Spite is a negative sentiment often characterized by feelings of ill will, bitterness, or the intention to harm others. It is a destructive force that can cause interpersonal turmoil and damage relationships. Recognizing this, the Bible offers numerous verses providing guidance about dealing with spite and promoting forgiveness and love instead.
What the Bible Teaches About Spite
The Bible presents a clear stance against spite. It teaches that actions driven by spite are not condoned, instead it encourages forgiveness, understanding, and patience. Rather than harboring resentments or seeking revenge, the Bible urges people to forgive and forget. This is an important part of healing and moving forward. The ability to forgive brings peace to the heart and mind, replacing spite with understanding and compassion.
Why Spite is Discouraged in the Bible
Spite is discouraged in the Bible because it promotes disharmony and discord among people. In contrast, the Bible emphasizes the importance of love, unity, and goodwill towards all. It exhorts believers to replace spite with love, underscoring that love covers a multitude of sins. This way, instead of being driven by spite, believers are encouraged to respond with kindness and goodwill, even to those who may have caused harm or wronged them.
Who Should Avoid Spite
The biblical instruction against spite isn’t restricted to a specific group of people, but applies to everyone. Believers and non-believers alike are encouraged to shun spite and cultivate attitudes of forgiveness and love. The Bible teaches that embracing forgiveness and putting away bitterness benefits not just the individual, but also their relationships and the community at large. Letting go of spite creates opportunities for reconciliation, fosters healthy relationships, and promotes a peaceful coexistence.
When to Choose Forgiveness Over Spite
The Bible advises choosing forgiveness over spite at all times. Whether one has been slighted, hurt, or wronged in some way, the suggestion is always to choose the path of forgiveness. Holding onto spite only engenders more pain and discord, while forgiveness provides a path towards resolution and peace. Through forgiveness, spiritual growth and the strengthening of personal character can be achieved.
Where to Find Guidance About Spite in the Bible
Guidance about managing spite and choosing love and forgiveness over bitterness can be found throughout the Bible. By learning from the teachings of the proverbs, psalms, gospels, and apostles, individuals can cultivate an understanding of why spite is harmful, and how to overcome it. The Bible provides profound insights and wisdom to help navigate human relationships, advocating the cultivation of love, forgiveness, and peace over spite and bitterness.
Below is our full list of bible verses on spite (King James Version – KJV) provided in ranked order.
Most Popular Bible Verses About Spite
1 Peter 2:1-5
“1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.”
Related Themes: Bitterness Gossip Lust Persecution Hypocrisy
Matthew 5:21-22
“21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.”
James 2:14-17
“14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.”
Related Themes: Strangers Faith Serving Others Hypocrisy Fidelity
Luke 6:22-23
“22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake.23 Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.”
Related Themes: Persecution Rejection Excommunication Joy
1 John 4:1
“1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.”
Related Themes: Discernment Confusion Lying Judging Others Magic
Ezekiel 18:20
“20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.”
Related Themes: Social Justice Hell Personal Responsibility Responsibility Accountability
