20 Bible Verses about Backsliders

And it happened after Amaziah had come from the slaughter of the Edomites, he brought the gods of the sons of Seir and set them up to be his gods, and bowed down himself before them and burned incense to them.

And he did the right in the eyes of Jehovah, but not with a perfect heart.

but they turned back, and acted unfaithfully like their fathers; they were turned aside like a deceiving bow.

O Ephraim, what shall I do to you? O Judah, what shall I do to you? For your goodness is like a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goes away.

and those drawing back from Jehovah, and who have not sought Jehovah, nor asked for Him.

Turn us again, O God, and cause Your face to shine, and we shall be saved! O Jehovah, the God of Hosts, how long will You be angry against the prayer of Your people? You feed them with the bread of tears; and give them tears to drink in great measure. read more.
You make us a strife for our neighbors; and our enemies laugh among themselves. Turn us again, O God of Hosts, and cause Your face to shine; and we shall be saved.

Return, we beg You, O God of Hosts; look down from Heaven, and behold, and visit this vine, and the vineyard which Your right hand has planted, and the Son that You make strong for Yourself. It is burned with fire, and cut down; they perish at the rebuke of Your holy face. read more.
Let Your hand be on the Man of Your right hand, on the Son of man whom You have made strong for Yourself. So we will not go back from You; make us live, and we will call on Your name. Turn us again, O Jehovah, the God of Hosts; cause Your face to shine, and we shall be saved.

In that day a man shall look to his Maker, and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy One of Israel.

Those who erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and those who murmured shall learn doctrine.

Turn to Him from whom the sons of Israel have deeply revolted. For in that day every man shall cast away his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which your hands have made for you, a sin.

And the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, and the people gathered themselves to Aaron. And they said to him, Up! Make us gods who shall go before us. For this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.

They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them. They have made them a molten calf, and have worshiped it, and have sacrificed to it, and said, These are your gods, O Israel, who have brought you up out of the land of Egypt.

It repents Me that I have set up Saul to be king. For he has turned back from following Me and has not done My commands. And it grieved Samuel, and he cried out to Jehovah all night.

From this time many of His disciples went back into the things behind, and walked no more with Him.

It is the Spirit that makes alive, the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit and are life. But there are some of you who do not believe. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who is the one betraying Him.

For some have already turned aside after Satan.

But I have a few things against you because you allow that woman Jezebel to teach, she saying herself to be a prophetess, and to cause My servants to go astray, and to commit fornication, and to eat idol-sacrifices.

But I have against you that you left your first love.

For some have already turned aside after Satan.

But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the teachings of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumbling-block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit fornication. So you also have those who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.

Be watchful and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die. For I have not found your works being fulfilled before God. Remember then how you have received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.

And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, Who said to him, Before the cock crows, you shall deny Me three times. And he went out and wept bitterly.

And the second time a cock crowed. And Peter remembered the word that Jesus said to him, Before a cock crows twice, you will deny Me three times. And thinking on it, he wept.

And Peter went out and wept bitterly.

And Peter sat outside in the court. And a girl came to him, saying, You also were with Jesus of Galilee. But he denied all before them, saying, I do not know what you say. And when he had gone out into the porch, another saw him and said to those there, This one was also with Jesus of Nazareth. read more.
And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man. And after a little while those who stood by came and said to Peter, Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you. Then he began to curse and to swear, I do not know the man. And immediately the cock crowed. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, Who said to him, Before the cock crows, you shall deny Me three times. And he went out and wept bitterly.

I marvel that you so soon are being moved away from Him who called you into the grace of Christ, to another gospel,

O foolish Galatians, who bewitched you not to obey the truth, to whom before your eyes Jesus Christ was written among you crucified?

But now, knowing God, but rather are known by God, how do you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements to which you again desire to slave anew? You observe days and months and times and years. I fear for you, lest somehow I have labored among you in vain.

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any strength, but faith working through love. You were running well. Who hindered you that you do not obey the truth?

