Deceit (Hastings' Dictionary)

The misleading of another by word or leed, in which case it is equivalent to falsehood ;Pr 14°, Hos 12') ; or the overreaching of another, as when a false balance is used. Every kind of wickedness, as a rule, involves deceit, since the just and hol^ must be assumed as a mask, in order to gain credit with men, and make the accomplish- ment of the evil design possible (Pr 12" and 26"). D. shows itself not merely in isolated acts, but also as a settled habit of mind (Jer 23'^).

It is so char- acteristic an element of evil that it is frequently nsed in Scripture as synonymous with it (Ps 119"", Jer 7"). W. MoKGAN. DECEIVABLENESS all d. of unrighteousness -Only in 2 Th 2" ' With "(ItV 'deceit'). The ad i. ' deceivable ' also occurs only once, Sir 10" ' a u. seed.' The meaning is 'able to deceive,' 'deceitful'; and that is the u.sual meaning of the words, as 2 P 1" Tind. 'we followed not deceivable fables,' and Gouge (IB.'

iS) on He 3" 'Sin prevails tlie more by the doceiveablenesse thereof.' But Milton uses the adj. in the sense of ' liable to be deceived' in Samson Agonistcs, 942, ' blind, and thereby deceiv- able.' J. Hastings.