Bible Verses About Revenge And Forgiveness

Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

Core Bible text on not avenging yourself

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Core passage: be kind and forgiving as God forgave you.

Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.

Direct command to bless persecutors and not repay evil

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.

Law command against avenging or bearing a grudge

Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:

Clear command to forgive and not judge

To me belongeth vengeance and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste.

Core passage: vengeance belongs to God.

Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.

Core passage: if he repents, forgive him.

Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.

Core passage: bless and do not curse persecutors.

Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

Direct instruction against repaying evil

Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

Jesus did not retaliate when insulted

Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

General instruction to forgive as Christ forgave

And I will execute great vengeance upon them with furious rebukes; and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall lay my vengeance upon them.

Direct vengeance language, but not as clear a non-retaliation passage.

Rejoice, O ye nations, with his people: for he will avenge the blood of his servants, and will render vengeance to his adversaries, and will be merciful unto his land, and to his people.

God avenges and repays those who hate him.

If I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me.

God repays adversaries.

To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ;

Paul’s example of forgiveness in Christ.

So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.

Commands forgiveness and comfort after discipline.

And I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel: and they shall do in Edom according to mine anger and according to my fury; and they shall know my vengeance, saith the Lord GOD.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me; (yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy:)

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.

Day of vengeance theme.

To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people;

Vengeance upon the heathen.

Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.

Feed enemy and do good to him.

And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.

Parable of the forgiving master.

And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

Prayer instruction to forgive when standing before God.

For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

And when Joseph's brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.

Repetition of forgiving a repentant brother.

Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:

Parable language about forgiven debt.