Bible Verses about “motives”

“¶ Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.”

“And whatsoever ye do, do [it] heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;”

“‹For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:›”

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

“‹But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.›”

“But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for [the LORD seeth] not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.”

“[Let] nothing [be done] through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.”

“¶ ‹Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.›”

“Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth [it] not, to him it is sin.”

“‹But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.›”

“‹Therefore when thou doest› [thine] ‹alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.›”

“‹And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.›”

“‹That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.›”

“‹But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:›”

“¶ ‹And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites› [are]: ‹for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.›”

“‹And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.›”

“‹But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen› [do]: ‹for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.›”

“‹Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as› [it is] ‹in heaven.›”

“‹Give us this day our daily bread.›”

“¶ ‹After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.›”

“‹But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;›”

“¶ ‹Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.›”

“And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, [do] all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”

“‹That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.›”

“‹Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.›”

“¶ For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.”

“Whereas ye know not what [shall be] on the morrow. For what [is] your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.”

“Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.”

“There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?”

“¶ From whence [come] wars and fightings among you? [come they] not hence, [even] of your lusts that war in your members?”

“Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.”

“Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;”

“Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume [it] upon your lusts.”

“Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse [your] hands, [ye] sinners; and purify [your] hearts, [ye] double minded.”

“¶ Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of [his] brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.”

“But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”

“Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:”

“For that ye [ought] to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.”

“But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.”

“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.”

“¶ Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this [is] the whole [duty] of man.”

“For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether [it be] good, or whether [it be] evil.”

“¶ All the ways of a man [are] clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits.”

“Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.”

“If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee [shall be] his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.”

“Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?”

“But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.”

“Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and [your] joy to heaviness.”

“Not as Cain, [who] was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.”

“¶ Every way of a man [is] right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts.”