Conscience

Paul talks about conscience more than anyone else in Scripture. He says he has lived “in all good conscience before God,” and that he tries “to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.” He also says that even people without the law show its work written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness. In 1 Corinthians 8, he warns that a weak conscience can be wounded by what a stronger believer feels free to do. The passages see conscience as an inner witness that is real but can be tender or mistaken, which is why it needs the Word to guide it.

299 verses

Genesis

Genesis 18:19

For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.

Genesis 42:21

And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.

Genesis 43:15

And the men took that present, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.

Genesis 43:16

And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the ruler of his house, Bring these men home, and slay, and make ready; for these men shall dine with me at noon.

Genesis 43:17

And the man did as Joseph bade; and the man brought the men into Joseph's house.

Genesis 43:18

And the men were afraid, because they were brought into Joseph's house; and they said, Because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time are we brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, and fall upon us, and take us for bondmen, and our asses.

Genesis 43:19

And they came near to the steward of Joseph's house, and they communed with him at the door of the house,

Genesis 43:20

And said, O sir, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food:

Genesis 43:21

And it came to pass, when we came to the inn, that we opened our sacks, and, behold, every man's money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight: and we have brought it again in our hand.

Genesis 43:22

And other money have we brought down in our hands to buy food: we cannot tell who put our money in our sacks.

Exodus

Exodus 18:21

Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:

Leviticus

Leviticus 19:35

Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure.

Leviticus 19:36

Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have: I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt.

Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 16:19

Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.

Deuteronomy 16:20

That which is altogether just shalt thou follow, that thou mayest live, and inherit the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

Deuteronomy 25:13

Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, a great and a small.

Deuteronomy 25:14

Thou shalt not have in thine house divers measures, a great and a small.

Deuteronomy 25:15

But thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure shalt thou have: that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

Deuteronomy 25:16

For all that do such things, and all that do unrighteously, are an abomination unto the LORD thy God.

1 Samuel

1 Samuel 29:6

Then Achish called David, and said unto him, Surely, as the LORD liveth, thou hast been upright, and thy going out and thy coming in with me in the host is good in my sight: for I have not found evil in thee since the day of thy coming unto me unto this day: nevertheless the lords favour thee not.

1 Samuel 29:9

And Achish answered and said to David, I know that thou art good in my sight, as an angel of God: notwithstanding the princes of the Philistines have said, He shall not go up with us to the battle.

2 Samuel

2 Samuel 22:21

The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness: according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.

2 Kings

2 Kings 12:15

Moreover they reckoned not with the men, into whose hand they delivered the money to be bestowed on workmen: for they dealt faithfully.

Job

Job 10:7

Thou knowest that I am not wicked; and there is none that can deliver out of thine hand.

Job 13:15

Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.

Job 13:18

Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be justified.

Job 15:21

A dreadful sound is in his ears: in prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him.

Job 15:24

Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid; they shall prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle.

Job 16:17

Not for any injustice in mine hands: also my prayer is pure.

Job 27:4

My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit.

Job 27:5

God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me.

Job 27:6

My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.

Job 29:14

I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem.

Job 31:1

I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?

Job 31:2

For what portion of God is there from above? and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?

Job 31:3

Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity?

Job 31:4

Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps?

Job 31:5

If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit;

Job 31:6

Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity.

Job 31:7

If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands;

Job 31:8

Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring be rooted out.

Job 31:9

If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbour's door;

Job 31:10

Then let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her.

Job 31:11

For this is an heinous crime; yea, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges.

Job 31:12

For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction, and would root out all mine increase.

Job 31:13

If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me;

Job 31:14

What then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him?

Job 31:15

Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb?

Job 31:16

If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;

Job 31:17

Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof;

Job 31:18

(For from my youth he was brought up with me, as with a father, and I have guided her from my mother's womb;)

Job 31:19

If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering;

Job 31:20

If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;

Job 31:21

If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate:

Job 31:22

Then let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone.

Job 31:23

For destruction from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure.

Job 31:24

If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence;

Job 31:25

If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had gotten much;

Job 31:26

If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness;

Job 31:27

And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand:

Job 31:28

This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have denied the God that is above.

Job 31:29

If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him:

Job 31:30

Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul.

Job 31:31

If the men of my tabernacle said not, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied.

Job 31:32

The stranger did not lodge in the street: but I opened my doors to the traveller.

Job 31:33

If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom:

Job 31:34

Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, that I kept silence, and went not out of the door?

Job 31:35

Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book.

Job 31:36

Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a crown to me.

Job 31:37

I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near unto him.

Job 31:38

If my land cry against me, or that the furrows likewise thereof complain;

Job 31:39

If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life:

Job 31:40

Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.

Psalms

Psalms 7:3

O LORD my God, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands;

Psalms 7:4

If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me;(yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy:)

Psalms 7:5

Let the enemy persecute my soul, and take it; yea, let him tread down my life upon the earth, and lay mine honour in the dust. Selah.

Psalms 7:8

The LORD shall judge the people: judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me.

Psalms 15:1

A Psalm of David. LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?

Psalms 15:2

He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.

Psalms 15:3

He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.

Psalms 15:4

In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.

Psalms 15:5

He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.

Psalms 17:3

Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.

Psalms 18:20

The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.

Psalms 24:3

Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?

Psalms 24:4

He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

Psalms 24:5

He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

Psalms 26:1

A Psalm of David. Judge me, O LORD; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the LORD; therefore I shall not slide.

Psalms 26:2

Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.

Psalms 26:3

For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth.

Psalms 40:11

Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.

Psalms 40:12

For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me.

Psalms 51:1

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

Psalms 51:2

Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

Psalms 51:3

For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

Psalms 51:4

Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

Psalms 51:7

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Psalms 51:8

Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.

Psalms 51:9

Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.

Psalms 51:10

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

From Easton's Bible Dictionary

Matthew George Easton, 1897

That faculty of the mind, or inborn sense of right and wrong, by which we judge of the moral character of human conduct. It is common to all men. Like all our other faculties, it has been perverted by the Fall (John 16:2; Acts 26:9; Rom. 2:15). It is spoken of as “defiled” (Titus 1:15), and “seared” (1 Tim. 4:2). A “conscience void of offence” is to be sought and cultivated (Acts 24:16; Rom. 9:1; 2 Cor. 1:12; 1 Tim. 1:5, 19; 1 Pet. 3:21).

Based on Nave's Topical Bible by Orville J. Nave (1896). Dictionary entries from Easton's Bible Dictionary. Public domain. KJV scripture text, public domain.