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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 did not please Himself. But as it is written, “The insults of those who insulted You fell on Me.”
“Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,leave your gift there before the altar and go on your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
Hear, O our God, that we are despised. Turn their reproach back upon their own head, and give them as spoil in a land of captivity:
Nor will I cause men to hear in you the invectives of the nations anymore, nor shall you bear the reproach of the peoples anymore, nor shall you cause your nation to fall anymore, says the Lord God.
And be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you.
His mouth is filled with cursing and deceit and oppression; under his tongue is mischief and iniquity.
Bear with one another and forgive one another. If anyone has a quarrel against anyone, even as Christ forgave you, so you must do.
The sons of Jacob came out of the field when they heard it, and the men were grieved and were very disturbed, because Shechem had disgraced Israel by lying with Jacob’s daughter, a thing that should not be done.
David spoke to the men that stood by him, saying, “What will be done for the man that kills this Philistine and takes away this reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?”
When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Blessed is the Lord, who has defended 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 upon his own head.” And David sent and spoke with Abigail, to take her as his wife.
As a shattering of my bones, my enemies reproach me, while they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”
“Now if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.
Do not repay evil for evil, or curse for curse, but on the contrary, bless, knowing that to this you are called, so that you may receive a blessing.
for zeal for Your house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen upon me.
For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.But if you do not forgive men for their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Therefore let us no longer pass judgment on one another, but rather determine not to put a stumbling block or an obstacle in a brother’s way.
Reproach has broken my heart, and I am in despair. I looked for pity, but there was none, and for comforters, but I found none.
Take heed to yourselves. “If your brother sins against you, rebuke him. And if he repents, forgive him.“So will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed.On that day let him who is on the housetop, with his goods in the house, not come down to take them away. And likewise let him who is in the field not return to the things behind.Remember Lot’s wife.Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.I tell you, on that night two men will be in one bed; the one will be taken and the other will be left.Two women will be grinding grain together; the one will be taken and the other will be left.Two men will be in the field; the one will be taken and the other will be left.”They asked, “Where, Lord?” He replied, “Where the body is, there the vultures will be gathered together.”If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turns to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”
And render to our neighbors sevenfold into their lap the reproach with which they have reproached You, O Lord.
Therefore, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger,My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into diverse temptations,for the anger of man does not work the righteousness of God.
“Judge not, that you be not judged.Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a snake?If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!Therefore, everything you would like men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.“Enter at the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who are going through it,because small is the gate and narrow is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.“Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.You will know them by their fruit. Do men gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles?Even so, every good tree bears good fruit. But a corrupt tree bears evil fruit.A good tree cannot bear evil fruit, nor can a corrupt tree bear good fruit.Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged. And with the measure you use, it will be measured again for you.
He who covers a transgression seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates the best of friends.
It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine, nor do anything whereby your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.
If a man divorces his wife, and she goes from him and becomes 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, says the Lord.
Give no offense, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God,
“The king shall do according to his will. And he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak blasphemous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper until the indignation is accomplished, for that which is determined shall be done.
I have heard these taunts of Moab, and the revilings of the Ammonites, by which they have reproached My people, and made boasts against their territory.
Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, “He has uttered blasphemy. What further need do we have for witnesses? See, now you have heard His blasphemy.
Let nothing be done out of strife or conceit, but in humility let each esteem the other better than himself.because for the work of Christ he was near death, not regarding his life, endeavoring to make up for your lack of service toward me.Let each of you look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Above all things, have unfailing love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins.
The Jews answered Him, “We are not stoning You for a good work, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, claim to be God.”
The words of the rash are like the piercings of a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall I forgive my brother who sins against me? Up to seven times?”Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, outbursts, and blasphemies, with all malice, be taken away from you.
Therefore let us pursue the things which produce peace and the things that build up one another.
does not behave itself improperly, seeks not its own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil;
So embrace, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, a spirit of mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, and longsuffering.Bear with one another and forgive one another. If anyone has a quarrel against anyone, even as Christ forgave you, so you must do.
