Open Side Menu Search Icon
    pdf View PDF
    The content displayed below is for educational and archival purposes only.
    Unless stated otherwise, content is © Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania

    You may be able to find the original on wol.jw.org

    Wrong Practices

    What wrong practices should Christians avoid?

    Abusive speech

    Mt 5:22; 1Co 6:9, 10; Eph 4:31

    See also Ex 22:28; Ec 10:20; Jude 8

    Accepting or offering bribes

    Ex 23:8; Ps 26:9, 10; Pr 17:23

    See also De 10:17; 16:19; Ps 15:1, 5

    • Relevant Bible account(s):

      • 1Sa 8:1-5​—Instead of following their father’s good example, the sons of the prophet Samuel accept bribes and pervert justice

      • Ne 6:10-13​—Shemaiah is hired by opposers to utter a false prophecy intended to scare Governor Nehemiah and slow down Jehovah’s work

    Bragging

    See “Bragging”

    Brazen conduct; uncleanness; immorality; adultery

    See “Sexual Immorality”

    Competitions; rivalry

    Ec 4:4; Ga 5:26

    • Relevant Bible account(s):

      • Mr 9:33-37; 10:35-45​—Jesus repeatedly corrects his apostles for their tendency to compete for positions of prominence

      • 3Jo 9, 10​—Diotrephes desires to have “the first place” among the brothers

    Creating divisions; promoting a sect

    Ro 16:17; Ga 5:19, 20; Tit 3:10, 11; 2Pe 2:1

    See also Ac 20:29, 30; 1Co 1:10-12; Re 2:6, 15

    Drunkenness; excessive drinking

    Pr 20:1; 23:20, 29-35; 1Co 5:11; 6:9, 10

    See also Eph 5:18; 1Ti 3:8; Tit 2:3; 1Pe 4:3

    See also “Drinking”

    • Relevant Bible account(s):

      • Ge 9:20-25​—Noah gets drunk, which creates an opportunity for Ham and his son Canaan to commit a serious sin

      • Da 5:1-6, 30​—Under the influence of wine, King Belshazzar insults Jehovah, bringing disaster on himself and his kingdom

    Extortion

    Ps 62:10; 1Co 5:10, 11; 6:9, 10

    See also Pr 1:19; 15:27

    • Relevant Bible account(s):

      • Jer 22:11-17​—Jehovah condemns King Shallum (Jehoahaz) for extortion and other serious sins

      • Lu 19:2, 8​—Zacchaeus, a chief tax collector, repents of his sin of extortion and promises to make reparations

      • Ac 24:26, 27​—The apostle Paul did not give Governor Felix the bribe that the governor was hoping for

    Flattery

    Job 32:21, 22; Ps 5:9; 12:2, 3; Pr 26:24-28; 29:5

    See also Pr 28:23; 1Th 2:3-6

    • Relevant Bible account(s):

      • Lu 18:18, 19​—Jesus rejects a flattering title

      • Ac 12:21-23​—King Herod Agrippa accepts flattery implying that he is a god; he is struck dead for his sin

    Gluttony

    Pr 23:20, 21; 28:7

    See also Lu 21:34, 35

    Harmful gossiping; being a busybody

    Pr 25:23; 1Th 4:11; 2Th 3:11; 1Pe 4:15

    See also Pr 20:19; 1Ti 5:13

    Idolatry

    See “Idolatry”

    Lying; proving false to agreements

    See “Lying”

    Lying; slander

    See “Lying”

    Misuse of blood

    Ge 9:4; De 12:16, 23; Ac 15:28, 29

    See also Le 3:17; 7:26

    • Relevant Bible account(s):

      • 1Sa 14:32-34​—The Israelites sin against Jehovah by eating meat without first bleeding it properly

    Murder

    Ex 20:13; Mt 15:19; 1Pe 4:15

    See also Mt 5:21, 22; Mr 7:21

    • Relevant Bible account(s):

      • Ge 4:4-16​—Despite Jehovah’s loving counsel, Cain murders his righteous brother Abel

      • 1Ki 21:1-26; 2Ki 9:26​—Greed leads wicked King Ahab and Queen Jezebel to arrange for the murder of Naboth and his sons

    Murmuring

    1Co 10:10; Php 2:14; Jude 16

    See also Nu 11:1

    • Relevant Bible account(s):

      • Nu 14:1-11, 26-30​—The Israelites murmur against Moses and Aaron, but Jehovah sees it as murmuring against Him

      • Joh 6:41-69​—The Jews murmur against Jesus; some of his disciples abandon him

    Obscene talk or jesting

    Eph 5:4; Col 3:8

    See also Eph 4:29, 31

    Pornography

    See “Pornography”

    Quarreling

    See “Quarreling”

    Ridiculing

    Pr 19:29; 24:9

    See also Pr 17:5; 22:10; 2Pe 3:3, 4

    • Relevant Bible account(s):

      • 2Ch 36:15-21​—God’s rebellious people pay dearly for ridiculing his messengers and mocking his prophets

      • Job 12:4; 17:2; 21:3; 34:7​—During his difficult trial, righteous Job suffers ridicule

    Stealing

    See “Stealing”

    Strife; violence

    Ps 11:5; Pr 3:31; 29:22

    See also 1Ti 3:2, 3; Tit 1:7

    • Relevant Bible account(s):

      • Ex 21:22-27​—The Mosaic Law exacts punishment from men who cause injury or death through physical violence

    Threatening

    Eph 6:9; 1Pe 2:23

    See also Ps 10:4, 7; 73:3, 8

    • Relevant Bible account(s):

      • Ac 4:15-21​—The Sanhedrin threatens Jesus’ disciples in an attempt to stop the preaching work

    Wild parties

    Ro 13:13; Ga 5:19, 21; 1Pe 4:3

    See also Pr 20:1; 1Co 10:31

    • Relevant Bible account(s):

      • Da 5:1-4, 30​—King Belshazzar’s “great feast” leads to excessive drinking and a catastrophic decision to blaspheme Jehovah