Bible Verses About Revenge (19 Verses)
This collection has 19 Bible verses about revenge: 5 from the Old Testament and 14 from the New Testament. Matthew appears most often (4 verses), across 10 books of Scripture.
What does the Bible say about revenge? Read 19 carefully selected Bible verses about revenge, with full scripture text you can save, share, and study.
Counts from this page's curated collection (10 books of Scripture).
19 Bible Verses About Revenge
"Don’t seek revenge yourselves, beloved, but give place to God’s wrath. For it is written, “Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord.”"
"Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord."
"not rendering evil for evil, or insult for insult; but instead blessing; knowing that to this were you called, that you may inherit a blessing."
"Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing."
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you, don’t resist him who is evil; but whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also.
"Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also."
"Don’t say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will render to the man according to his work.”"
"Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his work."
"Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father, who is in heaven, may also forgive you your transgressions."
"And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses."
"Don’t say, “I will pay back evil.” Wait for Yahweh, and he will save you."
"Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee."
"Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place, for all those who take the sword will die by the sword. Or do you think that I couldn’t ask my Father, and he would even now send me more than twelve legions of angels? How then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that it must be so?”"
"Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?"
"So, then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger; for the anger of man doesn’t produce the righteousness of God."
"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God."
"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy."
"Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy."
"Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all wrongs."
"Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins."
"But he who does wrong will receive again for the wrong that he has done, and there is no partiality."
"But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons."
“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you don’t forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
"For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."
"For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving you an example, that you should follow his steps, who did not sin, “neither was deceit found in his mouth.” Who, when he was cursed, didn’t curse back. When he suffered, didn’t threaten, but committed himself to him who judges righteously."
"For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:"
"Yahweh, you God to whom vengeance belongs, you God to whom vengeance belongs, shine out. Rise up, you judge of the earth. Pay back the proud what they deserve."
"O LORD God, to whom vengeance belongeth; O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thyself. Lift up thyself, thou judge of the earth: render a reward to the proud."
"Trust in Yahweh with all your heart, and don’t lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."
"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."
"So speak, and so do, as men who are to be judged by a law of freedom. For judgment is without mercy to him who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment."
"So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment."
"Be careful. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him. If he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in the day, and seven times returns, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”"
"Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him."
"Now when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” But they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and rushed at him with one accord. They threw him out of the city, and stoned him. The witnesses placed their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. They stoned Stephen as he called out, saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”"
"When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."
"Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” Dividing his garments among them, they cast lots."
"Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots."
Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible and the King James Version (both public domain), checked word for word against the full text. Updated October 2, 2026.
The word vengeance appears 45 times in the King James Version. See where vengeance appears, book by book
Frequently Asked Questions About Revenge
This collection has 19 Bible verses about revenge: 5 from the Old Testament and 14 from the New Testament. Matthew appears most often (4 verses), across 10 books of Scripture. What does the Bible say about revenge? Read 19 carefully selected Bible verses about revenge, with full scripture text you can save, share, and study.
Romans 12:19: "Don’t seek revenge yourselves, beloved, but give place to God’s wrath. For it is written, “Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord.”" 1 Peter 3:9: "not rendering evil for evil, or insult for insult; but instead blessing; knowing that to this were you called, that you may inherit a blessing." Matthew 5:38-39: "“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you, don’t resist him who is evil; but whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also." Full collection: 19 verses on this page (26% Old Testament, 74% New Testament).
This page collects 19 verses about revenge from 10 books. Matthew is the most frequent source (4 verses). Scripture touches the theme in many places; these are the ones readers look up most often for study and encouragement.
Start with one short verse from the list above. Save it with the heart icon, read it aloud once a day for a week, then add a second. Share a verse you are learning so it sticks.
Find More Encouragement in Scripture
Explore more topics and discover God's Word for every season of life.