47 Bible Verses about Criticism, against believers

Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mount; and Laban with his brethren pitched in Mount Gilead. And Laban said to Jacob, What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away my heart and carried away my daughters as captives taken with the sword? Why didst thou flee away secretly and steal away from me and didst not tell me that I might have sent thee away with mirth and with songs with tambourine and with harp?read more.
And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? Thou hast now done foolishly in so doing. It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt, but the God of your father spoke unto me last night, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad. And now, that thou art leaving, because thy desire is after thy father's house, yet why hast thou stolen my gods?

But the 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 hast done unto me? Why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife? Why didst thou say, She is my sister? I might have taken her to me to wife; now, therefore, behold thy wife, take her, and go away.read more.
Then Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him; and they sent him away and his wife with all that he had.

Then Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee; I have given my maid into thy bosom, and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes; the LORD judge between me and thee.

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

And when Rachel saw that she gave Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister and said unto Jacob, Give me sons, or else I will 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?

So the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses and said, Why hast thou brought us up out of Egypt to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?

And it came to pass in those days when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren and looked on their burdens, and he spied an Egyptian smiting a Hebrew, one of his brethren. And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no one, he slew the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. And when he went out the next day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together, and he said to him that did the wrong, Why smitest thou thy fellow?read more.
And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? Doest thou intend to kill me as thou killed the Egyptian? And Moses feared and said, Surely this thing is known.

Then the officers of the sons of Israel saw that they were afflicted after it was said, Ye shall not diminish any from the bricks of your daily quota. And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh; and they said unto them, The LORD look upon you and judge because ye have made our savour to be a stench before Pharaoh and his slaves, putting a sword in their hands to slay us.

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

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

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

And Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had taken; for he had taken an Ethiopian woman. And they said, Has the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? Has he not spoken also by us? And the LORD heard it.

Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, of the sons of Reuben, took men; and they rose up against Moses, with two hundred and fifty men of the sons of Israel, princes of the congregation, of the council, men of renown; and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said unto them, We have had enough of you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them; why then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?

And Eliab, his eldest brother, heard when he spoke unto the men, and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why didst thou come down here? And with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride and the malice of thy heart, for thou art come down that thou might see the battle.

And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal, Saul's daughter, looked through a window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, and she despised him in her heart. And they brought in the ark of the 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 the LORD. And as soon as David had finished offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of the hosts.read more.
And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, to the men as well to the women, to each one a cake of bread and a good piece of flesh and a flagon of wine. So all the people departed each 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 slaves as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovers himself! Then David said unto Michal, It was before the LORD, who chose me over thy father and over all his house to appoint me prince over the people of the LORD, over Israel; therefore, I will dance before the LORD. And I will yet be more vile than thus and will be base in my own sight and before the maidservants whom thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour. Therefore, Michal, the daughter of Saul, had no children unto the day of her death.

And it came to pass after this that Absalom prepared himself chariots and horses and fifty men to run before him. And Absalom rose up early and stood beside the way of the gate; and when anyone that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto them and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy slave is of one of the tribes of Israel. And Absalom would say unto them, See, thy matters are good and just; but there is no one delegated by the king to hear thee.read more.
And Absalom would say, Oh, that I were made judge in the land, that everyone who has any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice!

Then Bildad, the Shuhite, answered and said, How long wilt thou speak such things and how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong 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 lies make men be silent? Shalt thou mock, and shall no man make thee ashamed?read more.
For thou hast said, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean before thine eyes. But oh, that God would speak and open his lips against thee and that he would show thee the secrets of wisdom! For thou dost deserve double according to sound wisdom; and thou dost know that God has forgotten thee because of thine iniquity.

Then Eliphaz, the Temanite, answered, and said, Should a wise man utter vain knowledge and fill his belly with the east wind? Should he dispute with useless words and with reasons that are not profitable?read more.
Thou dost also cast off fear and undermine prayer before God. For thy mouth has declared thine iniquity, and thou hast chosen the tongue of the crafty. Thine own mouth shall condemn thee, and not I; thine own lips shall testify against thee.