The beginning of strife is like letting out water; so stop the contention before fighting begins.
Therefore, everything you would like men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
But if you bite and devour one another, take heed that you are not consumed by one another.
Walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave Himself for us as a fragrant offering and a sacrifice to God.
See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone. But always seek to do good to one another and to all.
The servant of the Lord must not quarrel, but must be gentle toward all people, able to teach, patient,
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God, and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.Anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
We who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of the weak and not please ourselves.He also says: “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people!”And again: “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; let all the peoples praise Him.”And again Isaiah says: “There shall be a Root of Jesse; He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, in Him shall the Gentiles hope.”Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Spirit.Now I myself am persuaded concerning you, my brothers, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and also able to instruct one another.Nevertheless, brothers, I have written even more boldly to you on some points, to remind you, because of the grace that is given to me from God,that I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit.In Christ Jesus therefore I have reason to boast in my service to God.For I will not dare to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed,by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and as far around as Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification.
He who is devoid of wisdom derides his neighbor, but a man of intelligence remains silent.
But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
Repay no one evil for evil. Commend what is honest in the sight of all men.If it is possible, as much as it depends on you, live peaceably with all men.Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to God’s wrath, for it is written: “Vengeance is Mine. I will repay,” says the Lord.
A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city, and disputes are like the bars of a castle.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’But I say to you, do not resist an evil person. But whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other as well.
Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will render to the man according to his deed.”
Let no unwholesome word proceed out of your mouth, but only that which is good for building up, that it may give grace to the listeners.
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts. Always be ready to give an answer to every man who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you, with gentleness and fear.Have a good conscience so that evildoers who speak evil of you and falsely accuse your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.
Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you should answer everyone.
Brothers, if a man is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore such a one in the spirit of meekness, watching yourselves, lest you also be tempted.
Whomever you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if I forgave someone anything, for your sakes I forgave it in Christ,lest Satan should take advantage of us. For we are not ignorant of his devices.
But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,
A tongue of healing is a tree of life, but perversity therein is crushing to the spirit.
If anyone among you seems to be religious and does not bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.
He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
For “He who would love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit.Let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.
Woe to the world because of temptations! For it must be that temptations come, but woe to that man by whom the temptation comes!
But take heed, lest by any means this liberty of yours becomes a stumbling block to those who are weak.
Then He said to the disciples, “It is impossible for offenses not to come, but woe to him through whom they come!
Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I cause my brother to stumble.
“But whoever misleads one of these little ones who believe in Me, it would be better for him to have a millstone hung about his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.
But I say to you that for every idle word that men speak, they will give an account on the Day of Judgment.For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Now therefore it is already an utter failure for you that you go to law against one another. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded?But you yourselves do wrong and defraud, and do this to your brothers.
Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
“Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.
Do not grumble against one another, brothers, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door.
He who is slow to anger is of great understanding, but he who is hasty in temper exalts folly.
Tremble in awe, and do not sin. Meditate within your own heart on your bed, and be still. Selah
With all humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another in love,But you did not learn about Christ in this manner,if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus:that you put off the former way of life in the old nature, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,and be renewed in the spirit of your mind;and that you put on the new nature, which was created according to God in righteousness and true holiness.Therefore, putting away lying, let every man speak truthfully with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.Be angry but do not sin. Do not let the sun go down on your anger.Do not give place to the devil.Let him who steals steal no more. Instead, let him labor, working with his hands things which are good, that he may have something to share with him who is in need.Let no unwholesome word proceed out of your mouth, but only that which is good for building up, that it may give grace to the listeners.be eager to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things edify.Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being.
So why do you judge your brother? Or why do you despise your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
When He was reviled, He did not revile back; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but He entrusted Himself to Him who judges righteously.
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling.
A man has joy in the apt reply of his mouth, and a timely word spoken, how good it is!