54 Bible Verses about Restraint

Then says Jesus to him, Put up your sword again into its place: for all those who take the sword will come to death by the sword. Does it not seem possible to you that if I make request to my Father he will even now send me an army of angels?

So Moses made an order and had it given out through all the tents, saying, Let no man or woman make any more offerings for the holy place. So the people were kept from giving more.

And you are to say to him that I will send punishment on his family for ever, for the sin which he had knowledge of; because his sons have been cursing God and he had no control over them.

Now when Saul came back from fighting the Philistines, news was given him that David was in the waste land of En-gedi. Then Saul took three thousand of the best men out of all Israel, and went in search of David and his men on the rocks of the mountain goats. And on the way he came to a place where sheep were kept, where there was a hollow in the rock; and Saul went in for a private purpose. Now David and his men were in the deepest part of the hollow.read more.
And David's men said to him, Now is the time when the Lord says to you, I will give up your hater into your hands to do with him whatever seems good to you. Then David, getting up, took the skirt of Saul's robe in his hand, cutting off the end of it without his knowledge. And later, David was full of regret for cutting off Saul's skirt. And David said to his men, Before the Lord, never let it be said that my hand was lifted up against my lord, the man of the Lord's selection, for the Lord's holy oil has been put on him. So with these words David kept his servants back, and did not let them make an attack on Saul. And Saul got up and went on his way. And after that David came out of the hollow rock, and crying after Saul said, My lord the king. And when Saul gave a look back, David went down on his face and gave him honour. And David said to Saul, Why do you give any attention to those who say that it is my desire to do you wrong? Look! you have seen today how the Lord gave you up into my hands even now in the hollow of the rocks: and some would have had me put you to death, but I had pity on you: for I said, Never will my hand be lifted up against my lord, who has been marked with the holy oil. And see, my father, see the skirt of your robe in my hand: for the fact that I took off the skirt of your robe and did not put you to death is witness that I have no evil purpose, and I have done you no wrong, though you are waiting for my life to take it. May the Lord be judge between me and you, and may the Lord give me my rights against you, but my hand will never be lifted up against you. There is an old saying, From the evil-doer comes evil: but my hand will never be lifted up against you. After whom has the king of Israel come out? for whom are you searching? for a dead dog, an insect. So let the Lord be judge, and give a decision between me and you, and see and give support to my cause, and keep me from falling into your hands. Now when David had said these words to Saul, Saul said, Is this your voice, David, my son? And Saul was overcome with weeping. And he said to David, You are right and I am wrong: for you have given me back good, but I have given you evil. And you have made clear to me how good you have been to me today: because, when the Lord gave me up into your hands, you did not put me to death. If a man comes across his hater, will he let him get away safe? so may you be rewarded by the Lord for what you have done for me today. And now I am certain that you will be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will be made strong under your authority. So give me your oath by the Lord, that you will not put an end to my seed after me or let my name be cut off from my father's family. And David gave Saul his oath. And Saul went back to his house; but David and his men went up to their safe place.

