The kind of friends you keep says a lot about you.
Bad friends can negatively affect you in almost everything you do.
They can affect your behaviors, your carrier, and your service to God.
Even worse, they could be jealous of you and try to hurt you.
Therefore, we must be careful with the kind of friends we keep.
That’s where bible verses about bad friends can be of help.
There are many scriptures in the bible that teaches us the characteristics of bad friends.
In summary, a bad friend negatively influences your life, and they care less about your success.
They talk badly about you to others and always find an opportunity to take advantage of you.
I have had some really bad friends when growing up.
And it negatively changed my life and my behaviors.
For example, for about four years in medical school, I was addicted to smoking.
And it all started because of my constant relationship with bad friends.
This negative influence affected me in all areas of my life.
Gradually, I started clubbing and fornicating.
And it didn’t stop there.
My life took a downturn, and I was lucky I still passed my exams in medical school.
But somehow, God intervened to help me.
If you are struggling with bad influence over your life or that of your children, You must pray.
God is willing to help you make the right decisions.
I have put together bible verses about negative influences and bad friends to help you.
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Bible verses about bad friends
1. 1 Corinthians 15:32-34
Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” 34 Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to your shame
2. Proverbs 13:20
Walk with the wise and become wise,
for a companion of fools suffers harm.
3. Matthew 24:4
Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you.
4. 1 Corinthians 5:6
Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough?
5. Ephesians 5:6
Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient.
6. 1 Corinthians 6:9
Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men[a]
7. Proverbs 9:6
Leave your simple ways and you will live;
walk in the way of insight.”
8. Galatians 6:7
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.
9. Proverbs 16:28
A perverse person stirs up conflict,
and a gossip separates close friends.
10. Proverbs 17:9
Whoever would foster love covers over an offense,
but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.
11. Proverbs 15:18
A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict,
but the one who is patient calms a quarrel.
12. Proverbs 18:8
The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
they go down to the inmost parts.
13. James 3:14-16
But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.
16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
14. Romans 1:29
They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice They are gossips,
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More Bible Verses About Negative Influence
15. Matthew 5:30
And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.
16. Luke 17:2
It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble.
17. Proverbs 17:17
A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for a time of adversity.
18. Proverbs 18:24
One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin,
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
19. John 15:13-14
Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command.
20. Hebrews 2:11
Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters
21. 2 Samuel 1:26
I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother;
you were very dear to me.
Your love for me was wonderful,
more wonderful than that of women.
22. 1 John 3:17
If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?
23. Hebrews 13:16
And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
24. 1 John 4:20
Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.
25. Deuteronomy 15:7-8
7 If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward them. 8 Rather, be openhanded and freely lend them whatever they need.
26. Proverbs 14:7
Stay away from a fool,
for you will not find knowledge on their lips.
27. Ephesians 5:11
Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.
28. Proverbs 19:27
Stop listening to instruction, my son,
and you will stray from the words of knowledge.
29. Proverbs 9:6
Leave your simple ways and you will live;
walk in the way of insight.”
30. 1 Corinthians 5:11
But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister[a] but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people.
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How to identify bad influence friends
Toxic and evil friends can have a negative influence on our lives. So how can we tell if we have wicked friends?
1. They are selfish from the beginning
Have you ever needed anything from your friend, and he turns you down?
That’s one characteristic of a bad friend. They do not always help you when you need them but are quick to ask for your help when they face difficult times.
Don’t get me wrong; there are times when your close friends will not be able to assist you.
So, you must not tag those that cannot help you as bad friends.
Instead, watch how they behave over time.
Do they share any concerns about your problems?
Help could be in any form.
Calling to know how you are doing or figuring out ideas to get you through your issues are different ways to help.
If your friends aren’t showing any concern at all, that’s a bad sign.
Fake friends may act as they care but deep inside, they don’t.
2. They always want to talk about themselves
We all have issues.
And that’s the essence of friendship.
We need someone to talk to.
If you have friends that are unwilling to hear your problems, those are selfish friends.
Bad friends are self-centered.
They care more about your opinion on their issues and are likely not interested in discussing your problems.
3. They are a negative influence
Bad friends are terrible in all aspects.
Despite not helping you, they are likely to lead you astray.
They will definitely influence you to do the wrong things.
Some of which are against God’s commands and that of your parents.
You may find yourself fornicating, drinking excessively or taking drugs.
These are actions of sinners, and those are not the kind of Friends you need around as Christians.
4. Bad friends lie a lot
Telling the truth to your friend is more like the first rule of true friendship.
There is no reason to lie to someone you love.
So, if your friends keep lying to you, that’s a bad sign.
