“Pride comes before a fall” – this proverb comes from the Bible. Pride is described there as one of the most dangerous attitudes because it separates people from God and others. Here you will find 20 Bible verses about pride and arrogance.
Pride comes before a fall
The Bible warns against arrogance.
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Whoever is going to come to ruin will first be proud; and pride comes before a fall.
Proverbs 16:18Success
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Where there is pride, there is also shame; but wisdom is with the humble.
Proverbs 11:2Humility
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The arrogance of man will cause him to fall; but the humble will receive honor.
Proverbs 29:23Humility
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The fear of the LORD hates evil, arrogance, pride, and an evil way; and I am hostile to a perverse mouth.
Proverbs 8:13
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A proud heart is an abomination to the LORD and will not go unpunished, even though they all hang together.
Proverbs 16:5
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But he gives grace all the more abundantly. Therefore it says: “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
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Likewise, you younger ones, be subject to your elders. All of you be subject to one another and hold fast to humility. For God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.
1 Peter 5:5Clothing
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The Pharisee stood and prayed to himself thus: I thank you, God, that I am not like other people, robbers, evildoers, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
Luke 18:11
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He strikes with his arm and scatters those who are proud in their hearts.
Luke 1:51
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For all haughty eyes will be humbled, and the proud shall bow down; but the LORD alone will be exalted at that time.
Isaiah 2:11
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The pride of your heart has deceived you, because you live in the clefts of the rocks, in your high castles, and say in your heart: Who will cast me down?
Obadiah 1:3
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Therefore I praise you, Nebuchadnezzar, and honor and exalt the King of Heaven; for all his deeds are truth, and his ways are righteous, and whom he wills he can humble.
Daniel 4:34
What you can be proud of
Healthy pride is directed toward God.
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So says the LORD: Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom, let not the strong man boast of his strength, let not the rich man boast of his wealth; but let him who will boast boast that he knows me and understands that I am the LORD, who does mercy, righteousness, and justice on earth; for such things I love, says the LORD.
Jeremiah 9:22-23SuccessRecognition
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So that (as it is written) “whoever boasts, let him boast in the LORD!”
1 Corinthians 1:31Recognition
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But whoever boasts, let him boast in the LORD.
2 Corinthians 10:17
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But far be it from me to boast, except in the cross of our LORD Jesus Christ, through whom the world has been crucified to me and I to the world.
Galatians 6:14CrucifixionWorld
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And he said to me: Let your sufficiency be in my grace; for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weakness, that the power of Christ may rest on me.
2 Corinthians 12:9GraceSelf-worth
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Nothing is accomplished through quarreling or vain glory; but through humility one person esteems another above themselves.
Philippians 2:3Recognition
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Be of one mind with one another. Do not seek lofty things, but rather humble yourselves to the lowly.
Romans 12:16Humility
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For whoever exalts himself will be humbled; and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
Matthew 23:12Humility
Bible texts: Luther Bible 1912 (public domain), carefully adapted to modern spelling.
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Why pride is so dangerous
In the Christian tradition, arrogance is considered the first of the deadly sins – not because it is particularly spectacular, but because it is the root of many other sins. Whoever is arrogant does not need God and looks down on others. Jesus tells of the Pharisee who prays in the temple: “I thank you, God, that I am not like other people” (Luke 18:11) – and of the tax collector who only says: “God, have mercy on me, a sinner!” The tax collector goes home justified. “Whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Matthew 23:12).
Healthy pride
The Bible also knows a good pride. Paul boasts – but not of his achievements, but of his weakness and the cross (2 Corinthians 12:9; Galatians 6:14). Jeremiah says what you can be proud of: that you know God (Jeremiah 9:23). It is not wrong to rejoice over good work. Arrogance begins where you exalt yourself over others or forget where your own gifts come from. More on this at Bible verses about humility, Bible verses about self-love and selfishness and Bible verses about success.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does “Pride comes before a fall” stand?
The proverb dates back to Proverbs 16:18: “Whoever is going to come to ruin will first be proud; and pride comes before a fall.”
What does “arrogance” mean?
Arrogance is an old German word for pride and haughtiness. Luther uses it frequently, for example in Proverbs 29:23 and James 4:6 (“God opposes the proud”).