When the unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he walks through dry places seeking rest. And finding none, he says, I will return to my house from which I came out. And when he comes, he finds it swept and decorated.

And he goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and entering in, they dwell there. And the last state of that man is worse than the first.

On the whole it is reported that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not even named among the nations, so as one to have his father's wife. And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, so that he who has done this deed may be taken from your midst. For as being absent in body but present in spirit, I indeed have judged already as though I were present concerning him who worked out this thing; read more.
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, with my spirit; also, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ; to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, as you are unleavened. For also Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast; not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

For I fear, lest somehow coming I might not find you as I wish, and that I shall be found by you such as you might not wish; lest somehow there be strifes, envyings, angers, contentions, backbitings, whisperings, proud thoughts, tumults; lest in my coming again my God will humble me with you; and I shall mourn many who have already sinned, and not repenting over the uncleanness, and fornication, and lustfulness which they have practiced.

Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among many nations there was no king like him, who was beloved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. But women from other lands caused even him to sin.

For it happened when Solomon was old, his wives turned away his heart after other gods. And his heart was not perfect with Jehovah his God, as was the heart of David his father. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom, the abomination of the Ammonites; and Solomon did evil in the sight of Jehovah, and did not go fully after Jehovah like his father David. read more.
Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill which is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the sons of Ammon. And likewise he did for all his foreign wives, and burned incense and sacrificed to their gods. And Jehovah was angry with Solomon because his heart was turned from Jehovah, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; and he did not keep that which Jehovah commanded. And Jehovah said to Solomon, Since this is done by you, and since you have not kept My covenant and My statutes which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you and will give it to your servant. But I will not do it in your days, for David your father's sake, but I will tear it out of the hand of your son. Only, I will not tear away all the kingdom, but I will give one tribe to your son for David My servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake which I have chosen. And it happened Jehovah stirred up a foe to Solomon, Hadad the Edomite. He was of the king's seed in Edom. For it happened when David was in Edom, and Joab the commander of the army had gone up to bury the slain, after he had stricken every male in Edom-- for Joab remained there six months with all Israel, until he had cut off every male in Edom-- it happened that Hadad fled, he and certain Edomites of his father's servants with him, to go to Egypt, Hadad being still a little child. And they arose out of Midian and came to Paran. And they took men with them out of Paran, and they came to Egypt, to Pharaoh king of Egypt, who gave him a house and appointed food for him, and gave him land. And Hadad found great favor in the sight of Pharaoh, so that he gave him the sister of his own wife for a wife, the sister of Tahpenes the queen. And the sister of Tahpenes bore him Genubath his son, whom Tahpenes weaned in Pharaoh's house. And Genubath was in Pharaoh's household among the sons of Pharaoh. And when Hadad heard in Egypt that David slept with his fathers, and that Joab the commander of the army was dead, even Hadad said to Pharaoh, Let me depart so that I may go to my own land. And Pharaoh said to him, But what have you lacked with me that, behold, you seek to go to your land? And he answered, Nothing; however, you shall certainly send me away. And God stirred up another foe, to him, Rezon the son of Eliadah, who fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah. And he gathered men to him, and became head over a band when David killed them. And they went to Damascus and lived in it, and reigned in Damascus. And he was a foe to Israel all the days of Solomon, besides the mischief which Hadad did. And he hated Israel and reigned over Syria. And Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zereda, Solomon's servant, whose mother's name was Zeruah, a widow, he too lifted up his hand against the king. And this was the cause that he lifted up his hand against the king. Solomon built Millo and repaired the breaks of the city of David his father. And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of war. And Solomon, seeing that the young man was doing work, he made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph. And it happened at that time, when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, the prophet Ahijah from Shiloh found him in the way. And he had clothed himself with a new garment. And the two of them were alone in the field. And Ahijah caught hold of the new robe on him, and tore it in twelve pieces. And he said to Jeroboam, Take ten pieces for yourself. For so says Jehovah, the God of Israel, Behold, I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon and will give ten tribes to you, but he shall have one tribe for My servant David's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, because they have forsaken Me, and have worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the goddess of the sons of Ammon, and have not walked in My ways, to do what is right in My eyes, and to keep My statutes and My judgments, as David his father did. But I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand, but I will make him ruler all the days of his life for the sake of David My servant, whom I chose, because he kept My commandments and My statutes. But I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand, and will give it to you, ten tribes. And to his son I will give one tribe, so that David My servant may have a light always before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen for Me, to put My name there. And I will take you, and you shall reign according to all that your soul desires, and shall be king over Israel. And if you will listen to all that I command you, and will walk in My ways, and do what is right in My sight, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as David My servant did, it shall happen that I will be with you and build you a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel to you. And for this I will afflict the seed of David, but not forever. And Solomon sought to kill Jeroboam. And Jeroboam arose and fled to Egypt, to Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.

