What Does the Bible Say About Violence?
The Bible addresses violence with remarkable depth and complexity. From the earliest chapters of Genesis to the final visions in Revelation, Scripture shows both the reality of human violence and God’s response to it. While the Old Testament records instances of divinely sanctioned acts, including holy war in specific covenantal contexts, the overall biblical story moves toward a vision of peace, reconciliation, and the end of violence.
The New Testament places particular emphasis on nonviolence, grounded in the life, teaching, and sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. His way of dealing with evil did not rely on retaliation or armed resistance but on love, truth, and self-giving service. This has led many Christians to adopt a posture of active nonviolence—opposing injustice not through physical force but through prayer, persuasion, and sacrificial love.
This article will explore:
How violence enters the biblical story.
The Old Testament’s portrayal of divine justice and holy war.
Jesus’ teaching and example regarding violence.
The call to nonviolent resistance in the New Testament.
The gospel’s vision of the end of all violence.
1. Violence Enters the Biblical Story
The Bible’s first account of violence is found in Genesis 4, where Cain murders his brother Abel out of jealousy. This act marks a downward spiral in humanity’s history, leading to a world described in Genesis 6:11 as “filled with violence.” God’s judgment through the flood is presented as a response to this corruption, yet even after the flood, violence persists in human society.
Throughout the Old Testament, violence is often linked to sin, pride, and rebellion against God. Nations wage war, rulers oppress their people, and individuals commit acts of murder, theft, and oppression. The prophets consistently condemn unjust violence, calling God’s people to righteousness, mercy, and justice.
From the outset, the Bible makes it clear that violence is not part of God’s original design for creation. Peace—shalom—is the intended state, where relationships between God, humanity, and creation are whole and unbroken.
2. The Old Testament’s Portrayal of Divine Justice and Holy War
The Old Testament includes accounts of God commanding Israel to engage in war, particularly in the conquest of Canaan (Joshua 6–12). These events must be understood within their historical and covenantal context. God’s commands to Israel regarding warfare were tied to His role as judge over wicked nations and His covenant with Israel as His chosen people.
At the same time, the Old Testament limits human violence in ways that were radical for the ancient world. Laws concerning warfare, protection for noncombatants, and the condemnation of oppression all show that God’s justice is not arbitrary or cruel. Prophets like Isaiah and Micah envision a future in which nations “shall beat their swords into plowshares” and learn war no more.
The presence of violence in these narratives does not mean the Bible celebrates it as an enduring model for God’s people. Rather, it often serves as a backdrop against which God’s redemptive plan moves forward toward peace.
3. Jesus’ Teaching and Example Regarding Violence
In the New Testament, Jesus’ life and teaching mark a decisive shift in how God’s people are to respond to violence. In the Sermon on the Mount, He teaches, “Do not resist the one who is evil” and calls His followers to turn the other cheek, go the extra mile, and love their enemies (Matthew 5:38–44).
Jesus rejected armed resistance, even when His arrest and crucifixion were imminent. When Peter struck the high priest’s servant with a sword, Jesus told him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword” (Matthew 26:52).
His crucifixion is the ultimate demonstration of God’s nonviolent response to evil. Instead of calling down legions of angels, Jesus absorbed violence, bearing sin and injustice to bring reconciliation between God and humanity. In doing so, He revealed the power of love to overcome hatred and death.
4. The Call to Nonviolent Resistance in the New Testament
The Bible’s New Testament writings call believers to reject personal violence and entrust justice to God. Romans 12:17–21 instructs Christians not to repay evil for evil but to overcome evil with good. Vengeance belongs to the Lord, and the believer’s role is to act in ways that reflect God’s mercy.
This does not mean passivity in the face of injustice. The example of Jesus and the early church demonstrates what some have called a “third way”—active nonviolent resistance. This approach refuses both violent retaliation and passive surrender. It confronts evil directly through truth-telling, prayer, forgiveness, and acts of sacrificial service.
Christian history offers many examples of this approach, from the early martyrs to modern leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Desmond Tutu, who applied biblical principles of nonviolence to confront systemic injustice.
5. The Gospel’s Vision of the End of All Violence
The Bible’s story moves toward a future where violence will be no more. In Revelation 21:4, God promises that in the new creation, “death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore.” This is the fulfillment of the prophetic vision where swords become plowshares and the wolf lies down with the lamb.
In this vision, God’s justice is fully established, and His people live in perfect peace. The hope of this future shapes how believers live now, calling them to embody the values of the coming kingdom. The gospel teaches that in Christ, peace has already broken into the present age, and the church is to be a community where reconciliation replaces violence.
Until that day comes, the Bible calls God’s people to be peacemakers, resisting the temptation to meet violence with violence, and instead reflecting the character of the Prince of Peace in their relationships, communities, and witness to the world.
Conclusion: Following the Way of Peace
The Bible’s teaching on violence acknowledges the reality of a fallen world but points believers toward a better way. While certain Old Testament passages depict God’s people engaging in warfare under His direct command, these were tied to specific covenantal purposes and are not a mandate for the church today.
In Christ, the trajectory of Scripture moves away from violence toward peace, forgiveness, and reconciliation. The cross shows that God’s power is made perfect not in acts of force but in self-giving love. For believers, this means resisting violence personally and seeking to resolve conflict in ways that honor God and bear witness to the gospel.
In the bigger picture, the Bible’s vision of peace is eschatological—it looks forward to the day when God will wipe away every tear and violence will be no more. In the meantime, Christians are called to live as citizens of that coming kingdom, rejecting violence and embracing the way of Christ.
Bible Verses About Violence
Genesis 6:11 – “Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence.”
Exodus 20:13 – “You shall not murder.”
Psalm 11:5 – “The Lord tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.”
Isaiah 2:4 – “…they shall beat their swords into plowshares…”
Micah 4:3 – “…nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.”
Matthew 5:38–39 – “…if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.”
Matthew 26:52 – “For all who take the sword will perish by the sword.”
Romans 12:17–21 – “…overcome evil with good.”
Ephesians 6:12 – “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood…”
Revelation 21:4 – “…death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore…”
