Early Christian Views on Revenge and Forgiveness
Early Christians taught believers not to take revenge and to forgive others, especially in prayer and daily life. Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, Origen, Cyprian, Irenaeus, and the Apostolic Constitutions all repeat this theme. They also say God, not the believer, is the one who repays evil. Some passages still speak of God’s justice, so the overall picture is strong but not simplistic.
107 early-church witnesses · 183 source quotations · compared with Scripture
What did early Christians believe about revenge and Forgiveness?
Early Christian writers strongly taught that believers should not take personal revenge and should forgive others instead. Writers like Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, Origen, Cyprian, Irenaeus, Hermas, and the Apostolic Constitutions repeatedly connect forgiveness with prayer, mercy, and Christ’s commands. They also say God keeps the right to judge and repay wrongdoing, so Christians should leave revenge to him.
The evidence is broad and consistent across the 2nd and 3rd centuries, with a few texts still discussing just punishment by God or civil rulers rather than personal retaliation. Many more early Christian quotations, Bible passages, and source links are gathered below so you can study the evidence for yourself.
Key Takeaways
- Early Christian writers consistently told believers not to repay evil for evil.
- Forgiveness was tied to prayer: many texts link forgiving others with asking God to forgive us.
- The writers usually left revenge to God, while still allowing for God’s justice.
Questions Answered by the Sources
Did early Christians teach believers not to take revenge?
The strongest witnesses say revenge belongs to God, not to individual believers. Early Christian writers repeatedly warn against repaying evil for evil and instead urge patience, kindness, and restraint.
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Tertullian, On Patience Direct teaching
There is also another chief spur of impatience: the desire for revenge. It has to do either with glory or with malice. But glory, on the one hand, is vain everywhere. And malice, on the other hand, is always hateful to the Lord. In this case, most of all. For when someone is provoked by a neighbor's malice, he makes himself superior by carrying out revenge, and by paying back wickedness he doubles what had been done once. In the judgment of error, revenge seems to be a comfort for pain. But in the judgment of truth, on the contrary, it is shown to be malignity. For what difference is there between the one who provokes and the one who is provoked, except that the former is found earlier in evil-doing, and the latter later? Yet both stand accused of injuring a man in the sight of the Lord, who both forbids and condemns every wickedness. In evil-doing, no account is taken of order. Nor does position separate what likeness joins together. And the command is absolute: evil must not be repaid with evil. Romans 12:17. A deed like another deed involves like desert. How shall we keep that rule, if, in our loathing, we do not also loathe revenge? What honor, moreover, shall we be offering to
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Origen, Commentary on Matthew Supporting witness
...rding to what he deserves, he might know the true meaning of these things, as Jesus Himself would clearly have explained it. But we, since we fall short of the greatness of friendship with Jesus, must be content if we can say even a little about the passage. The number six, then, seems to be a number of work and labor, but the number seven to contain the idea of rest. And consider whether you can say that the person who loves the world, and does the works of the world, and does material things, sins six times, and that in his case the number seven is the end of sin. If so, Peter may have had some such thought in mind when he wanted to pardon seven sins that his brother had committed against him. But since, as units, the tens and the hundreds have a certain common proportion with the number in units, and Jesus knew that the number could be exceeded, for this reason, I think, He added the seventy to the number seven also, Matthew 18:22, and said that there should be forgiveness for brothers here, and for those who have sinned in matters belonging to this life. But if anyone, going beyond the things of the world and of this age, were to commit sin, even if it were a small one, he c
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Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness
21. But since I know, beloved brethren, that very many are eager, either on account of the burden or the pain of smarting wrongs, to be quickly avenged of those who act harshly and rage against them, we must not withhold the fact in the furthest particular, that placed as we are in the midst of these storms of a jarring world, and, moreover, the persecutions both of Jews or Gentiles, and heretics, we may patiently wait for the day of (God's) vengeance, and not hurry to revenge our suffering with a querulous haste, since it is written, Wait upon me, says the Lord, in the day of my rising up for a testimony;
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Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Direct teaching
...red, do not take revenge, but endure it with patience. For Scripture says this: “Do not say, I will avenge myself on my enemy for the wrongs he has done to me. Instead, accept them quietly, so that the Lord may defend you and bring vengeance on the one who injures you.” Proverbs 20:22 For He also says again in the Gospel: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you; and you shall be the children of your Father who is in heaven. For He makes His sun shine on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust.” Matthew 5:44-45 Therefore, beloved, let us pay attention to these commandments, so that by doing them we may be found to be children of light. Therefore bear with one another, you servants and sons of God.
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Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Direct teaching
1 Corinthians 6:9 He acts unrighteously who retaliates, whether by deed or word, or by the conception of a wish, which, after the training of the Law, the Gospel rejects.
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Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness
Ephesians 4:30-31 For if the Christian have departed from rage and carnal contention as if from the hurricanes of the sea, and have already begun to be tranquil and meek in the harbour of Christ, he ought to admit neither anger nor discord within his breast, since he must neither return evil for evil, nor bear hatred.
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Romans 12:19 Direct teaching
Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
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Romans 12:17 Direct teaching
Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.
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1 Peter 3:9 Direct teaching
Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.
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Leviticus 19:18 Direct teaching
Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.
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1 Peter 2:23 Direct teaching
When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.
Common Questions
Did early Christians teach people to forgive their enemies?
Yes. Writers like Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, Origen, Cyprian, and the Apostolic Constitutions say Christians should forgive, bless, and not take revenge.
Did early Christians think God would punish wrongdoers?
Yes. Many writers said God would repay evil or judge wrongdoers, even while telling Christians not to avenge themselves.
Did early Christians connect forgiveness with prayer?
Yes. Several texts say believers should forgive others when they pray, because they also ask God to forgive them.
Source Index for Revenge and Forgiveness
The guided sections above show the strongest quotations. This compact index highlights 156 ranked source links from 183 compiled sources for deeper study.
Source index 156 ranked links shown
Early Christian Writings 80 shown of 107
Primary-source quotations from early Christian writers and church documents.
Bible Passages 76 included
Related Bible passages saved for comparison with the early Christian quotations.