From this time many of His disciples went back into the things behind, and walked no more with Him.

But all this happened that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples fled, forsaking Him.

It repents Me that I have set up Saul to be king. For he has turned back from following Me and has not done My commands. And it grieved Samuel, and he cried out to Jehovah all night.

And Samuel said to Saul, I will not return with you, for you have rejected the Word of Jehovah, and Jehovah has rejected you from being king over Israel. And Samuel turned around to go, and he laid hold on the skirt of his robe, and it tore. And Samuel said to him, Jehovah has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day, and has given it to a neighbor of yours who is better than you.

And the sons of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the sons of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy. And they offered at the dedication of this house of God a hundred bulls, two hundred rams, and four hundred lambs. And for a sin offering for all Israel, twelve he-goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel. And they set the priests in their sections, and the Levites in their divisions, for the service of God which is at Jerusalem, as it is written in the book of Moses. read more.
And the sons of the captivity kept the Passover on the fourteenth of the first month. For the priests and the Levites were purified together, all of them pure. And they slaughtered the passover lamb for all the sons of the captivity, and for their brothers the priests, and for themselves. And the sons of Israel ate, all who had come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves to them from the uncleanness of the nations of the land, in order to seek Jehovah, the God of Israel.

For Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and he has departed to Thessalonica. Crescens went to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.

Because you have forgotten the God of your salvation, and have not been mindful of the Rock of your strength, therefore you shall plant pleasant plants and shall sow it a fresh shoot. In the day of your planting you fence it in; and in the morning you make your seed sprout. But the harvest shall be a heap in that day of grief and dying pain.

Then He said to Thomas, Reach your finger here and behold My hands; and reach your hand here and thrust it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing. And Thomas answered and said to Him, My Lord and my God! Jesus said to him, Thomas, because you have seen Me you have believed. Blessed are they who have not seen and have believed.

And he left Jehovah, the God of his fathers, and did not walk in the way of Jehovah. And the servants of Amon plotted against him and killed the king in his own house.

For it happened when Solomon was old, his wives turned away his heart after other gods. And his heart was not perfect with Jehovah his God, as was the heart of David his father.

And the king and his leaders, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, took counsel to keep the Passover in the second month. For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not made themselves pure enough, nor had the people gathered to Jerusalem. And the thing pleased the king and all the congregation. read more.
And they established a decree to send a notice throughout all Israel, from Beer-sheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the Passover to Jehovah, the God of Israel at Jerusalem. For not many of them had done as it was written. And the runners went with the letters from the king and his rulers to Israel and Judah, and according to the command of the king, saying, O sons of Israel, turn again to Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and He will return to the remnant of you who have escaped out of the hands of the king of Assyria. And do not be like your fathers and like your brothers who sinned against Jehovah, the God of their fathers, and He made them for a horror, as you see. And do not be stiffnecked like your fathers. Yield yourselves to Jehovah and enter into His temple which He has sanctified forever. And serve Jehovah your God, so that the fierceness of His wrath may turn away from you. For if you turn again to Jehovah, your brothers and your sons will have mercies before those who lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land. For Jehovah your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn His face away from you if you return to Him. And the runners passed from city to city in the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, even to Zebulun. But they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them. However, men from Asher and Manasseh and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. Also in Judah the hand of God was to give them one heart to do the command of the king and of the rulers, by the Word of Jehovah.

holding faith and a good conscience, which some have put away and made shipwreck as to faith. Among these are Hymeneus and Alexander, whom I have delivered to Satan so that they may learn not to blaspheme.

