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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.
For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached you fell on me.
Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has ought against you;Leave there your gift before the altar, and go your way; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach on their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity:
Neither will I cause men to hear in you the shame of the heathen any more, neither shall you bear the reproach of the people any more, neither shall you cause your nations to fall any more, said the Lord GOD.
And be you kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake has forgiven you.
His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity.
Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do you.
And the sons of Jacob came out of the field when they heard it: and the men were grieved, and they were very wroth, because he had worked folly in Israel in lying with Jacob's daughter: which thing ought not to be done.
And David spoke to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that kills this Philistine, and takes away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?
And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be the LORD, that has pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and has kept his servant from evil: for the LORD has returned the wickedness of Nabal on his own head. And David sent and communed with Abigail, to take her to him to wife.
As with a sword in my bones, my enemies reproach me; while they say daily to me, Where is your God?
Moreover if your brother shall trespass against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone: if he shall hear you, you have gained your brother.
Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that you are thereunto called, that you should inherit a blessing.
For the zeal of your house has eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached you are fallen on me.
You have known my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonor: my adversaries are all before you.
For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:But if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.
Reproach has broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.
Take heed to yourselves: If your brother trespass against you, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.And if he trespass against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to you, saying, I repent; you shall forgive him.
And render to our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom their reproach, with which they have reproached you, O Lord.
Why, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:For the wrath of man works not the righteousness of God.
Judge not, that you be not judged.For with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged: and with what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again.
He that covers a transgression seeks love; but he that repeats a matter separates very friends.
The discretion of a man defers his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.
Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yes, strife and reproach shall cease.
It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby your brother stumbles, or is offended, or is made weak.
They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man's, shall he return to her again? shall not that land be greatly polluted? but you have played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to me, said the LORD.
Give none offense, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:
And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvelous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.
I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the children of Ammon, whereby they have reproached my people, and magnified themselves against their border.
Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He has spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now you have heard his blasphemy.
Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone you not; but for blasphemy; and because that you, being a man, make yourself God.
There is that speaks like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.
Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?Jesus said to him, I say not to you, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things with which one may edify another.
Does not behave itself unseemly, seeks not her own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil;
Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering;Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do you.
Why laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, all evil speakings,
The beginning of strife is as when one lets out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.
Therefore all things whatever you would that men should do to you, do you even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
But if you bite and devour one another, take heed that you be not consumed one of another.
And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us, and has given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling smell.
See that none render evil for evil to any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.
And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle to all men, apt to teach, patient,
Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loves is born of God, and knows God.He that loves not knows not God; for God is love.
We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.Let every one of us please his neighbor for his good to edification.
He that is void of wisdom despises his neighbor: but a man of understanding holds his peace.
But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.If it be possible, as much as lies in you, live peaceably with all men.Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place to wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, said the Lord.
A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.
You have heard that it has been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:But I say to you, That you resist not evil: but whoever shall smite you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also.
Say not, I will do so to him as he has done to me: I will render to the man according to his work.
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace to the hearers.
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asks you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.
Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man.
Brothers, if a man be overtaken in a fault, you which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering yourself, lest you also be tempted.
To whom you 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;Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
But I say to you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which spitefully use you, and persecute you;
A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.
If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridles not his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is vain.
He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that rules his spirit than he that takes a city.
For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.
The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.He has not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
Woe to the world because of offenses! for it must needs be that offenses come; but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!
But take heed lest by any means this liberty of your's become a stumbling block to them that are weak.
Then said he to the disciples, It is impossible but that offenses will come: but woe to him, through whom they come!
Why, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world stands, lest I make my brother to offend.
But whoever shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment: for if you deliver him, yet you must do it again.
But I say to you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned.
Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because you go to law one with another. Why do you not rather take wrong? why do you not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?No, you do wrong, and defraud, and that your brothers.
And, you fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
Blessed are you, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Grudge not one against another, brothers, lest you be condemned: behold, the judge stands before the door.
He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalts folly.
With all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love;Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.Let no man seek his own, but every man another's wealth.
But why do you judge your brother? or why do you set at nothing your brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judges righteously:
Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
Be kindly affectionate one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another;
A new commandment I give to you, That you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one to another.
He that loves his brother stays in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.
A man has joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it!