47 Bible Verses about Criticism, against believers

And Laban came up with Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountain. And Laban encamped with his brothers in the mountain of Gilead. And Laban said to Jacob, What have thou done, that thou have slipped away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters as captives of the sword? Why did thou flee secretly, and creep away from me, and did not tell me, that I might have sent thee away with mirth and with songs, with tambourine and with harp,read more.
and did not allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters? Now thou have done foolishly. It is in the power of my hand to do you harm, but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, Take heed to thyself that thou not speak to Jacob either good or bad. And now, [though] thou have certainly gone, because thou have been very desirous for thy father's house, [yet] why have thou stolen my gods?

And LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram's wife. And Pharaoh called Abram, and said, What is this that thou have done to me? Why did thou not tell me that she was thy wife? Why did thou say, She is my sister, so that I took her to be my wife? Now therefore behold thy wife. Take her, and go thy way.read more.
And Pharaoh gave men command concerning him. And they brought him on the way, and his wife, and all that he had.

And Sarai said to Abram, My wrong be upon thee. I gave my handmaid into they bosom, and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes. LORD judge between me and thee.

Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said to him, What have thou done to us? And in what have I sinned against thee, that thou have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? Thou have done deeds to me that ought not to be done. And Abimelech said to Abraham, What did thou see, that thou have done this thing?

And when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no sons, Rachel envied her sister, and she said to Jacob, Give me sons, or else I die. And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel, and he said, Am I in God's stead, who has withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?

And the people thirsted there for water. And the people murmured against Moses, and said, Why have thou brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our sons and our cattle with thirst?

And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown up, that he went out to his brothers, and looked on their burdens. And he saw an Egyptian smiting a Hebrew, one of his brothers. And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he smote the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand. And he went out the second day, and, behold, two men of the Hebrews were striving together. And he said to him who did the wrong, Why do thou smite thy neighbor?read more.
And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? Do thou think to kill me, as thou killed the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely the thing is known.

And the officers of the sons of Israel saw that they were in affliction, when it was said, Ye shall not diminish anything from your bricks, [your] daily tasks. And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh, and they said to them, LORD look upon you, and judge, because ye have made our fragrance to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us.

and they said to Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, have thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have thou dealt thus with us, to bring us forth out of Egypt? Is not this the word that we spoke to thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it were better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.

And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?

And the whole congregation of the sons of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron in the wilderness.

And Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman. And they said, Has LORD indeed spoken only with Moses? Has he not spoken also with us? And LORD heard it.

Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took, and they rose up before Moses, with certain of the sons of Israel, two hundred and fifty rulers of the congregation, called to the assembly, men of renown, and they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said to them, Ye take too much upon you, since all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and LORD is among them. Why then do ye lift up yourselves

And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spoke to the men. And Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why have thou come down? And with whom have thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and t

And it was so, as the ark of LORD came into the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looked out at the window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before LORD, and she despised him in her heart. And they brought in the ark of LORD, and set it in its place, in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it. And David offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings before LORD. And when David had made an end of offering the burnt-offering and the peace-offerings, he blessed the people in the name of LORD of hosts.read more.
And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, both to men and women, to every one a cake of bread, and a portion [of flesh], and a cake of raisins. So all the people departed every one to his house. Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel today, who uncovered himself today in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants as on And David said to Michal, [It was] before LORD, who chose me above thy father, and above all his house, to appoint me prince over the people of LORD, over Israel. Therefore I will play before LORD. And I will be yet more vile than this, and will be base in my own sight, but of the handmaids of whom thou have spoken, of them I shall be had in honor. And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.

And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared for him a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him. And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate. And it was so, that, when any man had a suit which should come to the king for judgment, then Absalom called to him, and said, Of what city are thou? And he said, Thy And Absalom said to him, See, thy matters are good and right, but there is no man appointed by the king to hear thee.read more.
Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man who has any suit or case might come to me, and I would do for him justice!

Then Bildad the Shuhite answered, and said, How long will thou speak these things? And [how long] shall the words of thy mouth be [like] a mighty wind?

Then Zophar the Naamathite answered, and said, Should not the multitude of words be answered? And should a man full of talk be justified? Should thy boastings make men hold their peace? And when thou mock, shall no man make thee ashamed?read more.
For thou say, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in thine eyes. But O that God would speak, and open his lips against thee, and that he would show thee the secrets of wisdom! For he is manifold in understanding. Know therefore that God exacts of thee less than thine iniquity deserves.

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered, and said, Should a wise man make answer with vain knowledge, and fill himself with the east wind? Should he reason with unprofitable talk, or with speeches with which he can do no good?read more.
Yea, thou do away with fear, and hinder devotion before God. For thine iniquity teaches thy mouth. And thou choose the tongue of the crafty. Thine own mouth condemns thee, and not I. Yes, thine own lips testify against thee.

