52 Top Bible Verses About Hatred Toward Others

It is impossible to live in a fallen world without experiencing hurt in relationships with others. If deep hurt from a family member, friend or fellow believer is not addressed, it can lead to hatred. In this article, we are going to go over Bible verses about hatred towards others. Both New Testament and Old Testament passages are a wealth of information to give you instruction, encouragement and hope when you have been hurt by a relationship in your life (such as family members or friends). If you are reading this because you are wrestling with resentment and hatred, you are not alone. Let’s see what the Word of God would say to you today!

Hatred

Let’s start by talking about and defining hatred. Hatred toward others can be defined as an intense, often enduring emotional response characterized by feelings of deep animosity, resentment, and hostility towards another person or group. Hatred flows from anger that needs to be addressed. Sometimes people struggle with anger and hatred because of heart issues such as jealousy. This article is focused on hatred that stems from hurt. In either situation, the Bible verses about hatred toward others will still be transformative because God’s Word is powerful. Let’s see what these verses from the Bible say…

Let’s talk about hatred stemming from hurt. Anger can be a symptom of an injustice or hurt you experienced. Anger is an emotion just like any other emotion. It is not a sin to experience anger, however what we do with that anger can be a sin. The caution is… if you are feeling anger, be mindful that it does not grow to bitterness, resentment and hatred.

Hebrews 12:15 – 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;

Proverbs 4:23 – Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.

Proverbs 13:5 – The righteous hates falsehood, but the wicked brings shame^​ and disgrace.

Proverbs 8:13 – The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.

Our heart must be guarded. As I mentioned earlier, a great injustice done against you will likely cause you to experience anger- and rightfully so. The sin was evil and wrong. If the anger is not addressed in a God honoring way, it evolves into bitterness, resentment and hatred. Bitterness, resentment and hatred will move us to speak and act in ways that do not honor God. Those negative emotions will lead to sin. Additionally, those emotions will negatively impact our witness to the world around us. Finally, those emotions will literally harm us. It’s like poisoning ourselves. God cares about your heart. He has no desire for you to carry the burden of hatred. Hatred is a heavy, exhausting and joy stealing emotion. The enemy however, would love to weigh you down with hatred and use it to destroy you and your witness to others.

How does hatred impact you?

Hate can have profound negative effects on one’s own heart, both physically and emotionally. Here are several ways in which harboring hate can impact you…

First, hatred can impact your emotional and mental health leading to stress and depression. Hatred has a way of consuming thoughts and emotions. This is the opposite of putting our minds on things that are lovely, delightful and true (Philippians 4:8). Bitterness and resentment (cousins of hatred) will harden the heart. This can impact our other relationships, leading to more conflict or a lack of empathy. It’s easy to isolate from our other relationships when we are feeling stress, depression and hardness of heart.

Hatred can impact our relationship with God in a negative way. We also have a way of withdrawing from God when we are veering away from His best for us. Inner peace and joy can feel out of reach when hatred is taking up space in our heart, as well. Research additionally shows that hatred has a huge impact on our physical health. Hatred is so powerful it can increase high blood pressure and stress hormones. It can even suppress our immune system making it harder for our body to fight off illness. Finally, it impacts our brain- hatred naturally moves us to focus on the negative aspects of life and relationships. Clearly, hatred is not God’s best for you because He LOVES you!

Instruction: Bible Verses About Hatred Towards Others

Confession

Sometimes the most powerful thing I can do when I’m struggling with hatred is simply confess it. When we confess our struggles in humility, God is faithful to help us. It’s often the jumping off point when I’m struggling with a sin like hatred.

1 John 1:9 – If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Hebrews 4:16 –  Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Prayer

So what do we do when we notice hatred? The first thing that helps me move away from hatred is to pray for someone who has hurt me. This doesn’t necessarily change the offender or the situation, but it always changes me. 

Prayer is often the most loving thing we can do! Additionally, pray for your own heart. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you let go of hatred and He is faithful to do that work in and through us.

Matthew 5:43-44 – You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

Luke 6:27-28 – But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.

Romans 8:26 –  Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

Choose to Love

While we can’t always change the feelings we feel, we can make a choice to not act on those feelings. For instance, if you feel hatred, you can choose not to speak harsh words about the offender. Additionally, we can choose to act in a way that is above reproach. Choosing revenge or speaking poorly of another can cause hatred to grow. Sometimes the most loving thing to do for someone who has hurt you and remains unrepentant is to simply pray. You don’t have to put yourself in harm’s way to love someone. Let’s see what these Bible verses about hatred toward others say…

Romans 12:14 – Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.

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.’

Proverbs 24:17 – Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles.

Proverbs 25:21-22 – If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you.

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.

Forgiveness

Choosing to forgive is the gateway to eroding hatred in the heart. Forgiveness is letting go of the offense and entrusting it into God’s hands. It is NOT tolerating, excusing or saying what happened was okay. 

