job Chapter 13: Verse 15
Now that I have prepared my case, I know I will be vindicated.
Can anyone bring charges against me? If so, I will be silent and die.
Job Chapter 13: Verses 18 - 19
yet my hands have been free of violence and my prayer is pure.
"O earth, do not cover my blood; may my cry never be laid to rest!
Job Chapter 16: Verses 17 - 18
"When will you end these speeches? Be sensible, and then we can talk.
Why are we regarded as cattle and considered stupid in your sight?
You who tear yourself to pieces in your anger, is the earth to be abandoned for your sake? Or must the rocks be moved from their place?
Job Chapter 18: Verses 2 - 4
"I know full well what you are thinking, the schemes by which you would wrong me.
You say, 'Where now is the great man's house, the tents where wicked men lived?'
Have you never questioned those who travel? Have you paid no regard to their accounts-
Job Chapter 21: Verses 27 - 29
"Can a man be of benefit to God? Can even a wise man benefit him?
What pleasure would it give the Almighty if you were righteous? What would he gain if your ways were blameless?
Job Chapter 22: Verses 2 - 3
So these three men stopped answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.
But Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, became very angry with Job for justifying himself rather than God.
Job Chapter 32: Verses 1 - 2
"But you have said in my hearing, I heard the very words-
'I am pure and without sin; I am clean and free from guilt.
Job Chapter 33: Verses 8 - 9
"Do you think this is just? You say, 'I will be cleared by God. '
Job Chapter 35: Verse 2
If you are righteous, what do you give to him, or what does he receive from your hand?
Your wickedness affects only a man like yourself, and your righteousness only the sons of men.
Job Chapter 35: Verses 7 - 8
His ways are always prosperous; he is haughty and your laws are far from him; he sneers at all his enemies.
He says to himself, "Nothing will shake me; I'll always be happy and never have trouble."
Psalms Chapter 10: Verses 5 - 6
The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice.
Proverbs Chapter 12: Verse 15
There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.
Proverbs Chapter 14: Verse 12
All a man's ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the LORD.
Proverbs Chapter 16: Verse 2
Many a man claims to have unfailing love, but a faithful man who can find?
Proverbs Chapter 20: Verse 6
All a man's ways seem right to him, but the LORD weighs the heart.
Proverbs Chapter 21: Verse 2
Like clouds and wind without rain is a man who boasts of gifts he does not give.
Proverbs Chapter 25: Verse 14
It is not good to eat too much honey, nor is it honorable to seek one's own honor.
Proverbs Chapter 25: Verse 27
Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
Proverbs Chapter 26: Verse 12
Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; someone else, and not your own lips.
Proverbs Chapter 27: Verse 2
The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but man is tested by the praise he receives.
Proverbs Chapter 27: Verse 21
He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
Proverbs Chapter 28: Verse 13
He who trusts in himself is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom is kept safe.
Proverbs Chapter 28: Verse 26
those who are pure in their own eyes and yet are not cleansed of their filth;
those whose eyes are ever so haughty, whose glances are so disdainful;
Proverbs Chapter 30: Verses 12 - 13
Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight.
Isaiah Chapter 5: Verse 21
I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line; hail will sweep away your refuge, the lie, and water will overflow your hiding place.
Isaiah Chapter 28: Verse 17
The bed is too short to stretch out on, the blanket too narrow to wrap around you.
Isaiah Chapter 28: Verse 20
You said, 'I will continue forever, the eternal queen!' But you did not consider these things or reflect on what might happen.
Isaiah Chapter 47: Verse 7
But now, all you who light fires and provide yourselves with flaming torches, go, walk in the light of your fires and of the torches you have set ablaze. This is what you shall receive from my hand: You will lie down in torment.
Isaiah Chapter 50: Verse 11
All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.
Isaiah Chapter 64: Verse 6
a people who continually provoke me to my very face, offering sacrifices in gardens and burning incense on altars of brick;
who sit among the graves and spend their nights keeping secret vigil; who eat the flesh of pigs, and whose pots hold broth of unclean meat;
who say, 'Keep away; don't come near me, for I am too sacred for you!' Such people are smoke in my nostrils, a fire that keeps burning all day.
Isaiah Chapter 65: Verses 3 - 5
"My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.
Jeremiah Chapter 2: Verse 13
Although you wash yourself with soda and use an abundance of soap, the stain of your guilt is still before me," declares the Sovereign LORD.
"How can you say, 'I am not defiled; I have not run after the Baals'? See how you behaved in the valley; consider what you have done. You are a swift she-camel running here and there,
Jeremiah Chapter 2: Verses 22 - 23
On your clothes men find the lifeblood of the innocent poor, though you did not catch them breaking in. Yet in spite of all this
you say, 'I am innocent; he is not angry with me.' But I will pass judgment on you because you say, 'I have not sinned.'