And the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, and said, Is not David waiting secretly near us in the hill of Hachilah, before the waste land? Then Saul went down to the waste land of Ziph, taking with him three thousand of the best men of Israel, to make search for David in the waste land of Ziph. And Saul put up his tents on the hill of Hachilah, which is in front of the waste land on the road. But David was in the waste land, and he saw that Saul was coming after him.read more.
And so David sent out watchers, and got word from them that Saul was certainly coming. And David got up and came to the place where Saul's tents were: and David had a view of the place where Saul was sleeping with Abner, the son of Ner, the captain of his army: and Saul was sleeping inside the ring of carts, and the tents of the people were all round him. Then David said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, brother of Joab, Who will go down with me to the tents of Saul? And Abishai said, I will go down with you. So David and Abishai came down to the army by night: and Saul was sleeping inside the ring of carts with his spear planted in the earth by his head: and Abner and the people were sleeping round him. Then Abishai said to David, God has given up your hater into your hands today; now let me give him one blow through to the earth with his spear, and there will be no need to give him a second. And David said to Abishai Do not put him to death; for who, without sin, may put out his hand against the man on whom the Lord has put the holy oil? And David said, By the living Lord, the Lord will send destruction on him; the natural day of his death will come, or he will go into the fight and come to his end. Never will my hand be stretched out against the man marked with the holy oil; but take the spear which is by his head and the vessel of water, and let us go. So David took the spear and the vessel of water from Saul's head; and they got away without any man seeing them, or being conscious of their coming, or awaking; for they were all sleeping because a deep sleep from the Lord had come on them. Then David went over to the other side, and took his place on the top of a mountain some distance away, with a great space between them; And crying out to the people and to Abner, the son of Ner, David said, Have you no answer to give, Abner? Then Abner said, Who is that crying out to the king? And David said to Abner, Are you not a man of war? is there any other like you in Israel? why then have you not kept watch over your lord the king? for one of the people came in to put the king your lord to death. What you have done is not good. By the living Lord, death is the right fate for you, because you have not kept watch over your lord, the man on whom the Lord has put the holy oil. Now see, where is the king's spear, and the vessel of water which was by his head? And Saul, conscious that the voice was David's, said, Is that your voice, David, my son? And David said, It is my voice, O my lord king. And he said, Why does my lord go armed against his servant? what have I done? or what evil is there in me? Let my lord the king give ear now to the words of his servant. If it is the Lord who is moving you against me, let him take an offering: but if it is the children of men, may they be cursed before the Lord, for driving me out today and keeping me from my place in the heritage of the Lord, saying, Go, be the servant of other gods. Then do not let my blood be drained out on the earth away from the face of the Lord: for the king of Israel has come out to take my life, like one going after birds in the mountains. Then Saul said, I have done wrong: come back to me, David my son: I will do you no more wrong, because my life was dear to you today truly, I have been foolish and my error is very great. Then David said, Here is the king's spear! let one of the young men come over and get it. And the Lord will give to every man the reward of his righteousness and his faith: because the Lord gave you into my hands today, and I would not put out my hand against the man who has been marked with the holy oil. And so, as your life was dear to me today, may my life be dear to the Lord, and may he make me free from all my troubles. Then Saul said to David, May a blessing be on you, David, my son; you will do great things and without doubt you will overcome. Then David went on his way, and Saul went back to his place.

Now all his life his father had never gone against him or said to him, Why have you done so? and he was a very good-looking man, and younger than Absalom.

This is what the Lord has said about this people: Even so they have been glad to go from the right way; they have not kept their feet from wandering, so the Lord has no pleasure in them; now he will keep their wrongdoing in mind and send punishment for their sins.

But his wrongdoing was pointed out to him: an ass, talking with a man's voice, put a stop to the error of the prophet.

This is God's purpose for you: because Jesus himself underwent punishment for you, giving you an example, so that you might go in his footsteps: Who did no evil, and there was no deceit in his mouth: To sharp words he gave no sharp answer; when he was undergoing pain, no angry word came from his lips; but he put himself into the hands of the judge of righteousness:

And the high priest got up and said to him, Have you no answer? what is it which these say against you? But Jesus said not a word. And the high priest said to him, I put you on oath, by the living God, that you will say to us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.

And the high priest got up in the middle of them, and said to Jesus, Do you say nothing in answer? what is it which these say against you? But he kept quiet and said nothing. Again the high priest questioning him said, Are you the Christ, the son of the Holy One?

But when the chief priests and those in authority made statements against him, he gave no answer. Then says Pilate to him, Do you give no attention to what their witnesses say against you? And he gave him no answer, not even a word: so that the ruler was greatly surprised.

And Pilate again put a question, Do you say nothing in answer? see how much evil they say you have done. But Jesus gave no more answers, so that Pilate was full of wonder.

And when Moses' hand was stretched out over the sea, the Lord with a strong east wind made the sea go back all night, and the waters were parted in two and the sea became dry land.

By your breath the waves were massed together, the flowing waters were lifted up like a pillar; the deep waters became solid in the heart of the sea.

The sea was cut in two so that they might go through; the waters were massed together on this side and on that.

And when he had got into a boat, his disciples went after him. And there came up a great storm in the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves: but he was sleeping. And they came to him, and, awaking him, said, Help, Lord; destruction is near.read more.
And he said to them, Why are you full of fear, O you of little faith? Then he got up and gave orders to the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. And the men were full of wonder, saying, What sort of man is this, that even the winds and the sea do his orders?

And going away from the people, they took him with them, as he was, in the boat. And other boats were with him. And a great storm of wind came up, and the waves came into the boat, so that the boat was now becoming full. And he himself was in the back of the boat, sleeping on the cushion: and they, awaking him, said, Master, is it nothing to you that we are in danger of destruction?read more.
And he came out of his sleep, and gave strong orders to the wind, and said to the sea, Peace, be at rest. And the wind went down, and there was a great calm. And he said to them, Why are you full of fear? have you still no faith? And their fear was great, and they said one to another, Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea do his orders?

