Bible Verses to Read About Bullying

As Christians, we are called to be kind to one another and to turn the other cheek when faced with adversity, so the Bible actually has quite a bit to say on the topic of bullying.

God Loves You

Bullying can make us feel very alone and like no one is standing beside us. Yet, God is always with us. In these moments where everything seems bleak and when we feel most alone, he is there to sustain us:

Matthew 5:11
God will bless you when people insult you, mistreat you, and tell all kinds of evil lies about you because of me. (CEV)

Deuteronomy 31:6
So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord, your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you. (NLT)

2 Timothy 2:22
Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. (NIV)

Psalm 121:2
It will come from the Lord, who created the heavens and the earth. (CEV)

Psalm 27:1
You, Lord, are the light that keeps me safe. I am not afraid of anyone. You protect me, and I have no fears. (CEV)

Love Your Neighbor

Bullying goes against everything in the Bible. We are called to kindness. We are asked to be hospitable and look out for one another, so turning on another person does little to demonstrate God's love to one another:

1 John 3:15
If you hate each other, you are murderers, and we know that murderers do not have eternal life. (CEV)

1 John 2:9
If we claim to be in the light and hate someone, we are still in the dark. (CEV)

Mark 12:31
And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these. (NKJV)

Romans 12:18
Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. (NLT)

James 4:11-12
My friends, don’t say cruel things about others! If you do, or if you condemn others, you are condemning God’s Law. And if you condemn the Law, you put yourself above the Law and refuse to obey either it or God who gave it. God is our judge, and he can save or destroy us. What right do you have to condemn anyone? (CEV)

Matthew 7:12
Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets. (NLT)

Romans 15:7
Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God. (NASB)

Love Your Enemies

Some of the hardest people to love are those that hurt us. Yet God asks us to love our enemies. We may not like the behavior, but even that bully is still a bully. Does that mean we just let them continue to bully us? No. We still need to stand up against bullying and report the behavior, but it does mean learning to take the higher road:

Matthew 5:38-41
You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also. If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too. If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles. (NLT)

Matthew 5:43-48
You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect. (NLT)

Matthew 10:28
Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell. (NLT)

Leave the Vengeance to God

When someone bullies us, it can be tempting to retaliate in a similar manner. Yet God reminds us in His Word that we need to leave the vengeance to Him. We still need to report the bullying. We still need to stand up to those that bully others, but we should not retaliate in the same way. God brings us adults and authority figures to deal with the bully:

Leviticus 19:18
You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord. (NASB)

2 Timothy 1:7
God’s Spirit doesn’t make cowards out of us. The Spirit gives us power, love, and self-control. (CEV)

Romans 12:19-20
Dear friends, don’t try to get even. Let God take revenge. In the Scriptures, the Lord says, “I am the one to take revenge and pay them back.” The Scriptures also say, “If your enemies are hungry, give them something to eat. And if they are thirsty, give them something to drink. This will be the same as piling burning coals on their heads.” (CEV)

Proverbs 6:16-19
There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community. (NIV)

Matthew 7:2
For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. (NLT)