And it happened when Rehoboam had established the kingdom, and had made himself strong, he departed from the Law of Jehovah, and all Israel with him. And it happened in the fifth year of King Rehoboam, Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had sinned against Jehovah

And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him, Because you have relied on the king of Syria, and have not relied on Jehovah your God, therefore the army of the king of Syria has escaped out of your hand. Were not the Cushites and the Libyans a huge army with many chariots and horsemen? Yet, because you relied on Jehovah, he delivered them into your hand. For the eyes of Jehovah run to and fro in all the whole earth to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is perfect toward Him. You have done foolishly in this; therefore from now on you shall have wars.

And all the congregation of the sons of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the command of the Lord, and pitched in Rephidim. And there was no water for the people to drink. And the people wrangled with Moses and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said to them, Why do you wrangle with me? Why do you tempt Jehovah? And the people thirsted there for water. And the people murmured against Moses and said, Why is this, that You brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our sons and our cattle with thirst? read more.
And Moses cried to Jehovah, saying, What shall I do to this people? They are almost ready to stone me. And Jehovah said to Moses, Go on in front of the people, and take with you the elders of Israel. And take your rod with which you struck the river, in your hand, and go. Behold, I will stand before you there upon the rock in Horeb. And you shall smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, so that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the wrangling of the sons of Israel, and because they tempted Jehovah, saying, Is Jehovah among us or not?

And after the time that Amaziah turned away from following Jehovah, they made a plot against him in Jerusalem. And he fled to Lachish. But they sent to Lachish after him and killed him there.

For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men, and Jehovah delivered a very great army into their hand, because they had forsaken the God of the fathers. And they executed judgment against Joash.

Those on the rock are the ones who, when they hear, receive the Word with joy. And these have no root, who for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.

This you know, that all those in Asia have turned away from me, of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.

For Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and he has departed to Thessalonica. Crescens went to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.

But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of Jehovah. And he went down to Joppa. And he found a ship going to Tarshish. And he gave its fare, and went down into it, in order to go with them to Tarshish, away from the sight of Jehovah.

And the sons of Israel did evil again in the sight of Jehovah, and served the Baals and Ashtoreths, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Sidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the sons of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines. And they left Jehovah, and did not serve Him. And the anger of Jehovah was hot against Israel, and He sold them into the hands of the Philistines and into the hands of the sons of Ammon. And that year they troubled and oppressed the sons of Israel; all the sons of Israel on the other side of Jordan, in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead, for eighteen years. read more.
And the sons of Ammon passed over Jordan to fight also against Judah, and against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim, so that Israel was very distressed. And the sons of Israel cried to Jehovah, saying, We have sinned against You, both because we have forsaken our God and also have served the Baals. And Jehovah said to the sons of Israel, Did not I deliver you from Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from the sons of Ammon, and from the Philistines? And the Sidonians and the Amalekites and the Maonites oppressed you. And you cried to Me, and I delivered you out of their hand. Yet you have forsaken Me and served other gods; therefore, I will deliver you no more. Go and cry to the gods which you have chosen. Let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation. And the sons of Israel said to Jehovah, We have sinned. Do You to us whatever is good in Your eyes; only deliver us, we pray You, today. And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served Jehovah. And His soul was moved by the misery of Israel. Then the sons of Ammon were gathered and camped in Gilead. And the sons of Israel assembled themselves together and camped in Mizpeh. And the people and rulers of Gilead said to one another, What man is there who will begin to fight against the sons of Ammon? He shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.

And the sons of Israel did evil again in the sight of Jehovah. And Jehovah delivered them into the hands of the Philistines forty years.