Several incidents of violence are recorded throughout the bible, both as part of historical narratives and as expressions of divine wrath or judgment.
On the other hand, the Bible provides direction on how to respond to violence and the significance of pursuing peace and forgiveness. In this post, we will look at several primary Bible scriptures about violence and their significance in the context of Christian faith and practice.
Bible Verses About Violence
1. Nahum 1:3
“The Lord is slow to anger but great in power; the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished. His way is in the whirlwind and the storm, and clouds are the dust of his feet.”
2. Romans 12:17
“Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.”
3. Matthew 5:39
“But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.”
4. 2 Corinthians 10:3-4
“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.”
5. Psalm 11:5
“The Lord tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.”
6. 2 Thessalonians 3:3
“But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.”
7. Proverbs 10:12
“Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs.”
8. Matthew 5:9
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”
9. Matthew 5:38-39
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.”
10.Proverbs 29:27
“The righteous detest the dishonest; the wicked detest the upright.”
Bible Verses About Violence KJV
11. Revelation 13:10 (KJV)
“He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.”
12. Psalm 11:5 (KJV)
“The Lord trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.”
13. Matthew 5:39 (KJV)
“But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.”
14. Matthew 11:12 (KJV)
“And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.” –
15. Matthew 26:57 (KJV)
“And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.”
Understanding violence in the Bible
16. Genesis 6:11-13
“Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. So God said to Noah, ‘I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth.'”
17. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.”
18. Matthew 26:51-52
“With that, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. ‘Put your sword back in its place,’ Jesus said to him, ‘for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.'”
19. Romans 12:17-21
“Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord. On the contrary: ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
20. Hebrews 12:14-15
“Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.”
The Old Testament: Violence in Biblical Times
21. Deuteronomy 20:1-4
“When you go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours, do not be afraid of them, because the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt, will be with you. When you are about to go into battle, the priest shall come forward and address the army. He shall say: ‘Hear, Israel: Today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not panic or be terrified by them. For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.'”
22. Joshua 6:20-21
“When the trumpets sounded, the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city. They devoted the city to the Lord and destroyed with the sword every living thing in it—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys.”
23. Psalm 137:8-9
“Daughter Babylon, doomed to destruction, happy is the one who repays you according to what you have done to us. Happy is the one who seizes your infants and dashes them against the rocks.”
24. Isaiah 13:15-18
“Anyone who is captured will be run through with a sword. Their little children will be dashed to death right before their eyes. Their homes will be sacked and their wives raped by the attacking hordes. For I will stir up the Medes against Babylon, and no amount of silver or gold will buy them off. The attacking armies will shoot down the young people with arrows. They will have no mercy on helpless babies and will show no compassion for the children.”
25. Ezekiel 25:15-17
“This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because the Philistines acted in vengeance and took revenge with malice in their hearts, and with ancient hostility sought to destroy Judah, therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am about to stretch out my hand against the Philistines, and I will wipe out the Kerethites and destroy those remaining along the coast. I will carry out great vengeance on them and punish them in my wrath. Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I take vengeance on them.'”
The New Testament: Jesus’ Teachings on Non-Violence
26. Matthew 5:38-39
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.”
27. Matthew 26:52
“Put your sword back in its place,’ Jesus said to him, ‘for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.'”
28. Luke 6:27-28
“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”
29. John 18:36
“Jesus said, ‘My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”
30. Romans 12:14
“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.”
Biblical Examples of Peaceful Conflict Resolution and Forgiveness
31. Genesis 13:8-9
“So Abram said to Lot, ‘Let’s not have any quarreling between you and me, or between your herders and mine, for we are close relatives. Is not the whole land before you? Let’s part company. If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right; if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.'”
32. Matthew 5:23-24
“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.”
33. Matthew 18:21-22
“Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.'”
34. Ephesians 4:2-3
“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”
35. Colossians 3:12-14
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”
36. James 1:19-20
“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.”
37. James 3:17-18
“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.”
Turning Away from Violence
38. Matthew 5:9
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”
39. Romans 12:17-21
“Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord. On the contrary: ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
40. 1 Peter 3:9-11
“Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. For, ‘Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it.'”
41. Ephesians 4:31-32
“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
42. Proverbs 15:1
“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
Conclusion
The Bible depicts violence nuanced and multi-dimensionally, ranging from divinely sanctioned wars to condemnations of unjust violence. Finally, the Bible’s overriding message is love, peace, and forgiveness.
As Christians, we must approach the subject of violence with humility and a desire to comprehend and practice Jesus Christ’s teachings, who preached nonviolence and love even in the face of persecution and injustice. Doing so can create a more peaceful and just world, conforming to God’s will.
