We may have different ideas about what it means to be a person of integrity. This will be based on our own spiritual and moral standards which can vary depending on our culture and upbringing. Christian integrity, however, is founded in Scripture. When we look at Bible verses about integrity, we begin to see how important it is to God and foundational to our faith.
What Scripture in the Bible Talks About Integrity?
There are many Scriptures in the Bible that talk about integrity, some directly and others indirectly. Proverbs, the wisdom sayings, give many great examples of this and one of the most well-known is:
“Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.”
Proverbs 10:9
This is an obvious reference to integrity and quite a simple saying that should be true wherever justice is upheld. But there are other not-so-direct Scriptures that still refer to integrity:
“For the LORD gives wisdom, from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds success in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless.”
Proverbs 2:6-7
This verse refers indirectly to the benefits of integrity – those whose walk is upright and blameless. The reference to being ‘blameless’ here does not mean sinless but rather to those who walk with spiritual and moral integrity.
I’ve compiled a short list, by no means complete, of Bible verses about integrity. These teach us that God examines our hearts, that He sees and knows our motivations, nothing is hidden from Him. God values honesty and integrity and looks for those who are committed to Him. This is never to bring condemnation but to bring motivation, and the desire to walk closer to God.
“LORD, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain? The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart.”
Psalm 15:1-2
This psalm was written by king David ‘a man after God’s own heart.’ He was a person of integrity – but we know that he messed up and the consequences of his mistakes were far reaching! To have integrity does not mean that we are perfect but that we acknowledge our mistakes. With accountability we seek forgiveness, first from God and then where possible from those that we have offended.
Related Post: What Does the Bible Say About Integrity
20 Integrity Bible Verses for Today
The Bible verses about integrity are not confined to one section, book, or chapter of Scripture but scattered throughout. This highlights integrity as a timeless quality with eternal value.
Proverbs About Integrity
These Proverbs remind us that we serve God first and foremost and this may not always please other people. There are blessings when we walk in integrity and seek to honor God’s name, but this may antagonize others. If our integrity causes friction, then we need to continue undeterred – but remember to be gracious!
- “The integrity of the upright guides them” Proverbs 11:3
- “Righteousness guards the person of integrity, but wickedness overthrows the sinner.” Proverbs 13:6
- “The righteous lead blameless lives; blessed are their children after them.” Proverbs 20:7
- “Better the poor whose walk is blameless than the rich whose ways are perverse.” Proverbs 28:6
- “The blood thirsty hate a person of integrity and seek to kill the upright.” Proverbs 29:10
Bible Quotes About Integrity From the Psalms
The Psalms are heartfelt prayers and songs of praise, and you can see that in some of these quotes. Here there are prayers, pleas for God’s protection and blessing, but also songs of praise with reminders of God’s promises.
- “Let the LORD judge the peoples. Vindicate me, LORD, according to my righteousness, according to my integrity, O Most High.” Psalms 7:8
- “May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope, LORD, is in you.” Psalms 25:21
- “Consider the blameless, observe the upright; a future awaits those who seek peace.” Psalm 37:37
- “Because of my integrity you uphold me and set me in your presence forever.” Psalms 41:12
- “For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.” Psalms 84:11
Bible Verses About Integrity From the Old Testament
There are many Bible verses about integrity in the Old Testament revealing how important spiritual and moral integrity is to God. The integrity of God’s chosen people, the nation, and the king, reflected the honor of God’s name. Their integrity was rooted in awe and reverence for God – or sadly lack of it!
- “It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity that you are going in to take possession of their land; but on account of the wickedness of these nations, the LORD your God will drive them out before you, to accomplish what he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” Deuteronomy 9:5
- “As for you, if you walk before me faithfully with integrity of heart and uprightness, as David your father did, and do all I command and observe my decrees and laws, I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever…” 1 King 9:4
- “I put in charge of Jerusalem my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah the commander of the citadel, because he was a man of integrity and feared God more than most people do.” Nehemiah 7:2
- “I will never admit you are in the right; till I die, I will not deny my integrity. I will maintain my innocence and never let go of it; my conscience will not reproach me as long as I live.” Job 27:5-6
- “No one calls for justice; no one pleads a case with integrity. They rely on empty arguments, they utter lies; they conceive trouble and give birth to evil.” Isaiah 59:4
New Testament Bible Quotes About Integrity
The first quote here was by Herodians and Pharisees who flattered Jesus as being a man of integrity while trying to find a way to arrest Him. Jesus saw their hypocrisy – which is the opposite of integrity. Jesus is always our example, and at the beginning of the life of the early church, we see how important integrity is to our Christian witness.
- “They came to him and said, “Teacher, we know that you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?”” Mark 12:14
- “Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, with integrity and godly sincerity. We have done so, relying not on worldly wisdom but on God’s grace.” 2 Corinthians 1:12
- “In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.” Titus 2:7
- “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.” 1 Timothy 4:12
This list of Scriptures illustrates clearly how important integrity is to God. But Biblical integrity is not based on our pursuit of perfection or a self-righteous attitude but on humility. It is the knowledge that we are sinners saved by grace that keeps us humble and draws us to depend on God. Integrity is upheld by loving the Lord more than anyone or anything else and allowing His grace to work in our lives. Maybe we can all make this last verse our prayer:
“May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.”
1 Thessalonians 3:13
