83 Bible Verses about Suffering, Causes Of

So Jehovah God said to the serpent: Because you have done this you are cursed above all the livestock and all the wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity (hostility) (hatred) between you and the woman, and between your offspring (seed) and hers. He will bruise (overwhelm) (crush) you in the head, and you will bruise (overwhelm) (crush) him in the heel. (Romans 16:20) He said to the woman: I will greatly increase your pains in childbirth; with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.read more.
He said to Adam: Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, 'You must not eat of it,' cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you. You will eat the plants of the field. You will eat your food by the sweat of your brow until you return to the ground. You came from the ground. For dust you are and to dust you will return.

A man named Job lived in Uz. He was a man of integrity! He was decent, he respected God, and he stayed away from evil.

He saw a man who was blind from birth. His disciples asked him: Rabbi he was born blind. Who sinned, this man or his parents? Jesus answered: This man did not sin. Neither did his parents sin. The works of God should be made known in him.

Affliction does not come from the dust, and trouble does not sprout from the ground. A person is born for trouble as surely as sparks fly up from a fire.

Therefore, through one-man sin entered into the world, and death through sin. So death passed to all men, for all have sinned. Until the law sin was in the world. Sin is not imputed (put on account) when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even for those who had not sinned after the likeness of Adam's transgression. Adam is in some ways like Christ who came later.

While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

Simeon and Levi are brothers. They use their weapons to commit violence. I will not join in their secret talks. I will not take part in their meetings. They killed people in anger. They crippled bulls for sport. A curse is on their anger, because it is so fierce. And a curse is on their fury, because it is so cruel. I will scatter them throughout the land of Israel. I will disperse them among its people.

The next day Jehovah let a distressing spirit take control of Saul. He began acting like a crazy man inside his house. David came to play the harp for Saul as usual. This time Saul had a spear in his hand. Saul balanced the spear in his hand and said: I will give David a blow! I will pin him to the wall. David got away from him twice.

They spat in his face and hit him, saying:

My God, rescue me from wicked people, from the power of cruel and evil people.

And Adoni-bezek said: Seventy kings with their big toes cut off have gathered food scrapes under my table. God has repaid me for what I have done. So they brought him to Jerusalem where he died.

For strangers have risen up against me. And oppressors seek after my life. They have not kept God in their presence.

Jehovah also said: For the many transgressions of the children of Ammon I will not withdraw the punishment. They have ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead, that they may enlarge their border.

Herod saw that the astrologers tricked him and he was furious. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys two years old and younger in or near Bethlehem. This matched the time he learned from the astrologers. Jeremiah's prophecy came true: A sound was heard in Ramah, the sound of crying in bitter grief. Rachel is weeping for her children. She would not be comforted, because they were dead.

Jesus answered: A man traveled from Jerusalem to Jericho. He fell among robbers. They stripped him, beat him and left him half dead.

The king of Israel put the city gate under the command of the officer who was his personal attendant. The officer was trampled to death there by the people and died, as Elisha had predicted when the king went to see him.

The crowd rose up against them. The magistrates ripped their garments off them, and commanded to beat them with rods.

The noise of battle and great destruction fills the land.

In the days of King Amraphel of Shinar, King Arioch of Ellasar, King Chedorlaomer of Elam, and King Tidal of Goiim, these four kings made war with King Bera of Sodom, King Birsha of Gomorrah, King Shinab of Admah, King Shemeber of Zeboiim, and the king of Zoar.

When the king of Egypt let the people go God did not take them on the road that goes up the coast to Philistia, although it was the shortest way. God thought: I do not want the people to change their minds and return to Egypt when they see that they are going to have to fight.

So the people shouted when the priests blew the trumpets. When the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, the wall fell down flat. The people went into the city, every man straight ahead. They captured the city. They utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword.

Then Joshua said: Open the mouth of the cave, and bring out those five kings to me. They did so, and brought the five kings to him: the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon. When they brought out the kings to Joshua, Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said to the captains of the men of war who went with him: Come near, put your feet on the back of the necks of (humiliate) (abase) these kings. They came near, and put their feet upon their necks.read more.
Joshua said: Do not be afraid. Do not be terrified! Be strong and have courage: for this is what Jehovah will do to all your enemies against whom you fight. Afterward Joshua struck and killed them. He hanged them on five trees: and they hung on the trees until evening.

