The entry in the Topical Guide

See also Humility.

My Favorite Scriptures

• Daniel 4:37
  • “Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.”
• Matthew 23:10-12
  • “Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.”
• Doctrine and Covenants 101:42
  • “He that exalteth himself shall be abased, and he that abaseth himself shall be exalted.”
• Doctrine and Covenants 112:2-3
  • “Verily I say unto you, there have been some few things in thine heart and with thee with which I, the Lord, was not well pleased. Nevertheless, inasmuch as thou hast abased thyself thou shalt be exalted; therefore, all thy sins are forgiven thee.”

Teachings of the Prophets

• Howard W. Hunter
  • The Pharisee and the Publican, April 1984 General Conference
    • “The Pharisee thought of no one other than himself and regarded everyone else a sinner, whereas the publican thought of everyone else as righteous as compared with himself, a sinner. The Pharisee asked nothing of God, but relied upon his own self-righteousness. The publican appealed to God for mercy and forgiveness of his sins.”
    • “Humility is an attribute of godliness possessed by true Saints. It is easy to understand why a proud man fails. He is content to rely upon himself only. This is evident in those who seek social position or who push others aside to gain position in fields of business, government, education, sports, or other endeavors. Our genuine concern should be for the success of others.”
    • “From the beginning of time there have been those with pride and others who have followed divine admonition to be humble. History bears record that those who have exalted themselves have been abased, but the humble have been exalted. On every busy street there are Pharisees and publicans. It may be that one of them bears our name.”
• Joseph F. Smith
  • Divine Mission of Joseph Smith, etc., April 1884 General Conference
    • “When a man is called to go on a mission, and a field of labor is assigned him, he should, I think, say in his heart, not my will be done, but thine, O Lord.”
    • “I have been thankful only once since I went to the Sandwich Islands on my first mission, and that has been ever since.”
    • “If a man in this Church would be exalted, let him humble himself; and he that would exalt himself, God will abase.”

Teachings of the Apostles

Other Leaders in the Church