78 Bible Verses about Retribution

you shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me, and showing loving kindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

Do not seek revenge yourselves, beloved, but give place to God's wrath. For it is written, "Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord."

For we know him who said, "Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay." Again, "The Lord will judge his people."

Vengeance is mine, and I will repay, at the time when their foot slides; for the day of their calamity is at hand. The things that are to come on them shall make haste."

The LORD said to Moses, "Whoever has sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book. Now go, lead the people to the place of which I have spoken to you. Behold, my angel shall go before you. Nevertheless in the day when I punish, I will punish them for their sin."

"'If by these things you won't be reformed to me, but will walk contrary to me; then I will also walk contrary to you; and I will strike you, even I, seven times for your sins. I will bring a sword upon you, that will execute the vengeance of the covenant; and you will be gathered together within your cities: and I will send the pestilence among you; and you will be delivered into the hand of the enemy.

Know therefore that the LORD your God, he is God, the faithful God, who keeps covenant and loving kindness with them who love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations, and repays those who hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him who hates him, he will repay him to his face.

if I whet my glittering sword, My hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to my adversaries, and will recompense those who hate me. I will make my arrows drunk with blood. My sword shall devour flesh with the blood of the slain and the captives, from the head of the leaders of the enemy." Rejoice, O heavens, with him, and let all the angels of God worship him. Rejoice, O nations, with his people, and let all the angels of God strengthen themselves in him. For he will avenge the blood of his sons, and render vengeance to his enemies, and will recompense them that hate him, and will cleanse the land for his people.

For the work of a man he will render to him, and cause every man to find according to his ways.

If you say, "Behold, we did not know this;" doesn't he who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, doesn't he know it? Shall he not render to every man according to his work?

Therefore the Lord, the LORD of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel, says: "Ah, I will get relief from my adversaries, and avenge myself of my enemies;

The LORD is a jealous God and avenges. The LORD avenges and is full of wrath. The LORD takes vengeance on his adversaries, and he maintains wrath against his enemies.

Be it far from you to do things like that, to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be like the wicked. May that be far from you. Shouldn't the Judge of all the earth do right?"

For I will proclaim the name of the LORD. Ascribe greatness to our God. The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice: a God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and right is he.

It happened, when the kingdom of Rehoboam was established, and he was strong, that he forsook the law of the LORD, and all Israel with him. It happened in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had trespassed against the LORD, with twelve hundred chariots, and sixty thousand horsemen. The people were without number who came with him out of Egypt: the Lubim, the Sukkiim, and the Ethiopians.read more.
He took the fortified cities which pertained to Judah, and came to Jerusalem. And Shemaiah the prophet came to Rehoboam, and to the leaders of Judah, who were gathered together to Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said to them, "Thus says the LORD, 'You have forsaken me, therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak.'" Then the leaders of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said, "The LORD is righteous."

The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance. He shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked; so that men shall say, "Most certainly there is a reward for the righteous. Most certainly there is a God who judges the earth."

"How can I pardon you? Your children have forsaken me, and sworn by what are no gods. When I had fed them to the full, they committed adultery, and assembled themselves in troops at the prostitutes' houses. They were as fed horses roaming at large: everyone neighed after his neighbor's wife. Shouldn't I punish them for these things?" says the LORD; "and shouldn't my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you, that you may be no priest to me. Because you have forgotten your God's law, I will also forget your children.

He has dug a hole, and has fallen into the pit which he made. The trouble he causes shall return to his own head. His violence shall come down on the crown of his own head.

The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, to kill those who are upright in the way. Their sword shall enter into their own heart. Their bows shall be broken.

but these lie in wait for their own blood. They lurk secretly for their own lives.

Whoever digs a pit shall fall into it. Whoever rolls a stone, it will come back on him.

Whoever causes the upright to go astray in an evil way, he will fall into his own trap; but the blameless will inherit good.

Then Jesus said to him, "Put your sword back into its place, for all those who take the sword will die by the sword.

Do not be deceived. God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption. But he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

Whoever sheds man's blood, his blood will be shed by man, for God made man in his own image.