Judah went up and Jehovah delivered the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand. They killed ten thousand men at Bezek. They found Adoni-bezek in Bezek: and they fought against him. They killed the Canaanites and the Perizzites. Adoni-bezek fled and they chased him, caught him, and cut off his thumbs and his big toes.read more.
And Adoni-bezek said: Seventy kings with their big toes cut off have gathered food scrapes under my table. God has repaid me for what I have done. So they brought him to Jerusalem where he died.

The fight grew more violent as the day went on. The king was propped up in his chariot facing the Syrians (Aramaeans). The floor of the chariot was covered with the blood from his wound. By evening he died.

Then the king of Assyria invaded the land and advanced to Samaria. He besieged the city for three years. In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria. He led the Israelites away to Assyria. He stationed them in Halah and Habor on the Gozan River, and in the towns of the Medes.

I will gather all nations to battle against Jerusalem! The city will be defeated. The houses will be plundered and the women raped! Half of the city will be taken into captivity. The remainder of the people will not be removed from the city.

When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies you will know that desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let those who are in the midst of her leave. And let no one from the country enter. These are days of vengeance! All things written will be fulfilled.read more.
Woe to those who are pregnant and those who nurse a child in those days! There will be great distress upon the land, and wrath to this people. They will be killed by the edge of the sword. Some will be led captive into all the nations. The people of the nations will tread down Jerusalem until the time of the Nations is fulfilled.

Another horse that was red went out: and power was given to him who sat on it to take peace from the earth. He was given a great sword so that men could kill one another.

He answered me: The wickedness of the nations of Israel and Judah is terrible! The land is filled with murder, and the city is filled with wrongdoing. They think that Jehovah has abandoned the land and that he does not see.

Potiphar became very angry and threw Joseph in the same prison where the king's prisoners were kept. While Joseph was in prison,

So the elders and nobles in authority in his town did as Jezebel said in the letter she sent them. They gave orders for a day of public sorrow and put Naboth at the head of the people. The two good-for-nothing persons came in and took their seats before him and gave witness against Naboth, in front of the people. They said: Naboth has been cursing God and the king. Then they took him outside the town and had him stoned to death.read more.
Then they sent word to Jezebel, saying: Naboth has been stoned and is dead.

Even more, Manasseh killed many innocent men. He filled Jerusalem from one end to the other with blood. He also caused Judah to sin and do evil in the eyes of Jehovah.

([Psalm of David]) Do you indeed speak righteousness, you silent ones (O you God-like ones)? Do you judge uprightly, you sons of men? No, in your heart you plot unrighteousness. You measure out the violence of your hands on the earth.

They devise evil plans and say: We will commit the perfect crime. The thoughts and the heart of man are deep.

So the Egyptians put slave masters over them in order to oppress them through forced labor. They built Pithom and Rameses as supply (storage) cities for Pharaoh.

Rehoboam went to Shechem. All the people of northern Israel gathered to make him king. Jeroboam son of Nebat went to Egypt to escape from King Solomon. When he heard this news he returned from Egypt. The people of the northern tribes sent for him. Then they all went together to Rehoboam and said to him:read more.
Your father Solomon treated us harshly and placed heavy burdens on us. If you make these burdens lighter and make life easier for us, we will be your loyal subjects.

Because oppressed people are robbed and needy people groan, I will now arise, says Jehovah. I will provide safety for those who long for it.

Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and your silver are rusted. Their corrosion will be for a testimony against you, and will eat your flesh like fire. You stored up your treasure in the last days.read more.
Behold, the wages of the laborers who harvested your fields, which are held back by you, cry out: and the cries of them that reaped have entered into the ears of Jehovah of Hosts. You lived in luxury on the earth, and take your pleasure; you nourished your hearts in a day of slaughter. You have condemned, and you have killed the righteous one. He does not resist you.

Why have you disobeyed my commands? Why did you do this evil thing? You had Uriah killed in battle! You let the Ammonites kill him. Then you took his wife!

You ask: Why do you not accept our offerings? It is because Jehovah is a witness between you and the wife of your youth. The one to whom you have been unfaithful! She is your companion, the wife of your marriage vows.

Do not accumulate large amounts of wealth on earth. This is where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal.

When Laban went to shear his sheep, Rachel stole her father's household idols.

a messenger came running to Job. We were plowing the fields with the cattle, he said, and the donkeys were in a nearby pasture. Suddenly the Sabeans attacked and stole them all. They killed every one of your servants except me. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.

The wicked remove landmarks. They seize flocks and pasture them.

My relatives and my closest friends have stopped coming. My houseguests have forgotten me. My female slaves consider me to be a stranger. I am like a foreigner to them. I call my slave, but he does not answer, even when I beg him.read more.
I am repulsive to my wife and my children think I stink. Even young children despise me. If I stand up, they make fun of me. All my closest friends are disgusted with me. Those I love have turned against me.

