47 Bible Verses about Criticism, against believers

And Laban overtook Jacob: and Jacob had pitched his tent in that mount. And Laban with his brethren pitched their tent also upon the mount Gilead. Then said Laban to Jacob, "Why hast thou this done, unknowing to me, and hast carried away my daughters as though they had been taken captive with sword? Wherefore wentest thou away secretly, unknown to me, and didst not tell me, that I might have brought thee on the way with mirth, singing, timbrels and harps,read more.
and hast not suffered me to kiss my children and my daughters? Thou wast a fool to do it, for I am able to do you evil. But the God of your father spake unto me yesterday, saying, 'take heed that thou speak not to Jacob ought save good.' And now, though thou wentest thy way because thou longest after thy father's house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods?"

But God plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues, because of Sarai, Abram's wife. Then Pharaoh called Abram and said, "Why hast thou thus dealt with me? Wherefore toldest thou me not that she was thy wife? Why saidest thou that she was thy sister, and causedest me to take her to my wife? But now, lo, there is thy wife: take her and be walking."read more.
Pharaoh also gave a charge unto his men over Abram, to lead him out, with his wife and all that he had.

Then said Sarai unto Abram, "Thou dost me unright, for I have given my maid into thy bosom: and now because she seeth that she hath conceived, I am despised in her sight: the LORD judge between thee and me."

And Abimelech called Abraham and said unto him, "What hast thou done unto us, and what have I offended thee, that thou shouldest bring on me and on my kingdom so great a sin? Thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done." And Abimelech said moreover unto Abraham, "What sawest thou that moved thee to do this thing?"

When Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, she envied her sister and said unto Jacob, "Give me children, or else I am but dead." Then was Jacob wroth with Rachel saying, "Am I in God's stead which keepeth from thee the fruit of thy womb?"

There the people thirsted for water, and murmured against Moses and said, "Wherefore hast thou brought us out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?"

And it happened in these days when Moses was waxed great, that he went out unto his brethren and looked on their burdens, and spied an Egyptian smiting one of his brethren, an Hebrew. And he looked round about: and when he saw that there was no man by, he slew the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. And he went out another day: and behold, two Hebrews strove together. And he said unto him that did the wrong, "Wherefore smitest thou thine neighbor?"read more.
And he answered, "Who hath made thee a ruler or a judge over us? Intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian?" Then Moses feared and said, "Of a surety the thing is known."

When the officers of the children of Israel saw themself in shrewd case - in that he said, 'ye shall minish nothing of your daily making of brick' - then they met Moses and Aaron standing in their way as they came out from Pharaoh, and said unto them, "The LORD look unto you and judge! For ye have made the savour of us stink in the sight of Pharaoh and of his servants, and have put a sword into their hands to slay us."

Then said they unto Moses, "Were there no graves for us in Egypt, but thou must bring us away for to die in the wilderness? Wherefore hast thou served us thus, for to carry us out of Egypt? Did not we tell thee this in Egypt saying, 'Let us be in rest and serve the Egyptians?' For it had been better for us to have served the Egyptians, than for to die in the wilderness."

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

And the whole multitude of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness,

And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses, because of his wife the Ethiopian which he had taken: for he had taken a Ethiopian to wife. And they said, "Doth the LORD speak only through Moses? Doth he not speak also by us?" And the LORD heard it.

And Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi; and Dathan and Abiram, the son of Eliab; and On the son of Peleth, the sons of Reuben, stood up before Moses, with other of the children of Israel: two hundred and fifty, heads of the congregation, and councilors, and men of fame. And they gathered themselves together against Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, "Ye have done enough. For all the multitude are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them. Why therefore heave ye yourselves up above the congregation of the LORD?"

And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the man and was angry with David and said, "Why camest thou away, and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride and the malice of thine heart, that thou art come to 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 spring and dance before the LORD, and therefore despised him in her heart. And when they had brought in the Ark of the LORD, and had set it even in his place, even in the tabernacle that David had prepared for it: David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. And as soon as David had made an end of offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of Hosts;read more.
and gave among all the folk - even among the whole multitude of Israel, as well to the women as men - every one a cake of bread and a piece of flesh and a flacket of wine. And so the people departed every man to his house. Then David returned to salute his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out against him, and said, "Oh how glorious was the king of Israel today, which stripped himself today before the eyes of the maidens of his servants, as a light-brained fellow is wont to strip himself." But David said again to Michal, "I thought to dance before the LORD - which chose me, rather thy father and all his kin, and commanded me to be ruler over all the people of the LORD, even over Israel. And therefore will I play before the LORD, and will yet be more vile than so, and I will be meek in mine own sight: and of the very same maidservants which thou hast spoken of, shall I be had in honour." Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death.

After this Absalom gat him chariots and horses and fifty men to run before him. And thereto he used to rise up early in the mornings and to stand by the wayside that led to the gate of the city. And all the men of Israel that had complaints and came to the king for judgment, he called unto him, and said, "Of what city art thou?" And when the other answered, "thy servant is of such a tribe of Israel," then said Absalom unto him, "See, thy matter is good and righteous, and yet no man is deputed of the king to hear thee."read more.
Then Absalom said moreover, "Oh, that I were a judge in the land, and that all men which have pleas and matter in the law, should come to me. For I would do them justice."

Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said, "How long wilt thou talk of such things? How long shall thy mouth speak so proud words?

Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said, "Should not he that maketh many words, be answered? Should he that babbleth much, be commended therein? Should men give ear unto thee only? Thou wilt laugh other men to scorn; and shall nobody mock thee again?read more.
Wilt thou say unto God, 'The thing that I take in hand is perfect, and I am clean in thy sight'? O that God would speak, and open his lips against thee, that he might show thee out of his secret wisdom how manifold his law is! Then shouldest thou know that God had forgotten thee, because of thy sins.

Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said, "Should a wise man's answer be as the science of the wind, and fill his belly with the wind of the east? Thou reprovest with words, that are worth nothing; and speakest the things which can do no good!read more.
As for shame, thou hast set it aside - else wouldest thou not make so many words before God. But thy wickedness teacheth thy mouth, and so thou hast chosen thee a crafty tongue. Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I: yea thine own lips shape the answer.

because I have now preached long against malicious Tyranny, and showed them of destruction. For the which cause they cast the word of the LORD in my teeth, and take me ever to the worst.

And when Ahab saw Elijah, he said unto him, "Art thou he that troubleth Israel?"

Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went and smote Micaiah on the cheek, and said, "How is the spirit of the LORD gone from me, to speak in thee?" And Micaiah said, "Behold, thou shalt see in that day, when thou shalt go from chamber to chamber to hide thee." And the king of Israel said, "Take Micaiah and carry him back again into Amon the governor of the city, and unto Joab the king's son,read more.
and say, 'Thus sayeth the king. Put ye this fellow in the prison house and feed him with bread and water straightly, until I return in peace.'"

Upon this sent Amaziah the priest to Bethel unto Jeroboam the king of Israel, saying, "Amos maketh the house of Israel to rebel against thee; the land cannot away with his words. For Amos sayeth, 'Jeroboam shall die with the sword, and Israel shall be led away, captive out of their own land.'" And Amaziah said unto Amos, "Get thee hence, thou that canst see so well, and flee into the land of Judah. Get thee there thy living, and prophesy there:

And they came unto house, and the people assembled together again, so greatly that they had not leisure so much as to eat bread. And when they that longed unto him heard of it, they went out to hold him. For they said, "He is too fervent."

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

The Jews' tabernacle feast was at hand. His brethren therefore said unto him, "Get thee hence and go into Jewry that thy disciples may see thy works that thou doest. For there is no man that doeth any thing secretly, and he himself seeketh to be known. If thou do such things, show thyself to the world."read more.
For as yet his brethren believed not in him.

And he was in the stern asleep on a pillow. And they awoke him, and said to him, "Master, carest thou not that we perish?"

From that time forth, Jesus began to show unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders, and of the high priests, and of the scribes; and must be killed, and rise again the third day. But Peter took him aside, and began to rebuke him saying, "Master, favor thyself, this shall not come unto thee." Then turned he about, and said unto Peter, "Come after me, Satan: thou offendest me, because thou savourest not Godly things, but worldly things."

And he began to teach them, how that the son of man must suffer many things, and should be reproved of the elders and of the high priests and scribes, and should be killed, and after three days arise again. And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him aside, and began to chide him. Then he turned about, and looked on his disciples, and rebuked Peter saying, "Go after me Satan. For thou savourest not the things of God but the things of men."

And Martha was cumbered about much serving, and stood and said, "Master, dost thou not care, that my sister hath left me to minister alone? Bid her therefore, that she help me."

Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, "This is a hard saying; Who can abide the hearing of it?" Jesus knew, in himself, that his disciples murmured at it, and said unto them, "Doth this offend you?

Then came he to Simon Peter. And Peter said to him, "Lord shalt thou wash my feet?" Jesus answered and said unto him, "What I do, thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter." Peter said unto him, "Thou shalt not wash my feet while the world standeth." 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 meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down also with Jesus, and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw that, they said unto his disciples, "Why eateth your master with publicans and sinners?"

And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat at meat also with Jesus and his disciples. For there were many that followed him. And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, "How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?"

And that same Levi made him a great feast at home in his own house. And there was a great company of publicans, and of others that sat at meat with him. And the scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, "Why eat ye and drink ye, with publicans and sinners?"

In that time went Jesus, on the Sabbath day, through the corn; and his disciples were a hungered, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat. When the Pharisees saw that, they said unto him, "Behold: thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the Sabbath day."

And it chanced that he went through the corn fields on the Sabbath day; and his disciples, as they went on their way, began to pluck the ears of corn. And the Pharisees said unto him, "Behold, why do they on the Sabbath day that which is not lawful?"

It happened on an after Sabbath, that he went through the corn field, and that his disciples plucked the ears of corn, and ate them, and rubbed them in their hands. And certain of the Pharisees said unto them, "Why do ye that which is not lawful to be done on the Sabbath days?"

Then resorted unto him all the publicans and sinners, for to hear him. And the Pharisees, and scribes murmured, saying, "He received to his company sinners, and eateth with them."

The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, "I am that bread which is come down from heaven." And they said, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father, and mother we know? How is it then that he sayeth, I came down from heaven?"

And, behold, certain of the scribes said in themselves, "This man blasphemeth."

And there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, "How doth this fellow so blaspheme? Who can forgive sins, but God only?"

And the scribes, and the Pharisees, began to think saying, "What fellow is this: which speaketh blasphemy? Who can forgive sins, but God only?"

Then said the Jews to him, "Now know we that thou hast the devil. Abraham is dead, and also the prophets, and yet thou sayest, 'If a man keep my saying he shall never taste of death.' Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? And the prophets are dead: Whom makest thou thyself?"

And as the seven days should have been ended, the Jews which were of Asia when they saw him in the temple, they moved all the people and laid hands on him crying, "Men of Israel, help. This is the man that teacheth all men everywhere against the people, and the law, and this place. Moreover also he hath brought Greeks into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place."

When Gallio was ruler of the country of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat, saying, "This fellow counceleth men to worship God contrary to the law."

"For the epistles," saith he, "are sore and strong: but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech homely."