11 Bible Verses about Contempt

Then Tobiah the Ammonite, who was beside him, said, “Indeed, even if a fox climbed up what they are building, he would break down their stone wall!”

When Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard about this, they mocked and despised us, and said, “What is this you’re doing? Are you rebelling against the king?”

Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t His mother called Mary, and His brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?

“You were born entirely in sin,” they replied, “and are you trying to teach us?” Then they threw him out.

David’s oldest brother Eliab listened as he spoke to the men, and became angry with him. “Why did you come down here?” he asked. “Who did you leave those few sheep with in the wilderness? I know your arrogance and your evil heart—you came down to see the battle!”

The Lord laughs at him
because He sees that his day is coming.

The One enthroned in heaven laughs;
the Lord ridicules them.

But You laugh at them, Lord;
You ridicule all the nations.

I, in turn, will laugh at your calamity.
I will mock when terror strikes you,

He mocks those who mock,
but gives grace to the humble.

unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, without love for what is good,

Therefore, as a tongue of fire consumes straw
and as dry grass shrivels in the flame,
so their roots will become like something rotten
and their blossoms will blow away like dust,
for they have rejected
the instruction of the Lord of Hosts,
and they have despised
the word of the Holy One of Israel.

When a wicked man comes, contempt also does,
and along with dishonor, disgrace.

He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of suffering who knew what sickness was.
He was like someone people turned away from;
He was despised, and we didn’t value Him.

They twisted together a crown of thorns, put it on His head, and placed a reed in His right hand. And they knelt down before Him and mocked Him: “Hail, King of the Jews!”

But I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by men and despised by people.

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and looked down on everyone else:

They say, ‘Keep to yourself,
don’t come near me, for I am too holy for you!’
These practices are smoke in My nostrils,
a fire that burns all day long.

The Pharisee took his stand and was praying like this: ‘God, I thank You that I’m not like other people —greedy, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.

Whoever listens to you listens to Me. Whoever rejects you rejects Me. And whoever rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me.”

Therefore, the person who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who also gives you His Holy Spirit.

A wise son brings joy to his father,
but a foolish man despises his mother.

A fool despises his father’s discipline,
but a person who accepts correction is sensible.

You sinners frustrate the plans of the afflicted,
but the Lord is his refuge.

And I said, “Wisdom is better than strength, but the wisdom of the poor man is despised, and his words are not heeded.”

At that time Michael the great prince who stands watch over your people will rise up. There will be a time of distress such as never has occurred since nations came into being until that time. But at that time all your people who are found written in the book will escape. Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to eternal life, and some to shame and eternal contempt.

For just as the Father has life in Himself, so also He has granted to the Son to have life in Himself. And He has granted Him the right to pass judgment, because He is the Son of Man. Do not be amazed at this, because a time is coming when all who are in the graves will hear His voice read more.
and come out-those who have done good things, to the resurrection of life, but those who have done wicked things, to the resurrection of judgment.

Listen, our God, for we are despised. Make their insults return on their own heads and let them be taken as plunder to a land of captivity.

Show us favor, Lord, show us favor,
for we’ve had more than enough contempt.

especially those who follow the polluting desires of the flesh and despise authority.

Bold, arrogant people! They do not tremble when they blaspheme the glorious ones;

Nevertheless, these dreamers likewise defile their flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme glorious ones.

Therefore, no one should look down on him. Send him on his way in peace so he can come to me, for I am expecting him with the brothers.

For it is said, “His letters are weighty and powerful, but his physical presence is weak, and his public speaking is despicable.”

Nabal asked them, "Who is David? Who is Jesse's son? Many slaves these days are running away from their masters. Am I supposed to take my bread, my water, and my meat that I butchered for my shearers and give them to men who are from I don't know where?"

Listen to your father who gave you life,
and don’t despise your mother when she is old.

But some wicked men said, “How can this guy save us?” They despised him and did not bring him a gift, but Saul said nothing.

Let no one despise your youth; instead, you should be an example to the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.

Whoever shows contempt for his neighbor lacks sense,
but a man with understanding keeps silent.

I am insignificant and despised,
but I do not forget Your precepts.

They will live there securely, build houses, and plant vineyards. They will live securely when I execute judgments against all their neighbors who treat them with contempt. Then they will know that I am Yahweh their God.”

“See that you don’t look down on one of these little ones, because I tell you that in heaven their angels continually view the face of My Father in heaven.

Those who have believing masters should not be disrespectful to them because they are brothers, but should serve them better, since those who benefit from their service are believers and dearly loved.

Teach and encourage these things.

As the ark of the Lord was entering the city of David, Saul’s daughter Michal looked down from the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, and she despised him in her heart.

For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, because he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts. "You, on the other hand, have turned from the way. You have caused many to stumble by your instruction. You have violated the covenant of Levi," says the Lord of Hosts. "So I in turn have made you despised and humiliated before all the people because you are not keeping My ways but are showing partiality in [your] instruction."

When a wicked man comes, contempt also does,
and along with dishonor, disgrace.

The sons of your oppressors
will come and bow down to you;
all who reviled you
will fall facedown at your feet.
They will call you the City of the Lord,
Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

He slept with Hagar, and she became pregnant. When she realized that she was pregnant, she treated her mistress with contempt.

If I have dismissed the case of my male or female servants when they made a complaint against me, what could I do when God stands up [to judge]? How should I answer Him when He calls [me] to account?

One who eats must not look down on one who does not eat, and one who does not eat must not criticize one who does, because God has accepted him.

My brothers, hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ without showing favoritism. For suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring, dressed in fine clothes, and a poor man dressed in dirty clothes also comes in. If you look with favor on the man wearing the fine clothes so that you say, "Sit here in a good place," and yet you say to the poor man, "Stand over there," or, "Sit here on the floor by my footstool,"

We’ve had more than enough
scorn from the arrogant
and contempt from the proud.

Even young boys scorn me.
When I stand up, they mock me.

Yet you dishonored that poor man. Don’t the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts?