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124 Bible verses about Offense, offending
When you face hurts, you can find real comfort and guidance in Scripture. God's word reminds us that He is our refuge and strength, especially when things get tough.
Facing hurts with humility and forgiveness can truly heal your wounds and restore relationships. Loving your neighbor is a fundamental command, and that includes loving your enemies and blessing those who persecute you. I know it's a challenge, but it's part of what God calls us to as His followers.
The Bible teaches us that offenses are just a part of life. But it also encourages us to handle them in a way that honors God and leads to reconciliation. In Matthew 18:21-22, Jesus gives us key instruction on forgiveness: "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.’"
This passage tells me that Jesus wants us to have hearts that don't hold onto bitterness and resentment. He wants us to forgive others, just as our Heavenly Father has forgiven us.
Even Christ did not live to please himself. It was as the Scriptures said: “When people insult you, it hurts me.”
“So when you offer your gift to God at the altar, and you remember that your brother or sister has something against you,
leave your gift there at the altar. Go and make peace with that person, and then come and offer your gift.
I prayed, “Hear us, our God. We are hated. Turn the insults of Sanballat and Tobiah back on their own heads. Let them be captured and stolen like valuables.
I will not make you listen to insults from the nations anymore; you will not suffer shame from them anymore. You will not cause your nation to fall anymore, says the Lord God.’ ”
Be kind and loving to each other, and forgive each other just as God forgave you in Christ.
Their mouths are full of curses, lies, and threats; they use their tongues for sin and evil.
Bear with each other, and forgive each other. If someone does wrong to you, forgive that person because the Lord forgave you.
When Jacob’s sons heard what had happened, they came in from the field. They were very angry that Shechem had done such a wicked thing to Israel. It was wrong for him to have sexual relations with Jacob’s daughter; a thing like this should not be done.
David asked the men who stood near him, “What will be done to reward the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the shame from Israel? Who does this uncircumcised Philistine think he is? Does he think he can speak against the armies of the living God?”
When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Praise the Lord! Nabal insulted me, but the Lord has supported me! He has kept me from doing wrong. The Lord has punished Nabal for his wrong.” Then David sent a message to Abigail, asking her to be his wife.
My enemies’ insults make me feel as if my bones were broken. They are always saying, “Where is your God?”
“If your fellow believer sins against you, go and tell him in private what he did wrong. If he listens to you, you have helped that person to be your brother or sister again.
Do not do wrong to repay a wrong, and do not insult to repay an insult. But repay with a blessing, because you yourselves were called to do this so that you might receive a blessing.
My strong love for your Temple completely controls me. When people insult you, it hurts me.
Yes, if you forgive others for their sins, your Father in heaven will also forgive you for your sins.
But if you don’t forgive others, your Father in heaven will not forgive your sins.
For that reason we should stop judging each other. We must make up our minds not to do anything that will make another Christian sin.
Insults have broken my heart and left me weak. I looked for sympathy, but there was none; I found no one to comfort me.
So be careful! “If another follower sins, warn him, and if he is sorry and stops sinning, forgive him.
This is how it will be when the Son of Man comes again.
“On that day, a person who is on the roof and whose belongings are in the house should not go inside to get them. A person who is in the field should not go back home.
Remember Lot’s wife.
Those who try to keep their lives will lose them. But those who give up their lives will save them.
I tell you, on that night two people will be sleeping in one bed; one will be taken and the other will be left.
There will be two women grinding grain together; one will be taken, and the other will be left. [
Two people will be in the field. One will be taken, and the other will be left.]”
The followers asked Jesus, “Where will this be, Lord?” Jesus answered, “Where there is a dead body, there the vultures will gather.”
If he sins against you seven times in one day and says that he is sorry each time, forgive him.”
My dear brothers and sisters, always be willing to listen and slow to speak. Do not become angry easily,
My brothers and sisters, when you have many kinds of troubles, you should be full of joy,
because anger will not help you live the right kind of life God wants.
“Don’t judge others, or you will be judged.
Or if your children ask for a fish, would you give them a snake?
Even though you are bad, you know how to give good gifts to your children. How much more your heavenly Father will give good things to those who ask him!
“Do to others what you want them to do to you. This is the meaning of the law of Moses and the teaching of the prophets.
“Enter through the narrow gate. The gate is wide and the road is wide that leads to hell, and many people enter through that gate.
But the gate is small and the road is narrow that leads to true life. Only a few people find that road.
“Be careful of false prophets. They come to you looking gentle like sheep, but they are really dangerous like wolves.
You will know these people by what they do. Grapes don’t come from thornbushes, and figs don’t come from thorny weeds.
In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit.
