The best Bible verses for revenge include passages about God's love, strength, and guidance. This page features 15+ carefully curated Scripture passages for revenge, each selected for its relevance and depth. Read, save, and share the perfect verse for your situation.
"Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord."Romans 12:19
"Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord."Romans 12:19
"Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody."Romans 12:17
"Do not say, “I’ll pay you back for this wrong!” Wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you."Proverbs 20:22
"But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also."Matthew 5:39
"Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing."1 Peter 3:9
"“‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord."Leviticus 19:18
"Do not say, “I’ll do to him as he has done to me; I’ll pay that man back for what he did.”"Proverbs 24:29
"It is mine to avenge; I will repay. In due time their foot will slip; their day of disaster is near and their doom rushes upon them.”"Deuteronomy 32:35
"Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else."1 Thessalonians 5:15
"If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink."Proverbs 25:21
"Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice."Ephesians 4:31
Occasions ask something specific of scripture. A verse chosen for revenge is usually going to be read aloud, printed in a program, or spoken to someone at a moment they will remember for a long time — which rules out passages that need three sentences of setup before they land.
These 15 are the verses most often chosen for revenge, and they are chosen for good reason: each one makes sense on first hearing, carries its meaning without commentary, and speaks to the moment rather than around it.
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The most-cited Bible verses for revenge are Romans 12:19, Romans 12:17, Proverbs 20:22. This page collects 15 of them, each with its full passage, context and the text in six translations.
Read the verse in its surrounding passage before you use it — a verse that fits in isolation sometimes says something different in context. Compare two translations where the wording is unclear, and pick for the person who will read it rather than for the theme.
Scripture returns to revenge across both testaments rather than settling it in one passage, which is why the verses on this page do not all say the same thing. Read together they give a fuller answer than any single verse does.
There is no single best translation. The NIV and NLT read most naturally and communicate well to someone outside the church; the ESV and NASB stay closer to the original wording; the KJV carries the phrasing most people recognise. Every verse here links to a page showing all six side by side.
More than any page can list. This one carries the 15 that are most often turned to for revenge, chosen so each stands on its own and links through to the full chapter it belongs to.