Cheating is a shortcut with a high cost.
It may take many forms: infidelity in marriage, dishonesty in business, betrayal in friendship, or deceit in exams and work.
At its core, cheating is about breaking trust for personal gain.
The Bible speaks strongly about it because God is a God of truth, integrity, and faithfulness.
And anything that opposes His nature brings damage, not just to others, but to our own souls.
God doesn’t turn a blind eye to cheating.
It’s not just a “mistake” in His eyes—it’s a heart issue.
Whether we’re the ones who have cheated or the ones who have been cheated on, Scripture invites us into both accountability and healing.
God calls us to honesty, not to burden us, but to protect us.
He knows that relationships, communities, and even nations crumble when integrity is lost.
Cheating may offer temporary gain, but it leaves a lasting wound.
Still, even in failure, God offers grace. For the one who repents, He offers forgiveness.
For the one who’s been wronged, He offers justice and healing.
Bible Verses About What God Says About Cheating
1. Exodus 20:14
“You shall not commit adultery.”
2. Proverbs 11:1
“The Lord detests dishonest scales, but accurate weights find favor with him.”
3. Hebrews 13:4
“Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.”
4. Leviticus 19:11
“Do not steal. Do not lie. Do not deceive one another.”
5. Proverbs 6:32
“But a man who commits adultery has no sense; whoever does so destroys himself.”
6. Luke 16:10
“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.”
7. Colossians 3:9
“Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices.”
8. Malachi 2:14
“You ask, ‘Why?’ It is because the Lord is the witness between you and the wife of your youth. You have been unfaithful to her, though she is your partner.”
9. Proverbs 12:22
“The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy.”
10. Psalm 101:7
“No one who practices deceit will dwell in my house; no one who speaks falsely will stand in my presence.”
11. Romans 13:9
“The commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not covet,’ and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'”
12. 2 Corinthians 8:21
“For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man.”
13. Job 31:6
“Let God weigh me in honest scales and he will know that I am blameless.”
14. Matthew 5:27-28
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
15. 1 Thessalonians 4:6
“In this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins.”
16. Proverbs 20:23
“The Lord detests differing weights, and dishonest scales do not please him.”
17. Exodus 20:17
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
18. James 4:17
“If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.”
19. Hosea 4:1-2
“There is no faithfulness, no love, no acknowledgment of God in the land. There is only cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery.”
20. Proverbs 10:9
“Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.”
21. 1 Corinthians 6:18
“Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.”
22. Deuteronomy 25:13-16
“Do not have two differing weights in your bag—one heavy, one light… For the Lord your God detests anyone who does these things, anyone who deals dishonestly.”
23. Psalm 15:1-2
“Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart.”
24. Proverbs 21:6
“A fortune made by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare.”
25. Jeremiah 17:9-10
“The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind.”
26. Mark 10:11-12
“Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her.”
27. Ephesians 4:25
“Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.”
28. Matthew 15:19
“For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.”
29. Titus 1:15-16
“They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.”
30. Proverbs 28:13
“Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.”
31. James 1:12
“Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”
32. Revelation 21:8
“But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral… and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur.”
33. 1 John 1:9
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
Our Thoughts On What The Bible Says About Cheating
Cheating is never just about the act—it’s about what’s happening in the heart.
God sees both the betrayal and the brokenness that comes with it.
Whether it’s in marriage, business, or any other area, cheating violates the very character of God, who is faithful, honest, and just.
The Bible doesn’t excuse it, but it also doesn’t abandon the one caught in it.
There’s conviction, yes—but also compassion.
For the one who’s been cheated on, God offers healing, justice, and peace.
He sees your pain, and He is near to the brokenhearted.
God offers repentance, restoration, and grace to the one who has cheated—but it starts with confession and a desire to change.
Integrity might cost you something, but it will never cost you peace.
And God is always in the business of restoring what we thought was beyond repair.
Say This Prayer
Father, I come before You with honesty.
If I’ve cheated in any way—through actions, words, or hidden intentions—please forgive me.
Purify my heart and restore my integrity.
Help me walk in truth, not just in public but in private too.
And if I’ve been hurt by someone’s betrayal, heal the wounds that still ache.
Remind me that You are just, and You are kind.
Teach me to forgive where needed and to live with a heart that reflects Your character. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Evang. Anabelle Thompson is the founder of Believers Refuge, a Scripture-based resource that helps Christians to find biblical guidance for life’s challenges.
With over 15 years of ministry experience and a decade of dedicated Bible study, she creates content that connects believers with relevant Scripture for their daily struggles.
Her work has reached over 76,000 monthly readers (which is projected to reach 100,000 readers by the end of 2025) seeking practical faith applications, biblical encouragement, and spiritual guidance rooted in God’s Word.
She writes from personal experience, having walked through seasons of waiting, breakthrough, and spiritual growth that inform her teaching.
Evang. Thompson brings 12 years of active ministry and evangelism experience, along with over 10 years of systematic Bible study and theological research.
As a former small group leader and Sunday school teacher, she has published over 200 biblical resources and devotional studies.
She specializes in applying Scripture to everyday life challenges and regularly studies the original Hebrew and Greek texts for a deeper biblical understanding.