What Does the Bible Say About Vengeance?
The Bible addresses vengeance in both the Old and New Testaments, presenting it as a serious matter connected to God’s justice, human sin, and the call to live according to His will. While the Old Testament often depicts vengeance as an expression of divine righteousness, the New Testament directs believers away from personal retribution, calling them instead to love, forgiveness, and trust in God’s perfect justice.
Vengeance in the Bible is not simply about retaliation. It is rooted in questions of who has the right to judge and punish wrongdoing. God alone possesses the authority to execute vengeance perfectly, without bias or sin. Human vengeance, by contrast, is often fueled by anger, pride, and partiality, which is why Scripture consistently warns against taking matters into one’s own hands.
This article will explore:
The Old Testament understanding of vengeance.
The role of divine vengeance in displaying God’s justice.
The New Testament call to reject personal vengeance.
Jesus as the model for responding to injustice.
The hope of God’s final judgment.
1. The Old Testament Understanding of Vengeance
In the Old Testament, vengeance is sometimes connected with legal justice. Certain laws allowed for proportionate retribution, such as the “eye for an eye” principle (Exodus 21:23–25), to prevent excessive punishment and to maintain order. This legal framework ensured that vengeance, when carried out, was not arbitrary but controlled within God’s covenant law.
There were also cases in which personal vengeance was formally permitted, such as avenging the unlawful death of a family member (Numbers 35:19). This was the role of the “avenger of blood,” though even this practice was regulated to avoid abuses. Cities of refuge were established so that an accused person could receive a fair trial before vengeance was carried out.
At the same time, the Bible warns against wrongful vengeance. Leviticus 19:18 commands, “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” This sets the stage for the New Testament’s fuller call to reject personal retribution.
2. The Role of Divine Vengeance in Displaying God’s Justice
The Bible consistently presents vengeance as belonging ultimately to God. Deuteronomy 32:35 declares, “Vengeance is mine, and recompense,” emphasizing that only God can execute perfect justice. Divine vengeance is not vindictive or impulsive—it is holy, measured, and rooted in His righteousness.
God’s vengeance in the Old Testament is often tied to covenant faithfulness. When nations or individuals oppressed God’s people or committed great evil, He acted to defend the innocent and punish the guilty. Prophets like Nahum and Isaiah describe God’s vengeance against oppressive empires as acts of deliverance for His people and demonstrations of His justice to the world.
This divine vengeance points forward to the ultimate judgment when God will right all wrongs. It assures believers that no injustice will go unpunished, even if justice is delayed in this life.
3. The New Testament Call to Reject Personal Vengeance
In the New Testament, the ethic regarding vengeance shifts in emphasis from regulated retribution to radical forgiveness and love for enemies. Paul writes in Romans 12:19, “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God.” This reflects a clear biblical principle: vengeance belongs to God, not to individuals.
Jesus also rejected personal vengeance in His teaching. In the Sermon on the Mount, He said, “Do not resist the one who is evil” and urged His followers to turn the other cheek, go the extra mile, and give freely to those who wrong them (Matthew 5:38–42). This was not a call to ignore justice but a command to relinquish the desire for personal payback.
The New Testament’s instruction rests on the truth that God sees every wrong and will address it perfectly. Christians are called to trust His justice rather than taking matters into their own hands.
4. Jesus as the Model for Responding to Injustice
The life of Jesus provides the ultimate example of entrusting vengeance to God. When unjustly accused, beaten, and crucified, He did not retaliate. As 1 Peter 2:23 says, “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.”
Jesus’ refusal to seek vengeance was not weakness but strength rooted in faith. His death on the cross satisfied the demands of God’s justice, even as it opened the way for mercy to those who had sinned against Him.
This gospel pattern transforms the believer’s perspective on vengeance. Instead of seeking to punish offenders, Christians are called to pray for them, extend forgiveness, and trust that God will bring justice in His time and way.
5. The Hope of God’s Final Judgment
The Bible connects the call to reject personal vengeance with the hope of God’s final judgment. At Christ’s return, God will execute perfect justice, rewarding the righteous and punishing the wicked (2 Thessalonians 1:6–10). This future hope frees believers from the burden of trying to balance the scales themselves.
Divine vengeance in the end will be complete, impartial, and eternal. It will vindicate God’s people, expose the fullness of evil, and display the glory of God’s righteousness. Until that day, the church is called to endure injustice with patience, seeking to overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21).
In this way, the Bible reframes the human desire for vengeance, redirecting it toward trust in God’s perfect justice and the hope of His coming kingdom.
Conclusion: Vengeance Belongs to the Lord
The Bible’s teaching on vengeance can be summed up in a single truth: vengeance belongs to the Lord. The Old Testament reveals God’s righteous vengeance as a defense of justice and the innocent. The New Testament calls believers to reject personal retaliation, instead imitating Jesus’ example of patient endurance and forgiveness.
In the larger gospel picture, vengeance is not erased but transformed. The cross demonstrates that God’s justice and mercy meet perfectly in Christ. For believers, this means vengeance is no longer their responsibility—they are free to love, forgive, and entrust all wrongs to the God who judges justly.
Bible Verses About Vengeance
Deuteronomy 32:35 – “Vengeance is mine, and recompense…”
Leviticus 19:18 – “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge…”
Numbers 35:19 – “The avenger of blood shall himself put the murderer to death…”
Psalm 94:1 – “O Lord, God of vengeance, O God of vengeance, shine forth!”
Nahum 1:2 – “The Lord is a jealous and avenging God…”
Romans 12:19 – “Beloved, never avenge yourselves…”
Matthew 5:38–39 – “…if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.”
1 Peter 2:23 – “…he continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.”
2 Thessalonians 1:6 – “…God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you…”
Romans 12:21 – “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
