Scripture Library · Pride and humility · KJV

Bible Verses About Pride and Humility (KJV) + A Prayer for a Humble Heart

“Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” These 13 passages from the King James Bible expose the quiet ways pride takes over and point to Jesus, who humbled Himself to the cross. Read them when you need to let go of being right, noticed or in control.

13 Bible verses about pride and humility

How do I stop needing to be right, noticed or in control?

Proverbs 16:18-19KJV

18Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. 19Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.

Pride comes just before a fall; better to be lowly with the humble.Read in context →

James 4:6-10KJV

6But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. 7Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 9Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. Humble yourself and He will lift you up.Read in context →

Philippians 2:3-11KJV

3Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. 5Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Count others above yourself, with the mind of Christ, who humbled Himself to the cross.Read in context →

Luke 18:9-14KJV

9And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

The Pharisee and the tax collector: the one who humbles himself goes home justified.Read in context →

1 Peter 5:5-7KJV

5Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. 6Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Clothe yourself with humility and cast your cares on God, who exalts in due time.Read in context →

Micah 6:8KJV

8He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

What God requires: do justly, love mercy, walk humbly with Him.Read in context →

Proverbs 11:2KJV

2When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.

With pride comes shame; with the lowly is wisdom.Read in context →

Daniel 4:28-37KJV

28All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar. 29At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. 30The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty? 31While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee. 32And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. 33The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws. 34And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: 35And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? 36At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me. 37Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.

Nebuchadnezzar is humbled until he honours the King of heaven.Read in context →

1 Corinthians 4:7KJV

7For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?

What do you have that you did not receive? Then why boast?Read in context →

Romans 12:3KJV

3For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but soberly.Read in context →

Matthew 23:11-12KJV

11But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. 12And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

The greatest is the servant; whoever exalts himself will be humbled.Read in context →

Isaiah 66:1-2KJV

1Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? 2For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.

God looks to the one who is humble, contrite and trembles at His word.Read in context →

John 13:3-17KJV

3Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; 4He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. 5After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. 6Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? 7Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. 8Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. 9Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. 10Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. 11For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean. 12So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? 13Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. 14If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. Keep reading →

Jesus washes His disciples' feet and tells them to do the same.Read in context →

A prayer for a humble heart

Pray it slowly, in your own words if you like.

Lord, You resist the proud and give grace to the humble, and I want Your grace more than I want my own way. Show me where pride has crept in: in my need to be right, to be seen, to stay in control.

Jesus, You knelt and washed Your disciples’ feet. Give me that same mind. Teach me to esteem others better than myself and to find my worth in You, not in what people think of me.

Father, I humble myself under Your mighty hand. Lift me up in Your time, not mine. Help me to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

What the Bible says about pride

What does the Bible say about pride?

Scripture treats pride as the root of many other sins because it puts self in God’s place. Proverbs 16:18 warns that pride comes before a fall, and James 4:6 says “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” Daniel 4 shows King Nebuchadnezzar humbled until he praised the King of heaven.

What is true humility according to the Bible?

Biblical humility is not thinking poorly of yourself. It is seeing yourself rightly before God and putting others first. Philippians 2:3-11 points to Jesus, who had every right to glory yet “humbled himself, and became obedient unto death.”

What is the difference between pride and confidence?

Confidence that rests in God’s gifts and calling is healthy. Pride claims the credit. Paul asks in 1 Corinthians 4:7, “what hast thou that thou didst not receive?” Everything good we have was given to us.

How do I become more humble?

Start where Scripture starts: submit to God, draw near to Him, and confess honestly (James 4:7-10). Serve in hidden ways, as Jesus did in John 13, and ask the people closest to you where they see pride in you.

More Bible verses by topic

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Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (public domain).