What Does the Bible Say About Revenge?
1. How Does the Bible Define Revenge and Vengeance?
In everyday language, revenge refers to retaliating against someone who has wronged us, often driven by a personal desire to make them suffer in return. In the Bible, vengeance can refer both to this human impulse and to God’s righteous judgment. The key distinction lies in who carries it out and why.
When vengeance is described as belonging to God (Deuteronomy 32:35; Romans 12:19), it refers to His perfect justice—justice that is impartial, measured, and aimed at restoring righteousness. Human revenge, by contrast, is usually fueled by anger, pride, or self-interest and often leads to escalation rather than resolution.
2. What Does the Old Testament Teach About Revenge?
The Old Testament contains accounts where both divine and human vengeance appear. For example, God brings judgment on nations for their wickedness (Nahum 1:2) and instructs Israel at times to carry out justice under His direction.
A well-known phrase, “an eye for an eye” (Exodus 21:23–25), is often misunderstood as promoting harsh retaliation. In reality, it was a legal principle meant to limit disproportionate punishment. Instead of encouraging escalating cycles of revenge, it established a standard of measured justice, ensuring that penalties matched the offense.
Even in the Old Testament, the call to avoid personal vengeance and trust God’s justice is present. Proverbs 20:22 instructs, “Do not say, ‘I will repay evil’; wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.”
3. How Does the New Testament Transform the Understanding of Revenge?
The New Testament shifts the focus from proportional justice toward personal forgiveness and love for enemies. Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 5:38–48 reinterprets “an eye for an eye” by calling His followers to turn the other cheek, go the extra mile, and love their enemies.
This doesn’t negate the need for justice but redirects personal responsibility. The believer is not to take matters into their own hands for personal satisfaction. Instead, they are to entrust justice to God and, when possible, pursue peace.
4. Why Does the Bible Command Believers to Avoid Personal Revenge?
Romans 12:17–21 captures the New Testament’s clearest teaching on the subject: “Repay no one evil for evil… never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God.” The reasoning is theological: vengeance belongs to God because only He has the wisdom and righteousness to judge perfectly.
Seeking personal revenge assumes a role that belongs to God alone. It also risks corrupting the one who seeks it, replacing the pursuit of righteousness with the pursuit of retribution. Instead, believers are called to “overcome evil with good,” responding to wrong with acts of kindness that may even lead the offender to repentance.
5. What Is the Role of Justice and Governing Authorities?
The Bible makes an important distinction between personal revenge and legitimate justice. While individuals are commanded to forgive and not retaliate, civil authorities are given the responsibility to punish wrongdoing (Romans 13:1–4). This delegated authority is part of God’s design to maintain order in society.
Justice carried out by governing authorities is meant to be impartial and restorative, not fueled by personal vendettas. Christians can seek justice through lawful means while still obeying the command to let go of personal revenge.
6. How Does the Cross Shape the Bible’s Teaching on Revenge?
The ultimate resolution of the question of revenge is found in the cross of Christ. On the cross, God’s justice and mercy meet. The penalty for sin is fully satisfied—God does not ignore wrongdoing—but He takes the penalty upon Himself in the person of His Son (Isaiah 53:5; 2 Corinthians 5:21).
For believers, this means that vengeance is no longer theirs to claim because their own guilt has been dealt with by grace, not retaliation. The cross becomes the model: absorbing offense and extending forgiveness, even at great cost.
7. How Should Christians Respond to Personal Wrongdoing Today?
In practical terms, the Bible calls believers to:
Forgive freely (Matthew 18:21–22), not keeping a record of wrongs.
Pray for offenders (Matthew 5:44), seeking their restoration rather than their harm.
Pursue reconciliation (Romans 12:18) when possible.
Trust God’s timing for justice, resisting the urge to act from anger.
This approach is not weakness—it is faith in action. It acknowledges that God’s justice is perfect and His power is sufficient to defend His people.
8. What Eternal Perspective Does the Bible Offer on Revenge?
The Bible places revenge within the larger story of God’s kingdom. The final judgment, described in Revelation 20:11–15, assures believers that every wrong will be addressed. This eternal perspective frees Christians from the burden of securing their own justice in the present.
Rather than being consumed by revenge, believers can focus on living faithfully now, knowing that God’s final verdict will be both just and merciful. This perspective also aligns with the hope of the new creation, where all enmity and wrongdoing will be removed forever.
Conclusion
The Bible’s teaching on revenge is both challenging and liberating. From the Old Testament’s emphasis on measured justice to the New Testament’s call for forgiveness and love for enemies, Scripture consistently points away from personal retaliation and toward trust in God’s perfect justice.
At the center of this teaching is the Gospel: God absorbed His own righteous wrath in Christ so that sinners could be forgiven. This is the model for how believers are to respond when wronged—not with vengeance, but with grace rooted in truth.
Bible Verses About Revenge
Deuteronomy 32:35 – “Vengeance is mine, and recompense…”
Proverbs 20:22 – “Do not say, ‘I will repay evil’; wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.”
Leviticus 19:18 – “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge… but you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Matthew 5:39 – “Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.”
Matthew 5:44 – “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
Romans 12:17 – “Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.”
Romans 12:19 – “Never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God.”
Romans 12:21 – “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
1 Peter 3:9 – “Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless…”
Revelation 20:12 – “The dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.”