A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot produce good fruit.
Every tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
You will be judged in the same way that you judge others, and the amount you give to others will be given to you.
When you are angry, do not sin, and be sure to stop being angry before the end of the day.
A gentle answer will calm a person’s anger, but an unkind answer will cause more anger.
Whoever forgives someone’s sin makes a friend, but gossiping about the sin breaks up friendships.
Get rid of the one who makes fun of wisdom. Then fighting, quarrels, and insults will stop.
It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that will cause your brother or sister to sin.
“If a man divorces his wife and she leaves him and marries another man, should her first husband come back to her again? If he went back to her, wouldn’t the land become completely unclean? But you have acted like a prostitute with many lovers, and now you want to come back to me?” says the Lord.
“The king of the North will do whatever he wants. He will brag about himself and praise himself and think he is even better than a god. He will say things against the God of gods that no one has ever heard. And he will be successful until all the bad things have happened. Then what God has planned to happen will happen.
“I have heard the insults of the country of Moab and the threats of the people of Ammon. They have insulted my people and have taken their land.”
When the high priest heard this, he tore his clothes and said, “This man has said things that are against God! We don’t need any more witnesses; you all heard him say these things against God.
When you do things, do not let selfishness or pride be your guide. Instead, be humble and give more honor to others than to yourselves.
because he almost died for the work of Christ. He risked his life to give me the help you could not give in your service to me.
Do not be interested only in your own life, but be interested in the lives of others.
Most importantly, love each other deeply, because love will cause people to forgive each other for many sins.
They answered, “We are not killing you because of any good work you did, but because you speak against God. You are only a human, but you say you are the same as God!”
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, when my fellow believer sins against me, how many times must I forgive him? Should I forgive him as many as seven times?”
Jesus answered, “I tell you, you must forgive him more than seven times. You must forgive him even if he wrongs you seventy times seven.
Do not be bitter or angry or mad. Never shout angrily or say things to hurt others. Never do anything evil.
People with quick tempers cause trouble, but those who control their tempers stop a quarrel.
Love is not rude, is not selfish, and does not get upset with others. Love does not count up wrongs that have been done.
God has chosen you and made you his holy people. He loves you. So you should always clothe yourselves with mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
Bear with each other, and forgive each other. If someone does wrong to you, forgive that person because the Lord forgave you.
“Do to others what you want them to do to you. This is the meaning of the law of Moses and the teaching of the prophets.
If you go on hurting each other and tearing each other apart, be careful, or you will completely destroy each other.
Live a life of love just as Christ loved us and gave himself for us as a sweet-smelling offering and sacrifice to God.
Try to live in peace with all people, and try to live free from sin. Anyone whose life is not holy will never see the Lord.
Be sure that no one pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to do what is good for each other and for all people.
And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, a good teacher, and patient.
Dear friends, we should love each other, because love comes from God. Everyone who loves has become God’s child and knows God.
Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
We who are strong in faith should help the weak with their weaknesses, and not please only ourselves.
The Scripture also says, “Be happy, you who are not Jews, together with his people.”
Again the Scripture says, “All you who are not Jews, praise the Lord. All you people, sing praises to him.”
And Isaiah says, “A new king will come from the family of Jesse. He will come to rule over the non-Jewish people, and they will have hope because of him.”
I pray that the God who gives hope will fill you with much joy and peace while you trust in him. Then your hope will overflow by the power of the Holy Spirit.
My brothers and sisters, I am sure that you are full of goodness. I know that you have all the knowledge you need and that you are able to teach each other.
But I have written to you very openly about some things I wanted you to remember. I did this because God gave me this special gift:
to be a minister of Christ Jesus to those who are not Jews. I served God by teaching his Good News, so that the non-Jewish people could be an offering that God would accept—an offering made holy by the Holy Spirit.
So I am proud of what I have done for God in Christ Jesus.
I will not talk about anything except what Christ has done through me in leading those who are not Jews to obey God. They have obeyed God because of what I have said and done,
because of the power of miracles and the great things they saw, and because of the power of the Holy Spirit. I preached the Good News from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, and so I have finished that part of my work.
Let each of us please our neighbors for their good, to help them be stronger in faith.
People without good sense find fault with their neighbors, but those with understanding keep quiet.
But the wisdom that comes from God is first of all pure, then peaceful, gentle, and easy to please. This wisdom is always ready to help those who are troubled and to do good for others. It is always fair and honest.
People who work for peace in a peaceful way plant a good crop of right-living.
If someone does wrong to you, do not pay him back by doing wrong to him. Try to do what everyone thinks is right.
Do your best to live in peace with everyone.
