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War is a major subject of Scripture: the words war and wars appear in 232 verses of the World English Bible. The Old Testament records commanded wars, rules of engagement (Deuteronomy 20) and a God who is called a warrior (Exodus 15:3), yet David is kept from building the temple because he shed much blood (1 Chronicles 22:8). The prophets look to a day when swords are beaten into plowshares (Isaiah 2:4). Jesus blesses peacemakers (Matthew 5:9), tells Peter that those who take the sword will die by it (Matthew 26:52) and says his kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36), while Paul says the state does not bear the sword in vain (Romans 13:4). Christians have read these as pacifism, just war or both.
Counts from this page's curated collection (17 books of Scripture).
"Yahweh is a man of war. Yahweh is his name."
"The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name."
"a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace."
"A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace."
"He will judge between the nations, and will decide concerning many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."
"And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."
"and he will judge between many peoples, and will decide concerning strong nations afar off. They will beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, neither will they learn war any more."
"And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."
"He makes wars cease to the end of the earth. He breaks the bow, and shatters the spear. He burns the chariots in the fire."
"He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire."
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God."
"Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God."
“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."
"But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you,"
"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;"
"Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place, for all those who take the sword will die by the sword."
"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."
"You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you aren’t troubled, for all this must happen, but the end is not yet."
"And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet."
"Let every soul be in subjection to the higher authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those who exist are ordained by God. Therefore he who resists the authority, withstands the ordinance of God; and those who withstand will receive to themselves judgment. For rulers are not a terror to the good work, but to the evil. Do you desire to have no fear of the authority? Do that which is good, and you will have praise from the same, for he is a servant of God to you for good. But if you do that which is evil, be afraid, for he doesn’t bear the sword in vain; for he is a servant of God, an avenger for wrath to him who does evil."
"Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil."
"If it is possible, as much as it is up to you, be at peace with all men. 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.” Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing so, you will heap coals of fire on his head.” Don’t be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
"If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 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. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good."
"Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not of this world. If my Kingdom were of this world, then my servants would fight, that I wouldn’t be delivered to the Jews. But now my Kingdom is not from here.”"
"Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence."
"Blessed be Yahweh, my rock, who teaches my hands to war, and my fingers to battle:"
"Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight:"
"When you go out to battle against your enemies, and see horses, chariots, and a people more than you, you shall not be afraid of them; for Yahweh your God is with you, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt."
"When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the LORD thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt."
"When you draw near to a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace to it. It shall be, if it makes you answer of peace, and opens to you, then it shall be, that all the people who are found therein shall become forced laborers to you, and shall serve you. If it will make no peace with you, but will make war against you, then you shall besiege it."
"When thou comest nigh unto a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace unto it. And it shall be, if it make thee answer of peace, and open unto thee, then it shall be, that all the people that is found therein shall be tributaries unto thee, and they shall serve thee. And if it will make no peace with thee, but will make war against thee, then thou shalt besiege it:"
"and that all this assembly may know that Yahweh doesn’t save with sword and spear; for the battle is Yahweh’s, and he will give you into our hand.”"
"And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD’S, and he will give you into our hands."
"For though we walk in the flesh, we don’t wage war according to the flesh; for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the throwing down of strongholds,"
"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)"
"For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world’s rulers of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places."
"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."
"Where do wars and fightings among you come from? Don’t they come from your pleasures that war in your members? You lust, and don’t have. You murder and covet, and can’t obtain. You fight and make war. You don’t have, because you don’t ask."
"From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not."
"Soldiers also asked him, saying, “What about us? What must we do?” He said to them, “Extort from no one by violence, neither accuse anyone wrongfully. Be content with your wages.”"
"And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages."
"When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turned and said to the multitude who followed him, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith, no, not in Israel.”"
"When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel."
"The horse is prepared for the day of battle; but victory is with Yahweh."
"The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD."
"Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we trust the name of Yahweh our God."
"Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God."
"But Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, ‘You have shed blood abundantly, and have made great wars. You shall not build a house to my name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight."
"But the word of the LORD came to me, saying, Thou hast shed blood abundantly, and hast made great wars: thou shalt not build an house unto my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight."
"for by wise guidance you wage your war; and victory is in many advisors."
"For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety."
"Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, ‘I am strong.’"
"Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong."
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 5, 2026.
It treats war as a result of human sin (James 4:1-2) and honors peacemakers (Matthew 5:9), but it also records wars God commanded in the Old Testament and soldiers who are praised, such as the centurion in Luke 7:9. Churches have drawn different lines: pacifism, just war theory and holy war.
Just war theory comes from Christian thinkers such as Augustine and Aquinas, who drew on Romans 13:1-4, Luke 3:14 and Old Testament rules in Deuteronomy 20. The Bible does not use the term.
He said there will be wars and rumors of wars but the end is not yet (Matthew 24:6), told Peter to put away his sword (Matthew 26:52) and said his servants do not fight because his kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36). He also told his disciples to love their enemies (Matthew 5:44).
Isaiah 2:4 and Micah 4:3 say nations will beat their swords into plowshares and learn war no more, and Psalm 46:9 says God makes wars cease to the ends of the earth.
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