Bible Verses on Hate

Many of us bandy about the word “hate” so frequently that we forget the significance of the word. We joke about the Star Wars references that hate leads to the Dark Side, and we use it for the most trivial matters—“I hate peas.” But really, the word “hate” holds a lot of significance in the Bible. Here are some Bible verses that help us understand how God views hate.

How Hate Affects Us

Hatred has a deep effect on us, yet it comes from many places within us. Victims may hate the person who hurt them. Or, something doesn't sit right with us so we dislike it a great deal. We sometimes hate ourselves due to low self-esteem. Ultimately, that hate is a seed that will only grow if we don’t control it.

1 John 4:20
"Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen." (NIV)

Proverbs 10:12
"Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs." (NIV)

Leviticus 19:17
"Do not nurse hatred in your heart for any of your relatives. Confront people directly so you will not be held guilty for their sin." (NLT)

Hate in Our Speech

What we say matters and words can hurt others deeply. We each carry with us deep wounds that words have caused. We need to be careful about using hateful words, which the Bible warns us about.

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." (ESV)

Colossians 4:6
"Be pleasant and hold their interest when you speak the message. Choose your words carefully and be ready to give answers to anyone who asks questions." (CEV)

Proverbs 26:24-26
"People may cover their hatred with pleasant words, but they’re deceiving you. They pretend to be kind, but don’t believe them. Their hearts are full of many evils. While their hatred may be concealed by trickery, their wrongdoing will be exposed in public." (NLT)

Proverbs 10:18
"Hiding hatred makes you a liar; slandering others makes you a fool." (NLT)

Proverbs 15:1
"A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare." (NLT)

Dealing With Hate in Our Hearts

Most of us have felt a variation of hatred at some point—we become infuriated with people, or we feel serious dislike or revulsion for certain things. Yet we have to learn to deal with hate when it stares us in the face, and the Bible has some clear ideas of how to cope with it.

Matthew 18:8
"If your hand or foot causes you to sin, chop it off and throw it away! You would be better off to go into life crippled or lame than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into the fire that never goes out." (CEV)

Matthew 5:43-45
"You have heard people say, 'Love your neighbors and hate your enemies.' But I tell you to love your enemies and pray for anyone who mistreats you. Then you will be acting like your Father in heaven. He makes the sun rise on both good and bad people. And he sends rain for the ones who do right and for the ones who do wrong." (CEV)

Colossians 1:13
"He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love." (NKJV)

John 15:18
"If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you." (NASB)

Luke 6:27
"But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you." (NLT)

Proverbs 20:22
"Don’t say, 'I will get even for this wrong.' Wait for the Lord to handle the matter." (NLT)

James 1:19-21
"My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you." (NIV)