My friends, do not try to punish others when they wrong you, but wait for God to punish them with his anger. It is written: “I will punish those who do wrong; I will repay them,” says the Lord.
A brother who has been insulted is harder to win back than a walled city, and arguments separate people like the barred gates of a palace.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’
But I tell you, don’t stand up against an evil person. If someone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other cheek also.
When you talk, do not say harmful things, but say what people need—words that will help others become stronger. Then what you say will do good to those who listen to you.
But respect Christ as the holy Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to answer everyone who asks you to explain about the hope you have,
but answer in a gentle way and with respect. Keep a clear conscience so that those who speak evil of your good life in Christ will be made ashamed.
When you talk, you should always be kind and pleasant so you will be able to answer everyone in the way you should.
Brothers and sisters, if someone in your group does something wrong, you who are spiritual should go to that person and gently help make him right again. But be careful, because you might be tempted to sin, too.
If you forgive someone, I also forgive him. And what I have forgiven—if I had anything to forgive—I forgave it for you, as if Christ were with me.
I did this so that Satan would not win anything from us, because we know very well what Satan’s plans are.
With patience you can convince a ruler, and a gentle word can get through to the hard-headed.
People who think they are religious but say things they should not say are just fooling themselves. Their “religion” is worth nothing.
Patience is better than strength. Controlling your temper is better than capturing a city.
The Scripture says, “A person must do these things to enjoy life and have many happy days. He must not say evil things, and he must not tell lies.
He must stop doing evil and do good. He must look for peace and work for it.
How terrible for the people of the world because of the things that cause them to sin. Such things will happen, but how terrible for the one who causes them to happen!
A secret gift will calm an angry person; a present given in secrecy will quiet great anger.
But be careful that your freedom does not cause those who are weak in faith to fall into sin.
Jesus said to his followers, “Things that cause people to sin will happen, but how terrible for the person who causes them to happen!
So if the food I eat causes them to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again so that I will not cause any of them to sin.
If one of these little children believes in me, and someone causes that child to sin, it would be better for that person to have a large stone tied around the neck and be drowned in the sea.
People with quick tempers will have to pay for it. If you help them out once, you will have to do it again.
And I tell you that on the Judgment Day people will be responsible for every careless thing they have said.
The words you have said will be used to judge you. Some of your words will prove you right, but some of your words will prove you guilty.”
The fact that you have lawsuits against each other shows that you are already defeated. Why not let yourselves be wronged? Why not let yourselves be cheated?
But you yourselves do wrong and cheat, and you do this to other believers!
Fathers, do not make your children angry, but raise them with the training and teaching of the Lord.
Fathers, do not nag your children. If you are too hard to please, they may want to stop trying.
“People will insult you and hurt you. They will lie and say all kinds of evil things about you because you follow me. But when they do, you will be blessed.
Brothers and sisters, do not complain against each other or you will be judged guilty. And the Judge is ready to come!
Patient people have great understanding, but people with quick tempers show their foolishness.
Always be humble, gentle, and patient, accepting each other in love.
But what you learned in Christ was not like this.
I know that you heard about him, and you are in him, so you were taught the truth that is in Jesus.
You were taught to leave your old self—to stop living the evil way you lived before. That old self becomes worse, because people are fooled by the evil things they want to do.
But you were taught to be made new in your hearts,
to become a new person. That new person is made to be like God—made to be truly good and holy.
So you must stop telling lies. Tell each other the truth, because we all belong to each other in the same body.
When you are angry, do not sin, and be sure to stop being angry before the end of the day.
Do not give the devil a way to defeat you.
Those who are stealing must stop stealing and start working. They should earn an honest living for themselves. Then they will have something to share with those who are poor.
When you talk, do not say harmful things, but say what people need—words that will help others become stronger. Then what you say will do good to those who listen to you.
You are joined together with peace through the Spirit, so make every effort to continue together in this way.
“We are allowed to do all things,” but not all things are good for us to do. “We are allowed to do all things,” but not all things help others grow stronger.
Do not look out only for yourselves. Look out for the good of others also.
So why do you judge your brothers or sisters in Christ? And why do you think you are better than they are? We will all stand before God to be judged,
People insulted Christ, but he did not insult them in return. Christ suffered, but he did not threaten. He let God, the One who judges rightly, take care of him.
When people live so that they please the Lord, even their enemies will make peace with them.
Love each other like brothers and sisters. Give each other more honor than you want for yourselves.
“I give you a new command: Love each other. You must love each other as I have loved you.
All people will know that you are my followers if you love each other.”
Whoever loves a brother or sister lives in the light and will not cause anyone to stumble in his faith.
People enjoy giving good advice. Saying the right word at the right time is so pleasing.