Conscience

In the Bible, conscience is described as testifying alongside thoughts, being clear or good, and as capable of weakness, defilement, or searing. The word or idea recurs in at least 19 verses across 9 books and 18 episodes.

Romans describes conscience as testifying with the work of the law written in hearts, while thoughts accuse or defend Romans 2:15. In Acts, Paul says he has lived with a good conscience before God and seeks a clear conscience before both God and people Acts 23:1 Acts 24:16.

Several passages connect conscience with conduct toward others. One Corinthians passage describes a weak conscience as defiled in connection with food offered to an idol; another says that wounding a weak conscience is sinning against Christ 1 Corinthians 8:7 1 Corinthians 8:12. Elsewhere, conscience is called good or clean alongside faith, love, sincerity, and honorable conduct 1 Timothy 1:5 1 Timothy 3:9 Hebrews 13:18. The collected passages also speak of an evil conscience being cleansed and of a conscience being seared through hypocrisy Hebrews 10:22 1 Timothy 4:2.