Bible Verses about Violence

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Compiled by The BibleStudyTools Staff on 02/23/2021
Bible Verses about Violence

What does the Bible say about violence? - Scriptures on Violence

The biblical age seems to have been quite a brutal time in human history. From warring nations to domestic bloodshed and destructive natural disasters, stories from scripture exude the violent nature of mankind's existence on earth. However, are all acts of violence considered equally condemned? Learn more from our list of Bible verses about violence below!

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1 Peter 3:9

9 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.
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1 Timothy 3:3

3 not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.
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Genesis 4:7

If You Do What is Right
7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”
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Hebrews 10:10

10 And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
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Hosea 4:2

2 There is only cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed.
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Isaiah 60:18

18 No longer will violence be heard in your land, nor ruin or destruction within your borders, but you will call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise.
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Proverbs 3:29

29 Do not plot harm against your neighbor, who lives trustfully near you.
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Proverbs 3:31

31 Do not envy the violent or choose any of their ways.
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Psalms 11:5

5 The LORD examines the righteous, but the wicked, those who love violence, he hates with a passion.
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Psalms 55:15

15 Let death take my enemies by surprise; let them go down alive to the realm of the dead, for evil finds lodging among them.
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Psalms 72:14

14 He will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in his sight.
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Psalms 144:1

1 Praise be to the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle.
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Romans 13:4

4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.
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Romans 14:1

1 Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters.
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Titus 3:2

2 to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone.
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Mark 7:21-22

21 For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder,
22 adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly.
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Matthew 5:38-39

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’
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.
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Matthew 7:1-2

1 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.
2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
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Genesis 9:5-6

5 And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each human being, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of another human being.
6 “Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made mankind.
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Galatians 5:19-21

19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;
20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions
21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
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Matthew 26:52-54

52 “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.
53 Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?
54 But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?”
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Romans 14:10-13

10 You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister ? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.
11 It is written: “ ‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.’ ”
12 So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.
13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.
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