Dictionary of Bible Themes » 5000 Humanity » 5650 Human relationships » 5690 friends » 5692 friends, bad
Those who are close or who exercise influence, who prove to be unreliable or deceptive or who lead astray. Scripture provides numerous instructive examples of the negative effects of bad friends upon believers.
Friends who lead astray
From worship
Deuteronomy 13:6-8 See also Deuteronomy 23:6; 1 Kings 11:2
From good character
1 Corinthians 15:33 See also Proverbs 12:26; Proverbs 22:24-25
From friendship with God
James 4:4 See also Isaiah 52:11; Jeremiah 9:4-5; Micah 7:5; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18; Corinthians 7:1
Friends who are unreliable
In their commitment
Job 6:14-17
In their trustworthiness
Psalm 41:9 See also Psalm 38:11; Psalm 55:20-21; Ob 7; Matthew 26:14-15; John 13:18 Jesus Christ is speaking about his betrayal by Judas.
In their support
2 Timothy 4:16 See also 2 Timothy 4:10
Examples of bad friends
Those who lead astray
Genesis 3:12 See also 1 Kings 12:8-11; Esther 5:14
Those who are inconstant
Job 19:19 Presumably these friends are not merely the ones who attempted to comfort him. See also Matthew 26:31,33-34; 2 Timothy 4:10,16
See also
5798 betrayal 5835 disappointment 5863 flattery 5868 gossip 5973 unreliability 6145 deceit 8729 enemies of Christ 8755 folly 8759 fools 8767 hypocrisy 8773 jealousy 8841 unfaithfulness to people