Even if my father and mother abandon (forsake) me, Jehovah will take care of me.

A perverse man sows discord. A whisperer separates good friends.

Their disagreement was so great between them that they parted company. So Barnabas took Mark, and sailed to Cyprus.

They surround me with hateful words. They fight against me without reason.

After that Amnon developed an intense hatred for her. His hatred for her was greater than the lust he felt for her. Get out of here, he told her.

For we also once were foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.

Joseph's brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them. They hated Joseph and could not speak to him in a friendly way.

But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn (firstlings) of his flock. Jehovah looked with favor on Abel and his offering. He did not look with favor on Cain and his offering. So Cain became very angry, and his face was downcast (he had a bad attitude).

Your servant is in your hands, Abram said. Do with her whatever you think best. Then Sarai mistreated Hagar. So she ran away from her.

The child grew and was weaned. Abraham held a big feast on the day Isaac was weaned. Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was laughing in mockery. She said to Abraham: Get rid of that slave woman and her son.

Saul became very angry because he considered this saying to be insulting. He said: To David they credit tens of thousands but to me they credit only a few thousand. The only thing left for David is my kingdom. He was jealous and suspicious of David from that day on.

He knew it was because of envy they gave him up.

Remember the word I said to you. A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they obeyed my word, they will obey yours also.

So they took me and let me down by ropes into Prince Malchiah's well, which was in the palace courtyard. There was no water in the well, only mud, and I sank down in it.

Then the herald proclaimed: You are commanded to do this, O peoples, nations, and men of every language. When you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, zither, pipes (bagpipe), and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king set up. Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into the midst of a blazing furnace.

All the governors of the kingdom, the deputies and the governors, the counselors consulted together to establish a royal statute. They made a strong decree, that whoever prays to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into the den of lions.

Blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when men revile you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice, and be filled with joy, for great is your reward in heaven. The prophets, who came before you, were also persecuted.

My coming will cause a separation. A man will be against his father and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. A man's enemies will be from his own family.

When the Lamb opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the persons who were slaughtered because of the word of God, and for the witness they gave. They cried with a loud voice, saying: How long, O Lord, holy and true, before you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth? Each of them was given a white robe. They were told that they should rest for a little while. [They were to wait] until the [number] of their fellow servants and their brothers, who would be killed, as they were, should be fulfilled.

Saul's son Jonathan had a son who was crippled. When the boy was five years old, the news about the death of Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and fled to Gittaim. She was in a hurry when she left. He fell from her arms and became disabled. His name was Mephibosheth.

King Ahaziah of Israel fell off the balcony on the roof of his palace in Samaria and was seriously injured. He sent some messengers and said to them: Go to consult Baalzebub, the god of the Philistine city of Ekron, to find out whether or not I will recover from this.

What about the eighteen people in Siloam killed when the castle tower fell on them? Do you think this proves that they were worse than all the other people living in Jerusalem?

Later Joseph was told that his father was ill. So he took his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, and went to see Jacob.

Hezekiah became ill and was about to die. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz said to him: This is what Jehovah says: 'Give final instructions to your household. You will not recover. You will die.'

Satan left Jehovah's presence and struck Job with painful boils from the bottom of his feet to the top of his head.

As a shattering of my bones, my adversaries revile me, while they say to me all day long: Where is your God?

He said: Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home and terribly tormented.

His father was sick in bed. He suffered from fever and dysentery. Paul went to him, prayed, placed his hands on him, and made him well.

Indeed he was sick and near to death. But God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but also on me, that I might not have sorrow upon sorrow.

Erastus remained at Corinth, but I left Trophimus at Miletus sick.

Is any among you sick? Let him call the elders of the congregation. Let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of God.

There was a famine in the land. Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while, because the famine was severe.

Shriveled up from need and hunger, they gnaw at the dry and barren ground during the night.

My people will go into exile because they do not understand what I am doing. Honored men will starve, and common people will be parched with thirst.

I was hungry and you did not feed me. I was thirsty and you did not give me drink. I was a stranger and you did not take me in. I was naked and you did not dress me. I was sick and in prison and you did not visit me.'

King Jehoshaphat had ocean-going ships built to sail to the land of Ophir for gold. They were wrecked at Eziongeber and never sailed.

Before he finished speaking, another servant came and said: Lightning struck the sheep and the shepherds and killed them all. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.

Jehovah of Hosts will visit you with a thundering earthquake. A huge whirlwind will bring loud noise and a devouring fire.