For as often as I speak, I cry out. I cry, Violence and destruction! Because the word of LORD is made a reproach to me, and a derision, all the day.

And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, Is it thou, thou troubler of Israel?

Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and smote Micaiah on the cheek, and said, Which way did the Spirit of LORD go from me to speak to thee? And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shall see on that day when thou shall go into an inner chamber to hide thyself. And the king of Israel said, Take Micaiah, and carry him back to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son,read more.
and say, Thus says the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction until I come in peace.

Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos has conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel. The land is not able to bear all his words. For thus Amos says: Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of his land. Also Amaziah said to Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thou away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there.

And the multitude comes together again, so as for them, no, not even to be able to eat bread. And when those with him heard it, they went out to grasp him, for they said, He is beside himself.

And when they saw him they were amazed. And his mother said to him, Child, why did thou this way to us? Behold, thy father and I were seeking thee sorrowing.

Now the feast of the Jews, the feast of tabernacles, was near. His brothers therefore said to him, Depart from here, and go into Judea so that thy disciples also may see thy works that thou do. For no man does anything in secret, and he himself seeks to be in public. If thou do these things, show thyself to the world.read more.
For not even his brothers believed in him.

And he himself was in the stern sleeping on the cushion. And they awake him, and say to him, Teacher, does it not concern thee that we perish?

From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders, and chief priests, and scholars, and be killed, and the third day be raised up. And having taken him aside, Peter began to rebuke him, saying, Be merciful to thee, Lord. This will, no, not be to thee. But having turned around, he said to Peter, Go thee behind me, Satan. Thou are my stumbling-block, because thou regard not the things of God, but the things of men.

And he began to teach them that it was necessary for the Son of man to suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, and the chief priests, and the scholars, and be killed, and after three days to rise. And he spoke the matter openly. And having taken him aside, Peter began to rebuke him. But he, having turned around, and having looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Go thee behind me, Satan, because thou think not the things of God, but the things of men.

But Martha was encumbered about much serving. And having stood near, she said, Lord, do thou not care that my sister left me behind to serve alone? Speak to her therefore that she may help me.

Therefore many of his disciples having heard, said, This is a hard saying. Who can listen to it? But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples are grumbling about this, said to them, Does this cause you to stumble?

So he comes to Simon Peter, and that man says to him, Lord, do thou wash my feet? Jesus answered and said to him, What I do thou do not know now, but thou will understand after these things. Peter says to him, Thou may, no, not wash my feet into the age. Jesus answered him, If I may not wash thee, thou have no part with me.read more.
Simon Peter says to him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and head.

And it came to pass while he relaxed in the house, and behold, many tax collectors and sinners having come, they were sitting with Jesus and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to his disciples, Why does your teacher eat with the tax collectors and sinners?

And it came to pass, while he was dining in his house, that many tax collectors and sinners were dining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many, and they followed him. And the scholars of the Pharisees, when they saw him eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they said to his disciples, Why is it that he eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?

And Levi made a great feast for him in his house, and there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others who were relaxing with them. And their scholars and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?

At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on the Sabbath, and his disciples were hungry and began to pluck ears, and to eat. But the Pharisees, when they saw it, said to him, Behold, thy disciples do what is not permitted to do upon the Sabbath.

And it came to pass, that he was passing through the grain fields on the Sabbath day, and his disciples began to make a path while plucking the ears. And the Pharisees said to him, Look, why are they doing what is not permitted on the Sabbath day?

Now it came to pass for him to be going through the grain fields on a particular Sabbath, and his disciples were plucking the ears and were eating, rubbing them in their hands. But some of the Pharisees said to them, Why do ye what is not permitted to do on the Sabbath day?

Now all the tax collectors and sinners were approaching him to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scholars murmured, saying, This man receives sinners and eats with them.

The Jews therefore murmured about him because he said, I am the bread that came down out of heaven. And they said, Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? Therefore how does this man say, I have come down out of heaven?

And behold, some of the scholars said within themselves, This man blasphemes.

But some of the scholars were sitting there, and deliberating in their hearts, Why does this man speak blasphemies this way. Who can forgive sins but one, God?

And the scholars and the Pharisees began to deliberate, saying, Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, except God alone?

The Jews therefore said to him, Now we know that thou have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets, and thou say, If any man keeps my word, he will, no, not taste of death, into the age. Are thou greater than our father Abraham who died? And the prophets died. Who do thou make thyself?

And when the seven days were about to be completed, the Jews from Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the people and threw hands on him, crying out, Men, Israelites, help. This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against the people, and the law, and this place. And besides he also brought Greeks into the temple, and has defiled this holy place.

But Gallio being proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord attacked Paul and brought him to the judgment seat, saying, This man is persuading men to worship God against the law.

Because, The letters, he says, are indeed weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech is disdained.