Fraud
Fraud is deliberate deception for wrongful gain. Scripture consistently condemns dishonest dealings, false weights, and schemes that cheat others.
At a Glance
Fraud is deliberate deception for wrongful gain. Scripture consistently condemns dishonest dealings, false weights, and schemes that cheat others.
Description
Fraud is deliberate dishonesty used to gain money, advantage, or control at another person's expense. While English Bible translations do not always use the word "fraud" as a technical term, Scripture repeatedly condemns the kinds of conduct it describes: falsehood, theft, deceptive trade, withholding what is owed, and exploiting the vulnerable through dishonest practices. Biblical ethics treats such behavior not merely as bad business but as sin against both neighbor and God, since it violates truthfulness, justice, and love. The safest summary is that fraud is a form of deceitful injustice inconsistent with the character God requires of His people, who are instead to practice honesty, integrity, and fairness.