8 Bible Verses about Bigotry

and he says, "I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, having been trained according to the exactness of the ancestral law, being zealous for God, even as ye all are to-day; and I persecuted this Way unto death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women;

And Saul, yet breathing threatening and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, going to the high priest, asked from him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that, if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. And, as he was journeying, it came to pass, that he was drawing nigh to Damascus; and suddenly there flashed around him a light from Heaven; read more.
and, having fallen upon the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" And he said, "Who art Thou, Lord?" And He said, "I am Jesus Whom you are persecuting.

I, verily, therefore, imagined to myself that it was proper that I should do many things contrary to the name of Jesus, the Nazarene;

For ye heard of my conduct formerly in Judaism; that, beyond measure, I was persecuting the assembly of God, and laying it waste; and was making progress in Judaism above many companions of the same age in my own nation, being more exceedingly a zealot for my ancestral instructions.

as to zeal, persecuting the assembly: as to the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

Then were brought to Him little children, that He might put His hands on them and pray; and the disciples rebuked them.

And they were bringing little children to Him, that He might touch them; and the disciples rebuked them.

And they were bringing to Him their babes, also, that He might touch them; but the disciples, seeing it, were rebuking them.

And those of the circumcision who believed, as many as came with Peter, were amazed, because that upon the gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit;

And, when Peter went up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision were contending with him, saying, that he went in to men holding uncircumcision, and ate with them!

And they, hearing it, were glorifying God, and said to him, "You observe, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews, of those who have believed; and they are all zealous for the law. And they were informed by report concerning you, that you teach all the Jews who are among the gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children, nor to walk after the customs. What is it, therefore? They will certainly hear that you have come. read more.
Do this, therefore, which we say to you: we have four men who have a vow on them; taking these to yourself, be purified with them, and incur expense for them, that they may shave their heads; and all will know that there is nothing in those things of which they have been instructed concerning you; but that you yourself also are walking orderly, keeping the law. But concerning the gentiles who have believed, we sent to them, having given judgment, that they should keep themselves from idol-sacrifices, and from blood, and from anything strangled, and from fornication."

And some, coming down from Judaea, were teaching the brethren, "Unless ye be circumcised after the custom of Moses, ye cannot be saved." And, when Paul and Barnabas had no little dissension and discussion with them, they arranged that Paul and Barnabas and some others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders, concerning this question. They, therefore, having been sent forward by the assembly, went through both Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the gentiles; and they were causing great joy to all the brethren. read more.
And, having come to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the assembly and apostles and elders; and they rehearsed as many things as God wrought with them. But there rose up some from the sect of the Pharisees, who believed, saying, "It is necessary to circumcise them, and to charge them to keep the law of Moses." And the apostles and the elders were assembled together to see about this matter. And, much discussion having arisen, Peter, standing up, said to them, "Brethren, ye well know that, from early days, God made choice among you, that through my mouth the gentiles should hear the word of the Gospel, and believe. And the heart-knowing God bore witness to them, giving them the Holy Spirit, even as to us: and He made no distinction between us and them, having purified their hearts by faith. Now, therefore, why do ye tempt God, that ye should put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were strong enough to bear?

Forasmuch as we heard that some from among us troubled you with words, unsettling your souls??o whom we gave no directions;

But not even Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised; and that was because of the false brethren secretly introduced, who, indeed, crept in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage; to whom not even for an hour did we yield in subjection, that the truth of the Gospel might continue with you.

What, then, is the advantage of the Jew? Or what is the profit of circumcision? Much every way: first, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God. For what, if some did disbelieve? Shall their disbelief make void the faithfulness of God? read more.
May it not be! But let God be true, and every man a liar; as it has been written, "That Thou mayest be justified in Thy words; and mayest overcome, when Thou judgest." But, if our unrighteousness commends the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous, Who visits with wrath? (I speak after the manner of a man). It could not be! for, then, how shall God judge the world? But, if the truth of God, through my lie, abounded unto His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner? And why not (as we are slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say), "Let us do evil that good may come?" whose condemnation is just. What, then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we before charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin; as it has been written, "There is none righteous, no not one; there is none that understands; there is none that seeks after God; they have all turned aside, they together became unprofitable; there is none that does good, there is not so much as one; their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips; whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness; their feet are swift to shed blood; destruction and misery are in their ways; and the ways of peace have they not known; there is no fear of God before their eyes." Now we know that whatsoever the law says, it speaks to those under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and that the whole world may be under the sentence of God; because, by the works of the law, no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the law is the knowledge of sin. But now, apart from the law, a righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even a righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ, to all who believe; for there is no distinction; for all sinned, and are coming short of the glory of God;

