When we experience deep hurt or betrayal, it’s natural to wrestle with the urge to get even. In such moments, many people find themselves asking: Is revenge a sin in the Bible? While the desire for revenge may be a common human reaction, Scripture offers a very different perspective.
This article explores what the Bible really says about revenge, highlighting key verses and offering practical guidance on how followers of Christ are called to respond to offense and injustice.
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The Hebrew word often used is “naqam”, which means to avenge, take vengeance, or punish. This conveys the notion and action of inflicting hurt or harm on someone for an injury or wrong suffered at their hands.
On the other hand, the Greek word “ekdikēsis” refers to vengeance or punishment, usually in the context of divine justice.
Unlike true justice (based on God’s justice), which seeks to restore the right balance and uphold righteousness, revenge stems from anger, pride, and a desire to cause suffering. This makes it more about personal satisfaction than seeking right.
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In the Old Testament, God’s commands have much to say about revenge, but perhaps the most notable one is the “eye for an eye” quotation in the Mosaic law.
The Scripture delves into the issues of personal revenge, acts of revenge, divine retribution/ the righteous anger of God, judicial righteousness, etc.
Let’s highlight some of the relevant Bible verses.
Deuteronomy 32:35, 43
Vengeance is mine, and recompense, for the time when their foot shall slip; for the day of their calamity is at hand, and their doom comes swiftly.
Rejoice with him, O heavens; bow down to him, all gods, for he avenges the blood of his children and takes vengeance on his adversaries. He repays those who hate him and cleanses his people’s land.
1 Samuel 24:12
May the Lord judge between me and you, may the Lord avenge me against you, but my hand shall not be against you.
Proverbs 24:29
Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will pay the man back for what he has done.”
Leviticus 19:18
You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.
Proverbs 25:20-22
Whoever sings songs to a heavy heart is like one who takes off a garment on a cold day, and like vinegar on soda. If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you.
Ezekiel 25:12
Thus says the Lord God: Because Edom acted revengefully against the house of Judah and has grievously offended in taking vengeance on them,
Psalm 94:1-2
O Lord, God of vengeance, O God of vengeance, shine forth! Rise up, O judge of the earth; repay to the proud what they deserve!
Proverbs 20:22
Do not say, “I will repay evil”; wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.
Ezekiel 25:15, 17
Thus says the Lord God: Because the Philistines acted revengefully and took vengeance with malice of soul to destroy in never-ending enmity,
I will execute great vengeance on them with wrathful rebukes. Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I lay my vengeance upon them.”
The New Testament also talks about vengeance and the principle of divine justice. Perhaps the most notable text is when Jesus counters the “eye for an eye” doctrine, which only leads to a cycle of revenge for a more meek approach.
Let’s sample some Scriptures that capture the Biblical principles on revenge.
Matthew 5:22
But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.
Luke 6:27-28
But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.
Romans 12:17, 19
Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.
Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”
2 Corinthians 13:11
Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.
1 Thessalonians 5:15
See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.
Matthew 18:21-22
Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.
Romans 13:4
For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.
Ephesians 4:26, 31-32
Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,
Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Hebrews 10:30
For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.”
1 Peter 3:9
Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.
Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
Romans 12:1-2, 3
I appeal to you therefore, brothers,by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God…
For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.
Matthew 6:14-15
For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Romans 14:10-12
Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.
Matthew 7:12
So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
Galatians 5:19-21
Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Additional: is revenge a sin in the Bible?
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Colossians 3:13
Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
Romans 12:19-21
Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
James 4:1
What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?
Galatians 6:7-8
Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
Revelation 6:10
They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?
James 1:1-4
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes… Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
1 Peter 2:21, 23
For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.
When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.
Verdict: Is revenge a sin in the Bible?
Source: freepik
From the Scriptures, it’s clear that revenge is a sin. While the Bible affirms the pursuit of justice, it condemns taking matters into our own hands to inflict harm or repay evil.
This is because revenge is selfish and self-serving. It is often driven by pride, bitterness, and an unwillingness to trust God’s ability to judge fairly and righteously.
God makes it clear that vengeance belongs to Him. If you retaliate, you assume a role that belongs to God alone as the ultimate Judge.
Don’t play God.
Instead of anger, God calls us to respond to provocation with humility and faith. Not repay evil for evil, but with good. That is, to bless those who harm us, feeding our enemies, and being good to those who are not necessarily good to us, to heap coals of fire on them. This will leave room for God’s wrath.
This is radical given the default and most natural human response to hurt tends to be anger and revenge.
Radicality that is at the core of Jesus’ teachings in the Sermon on the Mount, which calls us to turn the other cheek, love our enemies, and pray for those who persecute us.
Matthew 5:38-39
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 the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.
Does this mean Christians are called to ignore injustice and be passive doormats to be trodden on by everyone? No, far from it.
God is a just God, and justice is the foundation of His kingdom. He wants us not to take matters into our own hands and seek revenge. Our own revenge does not bring God glory, for it will often not be based on pure motives. So He tells us to leave vengeance to Him. That’s God’s perfect will for every human being.
Trust God
Leaving matters to God might seem to give the aggressor an upper hand. In fact, it may appear that they are getting away with it. However, that’s not the case.
The just, unlimited God will do a better job than you can ever bring yourself close to thinking, let alone doing. Vengeance belongeth to God. Let Him do with them as He pleases.
When you choose forgiveness over revenge, you are not letting the offender win—you’re letting God win in you. You reflect His mercy, guard your heart, and open the door to healing and peace.
Ours is to forgive. Yes, to allow God’s forgiveness to flow through you to your fellow man. Let’s extend love and entrust the pursuit of justice to God. Of course, you can’t do it by your strength; you must rely on God’s strength and grace.
Source: freepik
Conclusion: is revenge a sin in the Bible?
Revenge may feel natural, but the Bible calls believers to do the right thing and not follow their feelings. Throughout Scripture, God makes it clear that personal revenge has no place in the life of a believer. It’s not a sign of strength or justice; it’s taking matters into our own hands and stepping into a role that belongs only to God.
In contrast, the Bible calls us to sometforgiveness, love, and trust in God’s perfect justice is far more powerful. So the next time you’re tempted to repay evil with evil, remember you don’t have to fight for yourself. Allow God to avenge you.
Kendrick Ong'anya is a freelance Christian writer based in Nairobi, Kenya. As a believer in Christ, he is passionate about writing Christian content to deepen believers' faith, even while drawing those who are yet to believe into the fold. He is open to collaborating with individuals and organisations to curate blog posts, articles, devotionals, prayer guides, verse/ chapter commentary, and e-books, among other Christian content. You can follow Kendrick on Facebook.
