The Bible offers not just principles and patterns of what is right and wrong, but also specific examples of things not to do. Some of these are so well known and well understood that we take them for granted: lying, cheating, stealing, cursing. Others are glossed over or missed entirely, but are no less important to God.
Let’s have a look at 10 actions the Bible refers to as sinful behavior.
Loving money (or being a lover of money)
The Bible never says that it is a bad thing to have money. It only says not to let it become an idol in your life. For instance, the Pharisees are referred to as “lovers of money” (The Gospels).
The moment the heart loves riches above God, it has begun to wander from those things that are most important, for the love of money gives birth to all kinds of evil.
Sowing discord among brothers (or stirring up conflict in community)
God does not like for people to cause division in a community. The Scriptures specifically condemn people who “sow discord among brethren.”
Gossiping, spreading rumors, or otherwise trying to turn friends against each other all count as sowing discord. Such behavior breaks trust and tears others apart, which is why Scripture regards it as sin.
Holding haughty eyes / prideful attitude
“Haughty eyes” is one of the things the Bible lists that He hates. Pride of this sort is not healthy self-confidence, it is elevating oneself over others and rejecting humility.
Attitudes such as these will eventually affect our relationships, because sin is more than what we do.
Hands that shed innocent blood / unjust violence
God cares very much about injustice against the innocent, “hands that shed innocent blood.” It’s not just actual murder; it includes all kinds of violence or unfair treatment against people who don’t deserve it.
Failure to care for one’s household
The Bible is very clear that providing for your family is part of your faith. If a person has the ability to provide for their family, but refuses, the Bible says it is “denying the faith” and says that such a person is worse than an unbeliever.
Feet that make haste to run into evil
Rushing into evil is a serious matter in Scripture. “Feet that are quick to run to evil” makes it clear that sin is not just in overt acts; it can be in our eager willingness to do wrong.
Impulsive behavior often does damage, and God takes this attitude as a serious moral fault.
Devouring widows’ houses / preying on the vulnerable
The word of God makes it obvious that taking advantage of the weak is sin. They that devour widows’ houses or make gain by the miserable people are sinning.
Today it is still the same; it is sin to economically abuse or defraud or otherwise manipulate the weak.
Conspiracy and planning evil
The expression, “heart that devises wicked schemes” means that sin can arise in subtle ways within one’s heart. It is not just the outward actions that God takes issue with, but the inner plotting itself.
A lying tongue / false witness
Lying is not a small matter in Scripture. “A lying tongue” and “false witnesses” are evidence of how God feels about deception, no matter the size.
Distorting facts to harm another destroys relationships and trust while its consequences can ripple through an entire society.
Favoritism
When we show partiality to the handsome and the wealthy, we have not understood the nature of God’s gracious love. God’s love is fair and doesn’t pick favorites. And the Bible says we should do the same.
Sources: The following source was consulted in the preparation of this article.
BibleHub. (n.d.). Topical Bible: Description of sinful behavior. Retrieved November 8, 2025, from https://biblehub.com/topical/d/description_of_sinful_behavior.htm
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