What, then, shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, has found according to the flesh? For, if Abraham was justified by works, he has ground of boasting, but not toward God. For what does the Scripture say? "And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him for righteousness." read more.
Now to him that works the reward is not reckoned as of grace, but as of debt; but to him that works not, but believes on Him Who justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for righteousness. Even as David also speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God reckoneth righteousness, apart from works, "Happy are those whose iniquities were forgiven, and whose sins were covered. Happy is the man to whom the Lord will not reckon sin." Does this happiness, therefore, come upon the circumcision, or upon the uncircumcision also? For we say, "Faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness." How, then, was it reckoned? When he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while in uncircumcision; that he might be father of all who believe while in uncircumcision, that the righteousness might be reckoned to them; and father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham, which he had in uncircumcision. For, not through law, was the promise to Abraham, or to his seed, that he should be heir of the world, but it was through the righteousness of faith. For, if those who are of the law are heirs, faith has been made void, and the promise has been brought to nought; for the law works wrath; but where there is no law, there is no transgression. For this cause it is of faith, that it may be according to grace; to the end that the promise may be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all

Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was reckoned to him; but for ours also, to whom it will be reckoned, if we believe on Him Who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered up for our trespasses, and raised for our justification.

John said to Him, "Teacher, we saw one casting out demons in Thy name; and we forbade him, because he was not following us." But Jesus said, "Forbid him not; for there is no one who shall exercise power in My name, and be able quickly to speak evil of Me; for he who is not against us is for us.

And John, answering, said, "Master, we saw one casting out demons in Thy name; and we forbade him, because he follows not with us." And Jesus said to him, "Forbid him not: for he who is not against you is for you."

But, seeing it, the Pharisee who invited Him, spake in himself, saying, "This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what sort of woman this is that is touching Him, because she is a sinner."

And both the scribes and the Pharisees were murmuring, saying, "This Man receiveth sinners and eateth with them!"

And, when He came to the place, Jesus, looking up, said to him, "Zacchaeus, hastening, come down; for to-day I must abide in your house." And, hastening, he came down, and received Him joyfully. And, seeing it, they were all murmuring, saying, "He went in to be guest with a sinful man!"

crying out, "Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against the people, and the law, and this place! and, further, he brought Greeks also into the temple, and has defiled this holy place!" (For they had previously seen with him in the city Trophimus, the Ephesian, whom they were supposing that Paul brought into the temple).

Now they were listening to him up to this word, and they lifted up their voice, saying, "Away with such a one from the earth; for it is not fit that he should live!"

And they reviled him, and said, "You are His disciple; but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God hath spoken to Moses; but, as to this Man, we know not whence He is."

They answered and said to him, You were altogether born in sins, and do you teach us!" And they cast him out.

For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.' The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a man gluttonous and a wine-drinker, a friend of tax-collectors and sinners.' And wisdom was justified by her works."

And the Pharisee, seeing it, marvelled that He was not first immersed before breakfast. But the Lord said to him, "Now ye, the Pharisees, cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish; but your inward part is full of extortion and wickedness.

who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and pleased not God, and are contrary to all men; forbidding us to speak to the gentiles, that they might be saved, for the filling up of their sins always; and the wrath came upon them to the uttermost.

And it came to pass, when the days for receiving Him up were being completed, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem; and He sent forth messengers before His face; and, journeying onward, they entered into a village of Samaritans, so as to prepare for Him. And they did not receive Him, because His face was as if He were going to Jerusalem. read more.
And, seeing it, His disciples, James and John, said, "Lord, dost Thou wish that we bid fire come down from heaven, and consume them?" But, turning, He rebuked them. And they went on to another village.

and He sent forth messengers before His face; and, journeying onward, they entered into a village of Samaritans, so as to prepare for Him. And they did not receive Him, because His face was as if He were going to Jerusalem.

The Samaritan woman, therefore, says to Him, "How is it that Thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, who am a Samaritan woman?" (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans).

And upon this came His disciples: and they were wondering that He was talking with a woman; yet no one said, "What seekest Thou?" or, "Why talkest Thou with her?"

For I testify for them, that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge; for, being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God;

For this cause, therefore, the Jews were seeking the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the sabbath, but also called God His Father, making Himself equal with God.

And all in the synagogue were filled with wrath, on hearing these things;