Bible Verses About Anger.
The Bible does not treat all anger as sin. God is angry at evil, and Jesus was angry at hard hearts. But human anger turns sinful quickly, and Scripture warns how much damage it can do.
These verses show how to tell the difference, how to slow down before you speak, and how to deal with anger before it settles into bitterness. They also point to God, who is slow to anger and rich in mercy.
Slow to Anger
Wisdom slows down before it speaks.
James 1:19-20
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.
Proverbs 15:1
A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
Proverbs 14:29
Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.
Proverbs 16:32
Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
Angry Without Sinning
Some anger is right, but it has limits.
Ephesians 4:26-27
Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.
Paul assumes some anger is right, but he limits how long it is kept.
Mark 3:5
And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.
Psalm 4:4
Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Selah
Putting Anger Away
Anger that is kept turns into bitterness.
Ephesians 4:31-32
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.
Colossians 3:8
But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.
Proverbs 29:11
A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back.
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.
God Is Slow to Anger
God's patience with us is the pattern for ours.
Psalm 103:8
The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
Exodus 34:6
The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,
Write about James 1:19-20
A short SOAP journal entry: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer. No account needed to start. Your words stay in this browser until you choose to keep them.
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.
Related topics
Scripture quotations are from the ESV(R) Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version(R)), copyright (c) 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.