Ephesians 4:32 – Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

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.

Scriptures on Forgiveness

Seek Reconciliation (when possible)

Seeking reconciliation is always God’s best whenever possible. Keep in mind you are only half of the relationship, however. Reconciliation must involve confession, (true) repentance and rebuilding of trust.

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.

Romans 12:18 – If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.

More on Forgiveness & Reconciliation in the Bible

Best Quotes About Hatred Toward Others

“Hate, it has caused a lot of problems in the world, but has not solved one yet.” – Maya Angelou

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” – Martin Luther King Jr.

“Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it.” – Martin Luther King Jr.

“Hate is too great a burden to bear. It injures the hater more than it injures the hated.” – Coretta Scott King

“Hatred is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.” – Unknown

Bible Verses About Loving Others

While we are called to reflect the love of God to everyone around us, He also knows the hurt we have experienced. He knows that if you are struggling with hatred in your own life, it likely came from a place of hurt. He desires we reflect and experience the transformative power of love. That is the kind of love that is a true witness to the love of God. I can’t stress enough- some people must be loved from a distance because they are unrepentant and unsafe. Check out these Bible verses about hatred toward others and the call to live a life of love.

Leviticus 19:18 – You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.

Matthew 22:37-40 – And he said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.’

John 13:34-35 – A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

Romans 12:9-10 – Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

Romans 13:8-10 – Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,’ and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 – Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Galatians 5:13-14 – For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’

Ephesians 4:2 – With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love.

Colossians 3:12-14 – Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 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. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

1 Peter 4:8 – Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.

1 John 3:16-18 – By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

1 John 4:7-8 – Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

What does God hate?

In the Bible, God’s hatred is directed towards sin and wickedness, reflecting His perfect holiness and justice. This divine and perfect hatred is not arbitrary, but rooted in God’s desire for righteousness and the good of His creation. While God’s nature is fundamentally loving and merciful, His hatred of sin underscores the seriousness of moral corruption and the necessity of repentance and redemption through Jesus Christ.

Proverbs 6:16-19 – There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.

Psalm 5:5-6 – The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers. You destroy those who speak lies; the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.

Proverbs 15:8 – The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is acceptable to him.

Zechariah 8:17 – Do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath, for all these things I hate, declares the Lord.

Romans 12:9 – Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.

Galatians 5:19-21 – Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Bible Verses About Hatred Toward Others

Leviticus 19:17-18 – You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him. You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.

Proverbs 10:12 – Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.

Proverbs 26:24-26 – Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips and harbors deceit in his heart; when he speaks graciously, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart; though his hatred be covered with deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

Matthew 5:43-44 – You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

Luke 6:27-28 – But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.

1 John 2:9 – Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness.

1 John 3:15 – Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

1 John 4:20 – If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.

Titus 3:3 – For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.

Proverbs 10:18 – The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever utters slander is a fool.

Bible Verses About Hatred Toward Others & Words of Hatred

Earlier, Proverbs 4:32 told us that everything flows from the heart. This is where we need to heed conviction from the Holy Spirit so we can keep our heart swept clean. When I persist in hatred, it comes out in words and actions. Check out these Bible verses about hatred toward others coming across through our words. 

Proverbs 10:18 – The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever utters slander is a fool.

Proverbs 15:1 – A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

Proverbs 16:27-28 – A worthless man plots evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire. A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends.

Proverbs 26:24-25 – Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips and harbors deceit in his heart; when he speaks graciously, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart.

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.

Ephesians 4:29 – Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

More on the Power of Our Words Here.

How the Holy Spirit Helps Us Overcome Hatred

We are never left alone to figure out how to clear our hearts of hatred. The Holy Spirit can play a significant role in helping overcome hatred by transforming hearts, guiding them toward love, peace and joy. If you are reading this you likely already know there is some hatred that needs to be dealt with. The Holy Spirit convicts us when we are not aligned with the heart of our Heavenly Father.

Be tuned in and listen to what He is saying to you. Pray that He will help you by transforming your heart from hatred to compassion for the person that has hurt you. Ask God to change your heart…and theirs. Pray that the fruit of the Spirit would be enlarged in you. God will enable us to do what He calls us to do. If you are struggling with hatred, take heart… Confess it and ask God to shrink it until it’s gone. He is faithful!

Wrapping Up Bible Verses About Hatred Toward Others

​We live in a fallen world where hurt and destruction is inevitable due to sin and Satan. Hatred toward others is simply not God’s best for His children. It’s not good for us to carry the burden of hatred. Nor is it good for others or for our witness since we are called to reflect the love of God. Your Heavenly Father delights to help you do His will for your life. The most important thing to remember is that you need only confess and ask for help. He is faithful to provide everything you need to do His will. The Scripture references in this article are a great way to do a topical Bible study on the Bible verses about hatred toward others in this article. What would you add? Leave your thoughts in the comments!