But if any harm follows, then you must take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burning for burning, wound for wound, and bruise for bruise.

for he is a servant of God to you for good. But if you do that which is evil, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is a servant of God, an avenger for wrath to him who does evil.

"'He who strikes any man mortally shall surely be put to death. He who strikes an animal mortally shall make it good, life for life. If anyone injures his neighbor; as he has done, so shall it be done to him:read more.
fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; as he has injured someone, so shall it be done to him. He who kills an animal shall make it good; and he who kills a man shall be put to death. You shall have one kind of law, for the foreigner as well as the native-born: for I am the LORD your God.'"

"'But if he struck him with an instrument of iron, so that he died, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. If he struck him with a stone in the hand, by which a man may die, and he died, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. Or if he struck him with a weapon of wood in the hand, by which a man may die, and he died, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.read more.
The avenger of blood shall himself put the murderer to death: when he meets him, he shall put him to death. If he thrust him of hatred, or hurled at him, lying in wait, so that he died, or in enmity struck him with his hand, so that he died; he who struck him shall surely be put to death; he is a murderer: the avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death, when he meets him. "'But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or hurled on him anything without lying in wait, or with any stone, by which a man may die, not seeing him, and cast it on him, so that he died, and he was not his enemy, neither sought his harm; then the congregation shall judge between the striker and the avenger of blood according to these ordinances; and the congregation shall deliver the manslayer out of the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge, where he was fled: and he shall dwell therein until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.

or to governors, as sent by him for vengeance on evildoers and for praise to those who do well.

Do not say, "I will do to him as he has done to me; I will render to the man according to his work."

"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.' But I tell you, do not contend with him who wrongs you; but whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also.

Give them according to their work, and according to the wickedness of their doings. Give them according to the operation of their hands. Bring back on them what they deserve.

Since it is a righteous thing with God to repay affliction to those who afflict you, and to give relief to you who are afflicted with us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, giving vengeance to those who do not know God, and to those who do not obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus,read more.
who will pay the penalty: eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired among all those who have believed (because our testimony to you was believed) in that day.

Why should the nations say, "Where is their God?" Let it be known among the nations, before our eyes, that vengeance for your servants' blood is being poured out.

LORD, you God to whom vengeance belongs, you God to whom vengeance belongs, shine forth. Rise up, you judge of the earth. Pay back the proud what they deserve.

Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction, he will be blessed who rewards you, as you have served us. Blessed shall he be who takes and dashes your little ones against the rock.

You will render to them what they deserve, LORD, according to the work of their hands. You will give them hardness of heart as your curse to them. You will pursue them in anger, and destroy them from under the heavens of the LORD.

The sea gave up the dead who were in it. Death and hell gave up the dead who were in them. They were judged, each one according to his works.

God has spoken once; twice I have heard this, that power belongs to God. Also to you, Lord, belongs loving kindness, for you reward every man according to his work.

Do not marvel at this, for the hour comes, in which all that are in the tombs will hear his voice, and will come out; those who have done good, to the resurrection of life; and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment.

But according to your hardness and unrepentant heart you are storing up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; who "will pay back to everyone according to their works:" to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality -- eternal life.read more.
But to those who are self-seeking, and do not obey the truth, but obey wickedness -- wrath and anger, suffering and distress, on every soul of man who does evil, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. But glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does good, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For there is no partiality with God.

The LORD God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock, and above every animal of the field. On your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life.

I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will bruise your head, and you will bruise his heel." To the woman he said, "I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth. In pain you will bring forth children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you."

The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The LORD was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him in his heart. The LORD said, "I will destroy man whom I have created from the surface of the ground; man, along with animals, creeping things, and birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them."

The LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men built. The LORD said, "Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is what they begin to do. Now nothing will be withheld from them, which they intend to do. Come, let us go down, and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another's speech."

Then the LORD rained on Sodom and on Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the LORD out of the sky.

You shall tell him, 'The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to you, saying, "Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness:" and behold, until now you haven't listened. Thus says the LORD, "In this you shall know that I am the LORD. Behold, I will strike with the rod that is in my hand on the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood.