For since I spoke out, I raised my voice crying, Violence and destruction; because the word of the LORD has been a reproach unto me and a derision, daily.

And it came to pass when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubles Israel?

Then Zedekiah, the son of Chenaanah, went near and smote Micaiah on the cheek and said, Which way did the Spirit of the LORD go from me to speak unto thee? And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see in that day when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself. Then the king of Israel said, Take Micaiah and carry him back unto Amon, the governor of the city, and to Joash, the king's sonread more.
and say, Thus hath the king said, Put this fellow in the prison and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I return 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 hath Amos said, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land. And Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and eat thy bread there, and prophesy there:

And the multitude came together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread. And when his friends and family heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him; for they said, He is beside himself.

And when they saw him, they were amazed; and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? Behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.

Now the feast of the Jews, of the tabernacles, was at hand. His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart from this place and go into Judea that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest. For no one who seeks to be clearly known does anything in secret. If thou doest these things, show thyself to the world.read more.
For not even his brethren believed in him.

And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow; and they awoke him and said unto him, Master, dost thou not care that we perish?

From that time forth Jesus began to declare unto his disciples, how it was expedient for him to go unto Jerusalem and to suffer many things of the elders and the princes of the priests and of the scribes and to be killed and to be raised again the third day. Then Peter, taking him aside, began to rebuke him, saying, Lord, be it far from thee; in no wise shall this happen unto thee. But he turned and said unto Peter, Remove thyself from before me, Satan; thou art an offence unto me, for thou dost not understand that which is of God, but that which is of men.

And he began to teach them that it was convenient that the Son of man must suffer many things and be rejected of the elders and of the princes of the priests and of the scribes, and be killed and after three days rise again. And he spoke this word clearly. Then Peter took him and began to rebuke him. And he, turning about and looking at his disciples, rebuked Peter, saying, Get thyself from me, Satan, for thou knowest not the things that are of God, but the things that are of men.

But Martha was cumbered about in much serving and came to him and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Bid her therefore that she help me.

Many therefore of his disciples when they had heard this said, This is a hard word; who can hear it? But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at it, said unto them, Does this offend you?

Then he came to Simon Peter, and Peter said unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou dost not understand now, but thou shalt understand afterwards. Peter said unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou shalt have no part with me.read more.
Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.

And it came to pass, as he sat at food in his house, behold, many publicans and sinners that had come sat down at the table with Jesus and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why does your Master eat with publicans and sinners?

And it came to pass, that as Jesus sat at the table in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also at the table together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many and they had followed him. And the scribes and Pharisees, seeing him eat with publicans and sinners, said unto his disciples, How is it that he eats and drinks with publicans and sinners?

And Levi made a great banquet in his own house and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down at the table with them. But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?

At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the planted fields, and his disciples were hungry and began to pluck the ears of grain and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.

And it came to pass that as he went through the planted fields again on the sabbath day, his disciples began, as they walked, to pluck the ears of grain. And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?

And it came to pass on the second sabbath after the first that he went through the grain fields and his disciples plucked the ears of grain and ate, rubbing them in their hands. And certain of the Pharisees said unto them, Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days?

Then all the publicans and sinners drew near unto him to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receives sinners and eats with them.

The Jews then murmured of him because he said, I AM the bread which descended from the heaven. And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that he says, I descended from heaven?

And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemes.

But there were certain of the scribes sitting there and thinking in their hearts, Why does this fellow so blaspheme? Who can forgive sins but God only?

And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?

Then the Jews said unto him, Now we know that thou hast a demon. Abraham died and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keeps my word, he shall not taste death forever? Art thou greater than our father Abraham who died? and the prophets died; whom makest thou thyself?

And when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews, who were of Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the people and laid hands on him, crying out, Men of Israel, help; this is the man that teaches everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place and further brought Greeks also into the temple and has polluted this holy place.

And when Gallio was the proconsul of Achaia, the Jews rose up with one accord against Paul and brought him to the judgment seat, saying, This fellow persuades men to honor God contrary to the law.

For his letters, they say, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.