What The Bible Teaches about Malice
The Bible advises against harbouring malice, associating it with immaturity and spiritual stagnation. According to the Bible, malice leads to disunity among believers and creates a barrier in one’s relationship with God. The teachings encourage the act of kindness and offering forgiveness as opposed to having malicious thoughts against others. The Bible acknowledges the challenge in eliminating malice, however, it indicates that with the strength derived from faith in God, it’s possible to overcome the inclination.
Why Malice is Discouraged in The Bible
Malice directly clashes with teachings of love and understanding in the Bible. Being malicious involves deriving pleasure from the discomfort or misfortune of others, which contradicts the fundamental principle of love that the Bible advocates for. The Bible emphasizes that malice breeds hatred, ill-will, and conflict; it stands as a blockage to the fulfilment of the command to love your neighbor as yourself. To maintain harmony and unity among people, the Bible discourages malice in all its forms.
When Does the Bible Address Malice?
Throughout the Bible, verses about malice are not isolated to specific instances but scattered across various books. These verses appear in the context of guidance for right living and interactions with others, emphasizing the broader role of love and compassion in fostering harmony. Such verses serve as a constant reminder to readers, encouraging them to strive for pure hearts devoid of malice.
Who Does The Bible Warn Against Malice?
The Bible’s warning against malice is not directed at a specific audience but rather towards all believers. Every person, regardless of their status, capability, or past, is subject to feelings of malice. The Bible emphasizes that anyone harbouring malice in their heart stands against the essence of God’s love and righteousness. Hence, the Bible urges everyone to strive for a heart devoid of malice.
Where Can Guidance Be Found about Malice in The Bible?
Guidance on dealing with malice can be found throughout the Bible, from the teachings in the Old Testament to the commandments and parables in the New Testament. The Bible offers counsel on the negative effects of malice and provides wisdom on how to rise above such feelings. These verses serve as a spiritual compass, guiding believers towards fostering love and fostering unity, essential for a robust spiritual life and harmonious co-existence with others.
Below is our full list of bible verses on malice (King James Version – KJV) provided in ranked order.
Most Popular Bible Verses About Malice
Ephesians 4:31-32
“31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”
Related Themes: Bitterness Letting Go Gossip Criticism
Proverbs 15:1
“1 A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.”
Related Themes: Arguing Criticism Bitterness Criticism Gossip
Proverbs 12:16
“16 A fool’s wrath is presently known: but a prudent man covereth shame.”
Related Themes: Arguing Insults Self-Control Anger Annoying People
James 1:19-20
“19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.”
Related Themes: Criticism Bitterness Frustration Patience Frustration
Matthew 7:12
“12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.”
Related Themes: Criticism Gossip Respect Respecting Your Parents Morality
Psalm 37:8-9
“8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.”
Related Themes: Bitterness Anger Frustration Bitterness Frustration
Matthew 6:14-15
“14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
Related Themes: Trespassing Bitterness Forgiveness
James 1:26
“26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.”
Related Themes: Gossip Bitterness Hypocrisy Judging Others Cursing
Colossians 3:12-14
“12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.”
Related Themes: Humility Patience Criticism Kindness Patience
Ephesians 4:26-31
“26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:27 Neither give place to the devil.28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:”
Related Themes: Bitterness Frustration Anger Letting Go
Luke 10:25-28
“25 And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?26 He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.28 And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.”
Related Themes: Strangers Homelessness Morals Hospitality Stealing
James 4:11-12
“11 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?”
Related Themes: Gossip Criticism Judging Others Gossip
Galatians 5:19-21
“19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”
Related Themes: Lust Abomination Lust Bitterness Adultery
Luke 6:32-42
“32 For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.33 And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.34 And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.39 And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?40 The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.41 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?42 Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother’s eye.”
Related Themes: Selfishness Love
1 Peter 2:1
“1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,”
Related Themes: Bitterness Gossip Lust Persecution Hypocrisy
Romans 14:10-12
“10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”
Related Themes: Criticism Morality Judging Others Morals Opinions
Matthew 5:43-45
“43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.”
Related Themes: Bullying Strangers Benevolence Morality Love
Colossians 3:7-8
“7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.”
Philippians 2:2-8
“2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”
Related Themes: Humility Holiness Love Pleasing God Togetherness
Romans 14:1
“1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.”
Related Themes: Strangers Judging Others Arguing Food Criticism
Proverbs 20:22
“22 Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee.”
Related Themes: Bitterness Revenge Hate Vindictiveness Retribution
Hebrews 13:5
“5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”
Related Themes: Money Loneliness Finances Complaining Greed
Luke 16:13
“13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”
Related Themes: Money Consistency Gambling Finances Obtaining Wealth
Romans 15:1-2
“1 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.2 Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.”
Related Themes: Heroes Hope Serving Others Omnipotence Selfishness
Ephesians 4:26
“26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:”
Related Themes: Bitterness Frustration Anger Letting Go
Romans 13:11-14
“11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.”
Related Themes: Preparation Time Awakening Deception Glorification
Proverbs 10:12
“12 Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.”
Related Themes: Bitterness Love Hate Forgiveness Strife
Romans 12:17-21
“17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.20 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.21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Related Themes: Bitterness Revenge Arguing Persecution Reputation
Ephesians 4:32
“32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”
Related Themes: Trespassing Forgiveness Kindness Bitterness Reconciliation
Matthew 9:10-13
“10 And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?12 But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
Related Themes: Humility
