“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32)
bible verses about holding a grudge
Grudge in Our Hearts
Matthew 6:14
“For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”
Mark 11:25
“And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.”
Luke 6:37
“Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven.”
Ephesians 4:31
“Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.”
Colossians 3:13
“Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”
James 1:20
“For the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”
1 Peter 3:9
“Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.”
Matthew 18:21-22
“Then Peter came up and said to him, ‘Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.'”
Romans 12:19
“Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.'”
Proverbs 17:9
“Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.”
God’s Forgiveness
Matthew 6:12
“And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”
Psalms 103:10-12
“He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.”
Isaiah 43:25
“I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.”
Micah 7:18-19
“Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot.”
Psalm 51:1-2
“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!”
Luke 15:20-24
“And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate.'”
Acts 3:19
“Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out.”
Ephesians 1:7
“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.”
Romans 4:7-8
“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”
Responding to Hurt
Psalms 37:8
“Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.”
Proverbs 19:11
“Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.”
Matthew 5:38-39
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.”
Romans 12:20
“To the contrary, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink, for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.”
Philippians 2:5
“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.”
1 Thessalonians 5:15
“See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.”
1 Peter 2:23
“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.”
2 Corinthians 2:10-11
“Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.”
Proverbs 15:1
“A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
Psalms 118:6
“The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”
The Weight of Grudges
Proverbs 14:30
“A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot.”
Proverbs 17:22
“A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”
Matthew 11:28
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Psalms 34:18
“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”
Galatians 5:15
“But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.”
John 8:32
“And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Psalms 55:22
“Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.”
Proverbs 3:5-6
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”
Matthew 5:44
“But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
Psalms 147:3
“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”
Choosing Forgiveness
Luke 6:36
“Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.”
Matthew 5:23-24
“So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”
Hebrews 12:14-15
“Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled.”
Matthew 18:35
“So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”
Colossians 3:2
“Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”
Romans 12:1-2
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Philippians 4:6-7
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Acts 7:60
“And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’ And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”
Matthew 26:28
“For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”
Romans 3:23-24
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”
Final Thoughts
As we reflect on these verses, it’s clear that holding a grudge only weighs us down. The Bible emphasizes the importance of forgiveness and understanding. When we choose to let go of past hurts, we create space for love and positivity to flourish in our hearts.
We are reminded that it’s not always easy to forgive, but our journey can be transformed through God’s grace. Each time we practice forgiveness, we free ourselves from the chains of bitterness, opening our hearts to healing and peace.
Let us commit to releasing grudges and embracing the power of forgiveness, trusting that God’s plan and purpose for us will unfold beautifully when we do. If you want to read more about different topics related to faith, check out some more [bible verses](https://christianbibleinfo.com/2025/03/29/bible/).