Bible Verses About Holding a Grudge
Ranked by the OpenBible.info topical community
These are the Bible verses most often cited for holding a grudge, ranked by the OpenBible.info topical community across 529 votes, led by Matthew 6:14-15. Each passage links to its verse page or the interactive map; scripture is the King James Version.
Top verses about Holding a Grudge
Matthew 6:14-1571 votes
For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
Ephesians 4:3255 votes
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
Leviticus 19:1849 votes
Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord.
Luke 17:3-445 votes
Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
Mark 11:2536 votes
And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
James 1:19-2029 votes
Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
Colossians 3:12-1420 votes
Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
Ephesians 4:2619 votes
Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
James 4:11-1219 votes
Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.
Proverbs 19:1118 votes
The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.
Ephesians 4:3118 votes
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
Matthew 18:21-2216 votes
Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
John 13:34-3516 votes
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
Proverbs 15:115 votes
A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.
Luke 6:3113 votes
And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.
Ephesians 4:31-3213 votes
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
James 1:1-2712 votes
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
James 2:12-1312 votes
So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
Matthew 5:711 votes
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Romans 12:17-2111 votes
Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
Colossians 3:1311 votes
Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Romans 12:1910 votes
Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
1 John 1:910 votes
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
What does the Bible say about holding a grudge?
Readers most often cite Matthew 6:14-15 on the subject of holding a grudge. Across 529 votes, 23 passages are commonly cited for this topic, including Ephesians 4:32, Leviticus 19:18, Luke 17:3-4. This page lists all 23 in ranked order, quoted in the King James Version, with each linked to its cross-references.