Jeremiah Chapter 2: Verses 34 - 35
Do not trust in deceptive words and say, "This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD!"
Jeremiah Chapter 7: Verse 4
" 'How can you say, "We are wise, for we have the law of the LORD," when actually the lying pen of the scribes has handled it falsely?
Jeremiah Chapter 8: Verse 8
This is what the LORD says: "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD.
Jeremiah Chapter 17: Verse 5
Why do you boast of your valleys, boast of your valleys so fruitful? O unfaithful daughter, you trust in your riches and say, 'Who will attack me?'
Jeremiah Chapter 49: Verse 4
The terror you inspire and the pride of your heart have deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rocks, who occupy the heights of the hill. Though you build your nest as high as the eagle's, from there I will bring you down," declares the LORD.
Jeremiah Chapter 49: Verse 16
"Son of man, the people living in those ruins in the land of Israel are saying, 'Abraham was only one man, yet he possessed the land. But we are many; surely the land has been given to us as our possession.'
Therefore say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Since you eat meat with the blood still in it and look to your idols and shed blood, should you then possess the land?
You rely on your sword, you do detestable things, and each of you defiles his neighbor's wife. Should you then possess the land?'
Ezekiel Chapter 33: Verses 24 - 26
Ephraim boasts, "I am very rich; I have become wealthy. With all my wealth they will not find in me any iniquity or sin."
Hosea Chapter 12: Verse 8
you who rejoice in the conquest of Lo Debar and say, "Did we not take Karnaim by our own strength?"
Amos Chapter 6: Verse 13
"See, he is puffed up; his desires are not upright, but the righteous will live by his faith -
Habakkuk Chapter 2: Verse 4
On that day you will not be put to shame for all the wrongs you have done to me, because I will remove from this city those who rejoice in their pride. Never again will you be haughty on my holy hill.
Zephaniah Chapter 3: Verse 11
Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?'
Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'The Wise and Foolish Builders
Matthew Chapter 7: Verses 22 - 23
While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" came and ate with him and his disciples.
When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?"
On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.
But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."Jesus Questioned About Fasting
Matthew Chapter 9: Verses 10 - 13
"Be careful," Jesus said to them. "Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees."
Matthew Chapter 16: Verse 6
Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"
"Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments."
"Which ones?" the man inquired.
honor your father and mother,' and 'love your neighbor as yourself.' "
"All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?"
Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
Matthew Chapter 19: Verses 16 - 22
'Friend,' he asked, 'how did you get in here without wedding clothes?' The man was speechless.
"Then the king told the attendants, 'Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
Matthew Chapter 22: Verses 12 - 13
"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous.
And you say, 'If we had lived in the days of our forefathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.'
So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets.
Matthew Chapter 23: Verses 29 - 31
Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table.
When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume,
and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is,that she is a sinner."
Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you." "Tell me, teacher," he said.
"Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.
Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?"
Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled." "You have judged correctly," Jesus said.
Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.
You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet.
You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet.
Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven,for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."
Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."
The other guests began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"
Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
Luke Chapter 7: Verses 36 - 50
On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
"What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"
He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind' ; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' "
"You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."
But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"
In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.
A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.
So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.
But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.
He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him.
The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'
"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"
The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."At the Home of Martha and Mary
Luke Chapter 10: Verses 25 - 37
But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."
Luke Chapter 15: Verse 2
"Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing.
So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on.
'Your brother has come,' he replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.'
"The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him.
But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.
But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!'
" 'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.
But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' "
Luke Chapter 15: Verses 25 - 32
The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus.
He said to them, "You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God's sight.Additional Teachings
Luke Chapter 16: Verses 14 - 15
To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable:
"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men,robbers, evildoers, adulterers,or even like this tax collector.
I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'
"But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'
"I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."The Little Children and Jesus
Luke Chapter 18: Verses 9 - 14
To this they replied, "You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!" And they threw him out.Spiritual Blindness
John Chapter 9: Verse 34
Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind."
Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, "What? Are we blind too?"
Jesus said, "If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.
John Chapter 9: Verses 39 - 41
Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and brag about your relationship to God;
if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law;
if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark,
an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth,
Romans Chapter 2: Verses 17 - 20
Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness.
Romans Chapter 10: Verse 3
You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in."
Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid.
For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.
Romans Chapter 11: Verses 19 - 21
Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.
2 Corinthians Chapter 1: Verse 9
But, "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."
2 Corinthians Chapter 10: Verse 17
If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
Galatians Chapter 6: Verse 3
You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.
I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.
Revelation Chapter 3: Verses 17 - 18
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