What the Bible Says About Narcissism: 19 Verses on Pride, and What It Will Not Diagnose

The Bible does not use the word narcissism, which is a modern clinical term, but it says a great deal about pride and self-love. The closest phrase is Paul’s warning that in the last days people will be “lovers of themselves” (2 Timothy 3:2). Scripture cannot tell anyone whether a particular person has a personality disorder; that is a clinician’s work. What it does is describe the behavior, name what pride costs, say where God stands toward it, and say…