The LORD said to Moses, "Yet one plague more will I bring on Pharaoh, and on Egypt; afterwards he will let you go. When he lets you go, he will surely thrust you out altogether.

It happened at midnight, that the LORD struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of livestock.

The LORD struck the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made.

Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Neither be idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play." Neither let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them committed, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell.read more.
Neither let us test the Christ, as some of them tested, and perished by the serpents. Neither grumble, as some of them also grumbled, and perished by the destroyer.

The land was defiled: therefore I punished its iniquity, and the land vomited out her inhabitants.

Do not say in your heart, after the LORD your God has thrust them out from before you, saying, "For my righteousness the LORD has brought me in to possess this land"; because the LORD drives them out before you because of the wickedness of these nations.

that the land not vomit you out also, when you defile it, as it vomited out the nation that was before you.

Because you did not serve the LORD your God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, by reason of the abundance of all things; therefore you shall serve your enemies whom the LORD shall send against you, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron on your neck, until he has destroyed you.

"Behold, it is written before me: I will not keep silence, but will recompense, yes, I will recompense into their bosom, your own iniquities, and the iniquities of your fathers together," says the LORD, "who have burned incense on the mountains, and blasphemed me on the hills; therefore I will first measure their work into their bosom."

A voice of tumult from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the LORD that renders recompense to his enemies.

"'Therefore as I live,' says the Lord GOD, 'surely, because you have defiled my sanctuary with all your detestable things, and with all your abominations, therefore I will also diminish you; neither shall my eye spare, and I also will have no pity. A third part of you shall die with the pestilence, and with famine shall they be consumed in the midst of you; and a third part shall fall by the sword around you; and a third part I will scatter to all the winds, and will draw out a sword after them. Thus shall my anger be accomplished, and I will cause my wrath toward them to rest, and I shall be comforted; and they shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken in my zeal, when I have accomplished my wrath on them.

Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and save every man his life; do not be cut off in her iniquity: for it is the time of the LORD's vengeance; he will render to her a recompense.

that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berechiah, whom you killed between the sanctuary and the altar. Truly I tell you, that all these things will come upon this generation.

For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus; for you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews; who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and did not please God, and are contrary to all men; forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved; to fill up their sins always. But wrath has come on them to the uttermost.

Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died.

But if the LORD make a new thing, and the ground open its mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain to them, and they go down alive into Sheol; then you shall understand that these men have despised the LORD."

The anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God struck him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.

Now therefore the sword will never depart from your house, because you have despised me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.'

Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, against the shepherds who feed my people: "You have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them; behold, I will visit on you the evil of your doings," says the LORD.

But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back part of the price of the land? While you kept it, did not it remain your own? After it was sold, was not it in your power? How is it that you have conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men, but to God." Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and died. Great fear came on all who heard it.

For he who eats and drinks eats and drinks judgment to himself, if he does not discern the body. For this cause many among you are weak and sickly, and not a few sleep.

Adoni-Bezek said, "Seventy kings, having their thumbs and their great toes cut off, scavenged under my table: as I have done, so God has requited me." They brought him to Jerusalem, and he died there.

Thus God requited the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did to his father, in killing his seventy brothers; and all the wickedness of the men of Shechem did God return on their heads, and on them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.

They took Absalom, and cast him into the great pit in the forest, and raised over him a very great heap of stones. Then all Israel fled everyone to his tent.

You shall strike the house of Ahab your master, that I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the LORD, at the hand of Jezebel.

Likewise also the men, leaving the natural function of the woman, burned in their lust toward one another, men doing what is inappropriate with men, and receiving in themselves the due penalty of their error.

But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

Joshua said, "Why have you troubled us? The LORD will trouble you this day." All Israel stoned him with stones, and they burned them with fire and stoned them with stones.

The king said to him, "Do as he has said, and fall on him, and bury him; that you may take away the blood, which Joab shed without cause, from me and from my father's house. The LORD will return his blood on his own head, because he fell on two men more righteous and better than he, and killed them with the sword, and my father David did not know it: Abner the son of Ner, captain of the army of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the army of Judah.