Now it came about on one of those days that he got into a boat with his disciples; and he said to them, Let us go over to the other side of the water: and they put out the boat. But while they were sailing he went to sleep: and a storm of wind came down on the sea, and the boat became full of water and they were in danger. Then they came to him and, awaking him out of his sleep, said, Master, Master, destruction is near. And he, when he was awake, gave orders to the wind and the rolling waves, and the storm came to an end, and all was calm.read more.
And he said to them, Where is your faith? And fear and wonder overcame them, and they said to one another, Who then is this, who gives orders even to the winds and the water and they do what he says?

And if the Lord had not made the time short, no flesh would have been kept from destruction; but because of the saints he has made the time short.

And if those days had not been made short there would have been no salvation for any, but because of the saints those days will be made short.

Because your wrath against me and your words of pride have come up to my ears, I will put my hook in your nose and my cord in your lips, and I will make you go back by the way you came.

The ... will give you praise; the rest of ...

And now it is clear to you what is keeping back his revelation till the time comes for him to be seen. For the secret of evil is even now at work: but there is one who is keeping back the evil till he is taken out of the way.

And he took the dragon, the old snake, which is the Evil One and Satan, and put chains on him for a thousand years,

My prayer is not that you will take them out of the world, but that you will keep them from the Evil One.

And David, hearing that Nabal was dead, said, May the Lord be praised, who has taken up my cause against Nabal for the shame which he put on me, and has kept back his servant from evil, and has sent on Nabal's head the reward of his evil-doing. And David sent word to Abigail, desiring to take her as his wife.

And Jabez made a prayer to the God of Israel, saying, If only you would truly give me a blessing, and make wider the limits of my land, and let your hand be with me, and keep me from evil, so that I may not be troubled by it! And God gave him his desire.

Keep your servant back from sins of pride; let them not have rule over me: then will I be upright and free from great sin.

The angel of the Lord is ever watching over those who have fear of him, to keep them safe.

And let us not be put to the test, but keep us safe from the Evil One.

May we have forgiveness for our sins, as we make free all those who are in debt to us. And let us not be put to the test.

Do no damage to the earth, or the sea, or the trees, till we have put a mark on the servants of our God.

But he, being full of pity, has forgiveness for sin, and does not put an end to man: frequently turning back his wrath, and not being violently angry.

And the Lord went past before his eyes, saying, The Lord, the Lord, a God full of pity and grace, slow to wrath and great in mercy and faith;

The Lord is slow to wrath and great in mercy, overlooking wrongdoing and evil, and will not let wrongdoers go free; sending punishment on children for the sins of their fathers, to the third and fourth generation.

And would not do them, and gave no thought to the wonders you had done among them; but made their necks stiff, and turning away from you, made a captain over themselves to take them back to their prison in Egypt: but you are a God of forgiveness, full of grace and pity, slow to wrath and great in mercy, and you did not give them up.

Why are you keeping back your hand, and covering your right hand in your robe?

The Lord is kind and full of pity, not quickly made angry, but ever ready to have mercy.

Because of my name I will put away my wrath, and for my praise I will keep myself from cutting you off.

Let your hearts be broken, and not your clothing, and come back to the Lord your God: for he is full of grace and pity, slow to be angry and great in mercy, ready to be turned from his purpose of punishment.

And he made prayer to the Lord and said, O Lord, is this not what I said when I was still in my country? This is why I took care to go in flight to Tarshish: for I was certain that you were a loving God, full of pity, slow to be angry and great in mercy, and ready to be turned from your purpose of evil.

The Lord is not slow in keeping his word, as he seems to some, but he is waiting in mercy for you, not desiring the destruction of any, but that all may be turned from their evil ways.

If a man seems to have religion and has no control over his tongue but lets himself be tricked by what is false, this man's religion is of no value.

I said, I will give attention to my ways, so that my tongue may do no wrong; I will keep my mouth under control, while the sinner is before me.

He who keeps a watch on his mouth keeps his life; but he whose lips are open wide will have destruction.

He who keeps watch over his mouth and his tongue keeps his soul from troubles.

For we all go wrong in a number of things. If a man never makes a slip in his talk, then he is a complete man and able to keep all his body in control. Now if we put bits of iron into horses' mouths so that they may be guided by us, we have complete control of their bodies. And again ships, though they are so great and are moved by violent winds, are turned by a very small guiding-blade, at the impulse of the man who is using it.read more.
Even so the tongue is a small part of the body, but it takes credit for great things. How much wood may be lighted by a very little fire! And the tongue is a fire; it is the power of evil placed in our bodies, making all the body unclean, putting the wheel of life on fire, and getting its fire from hell. For every sort of beast and bird and every living thing on earth and in the sea has been controlled by man and is under his authority; But the tongue may not be controlled by man; it is an unresting evil, it is full of the poison of death. With it we give praise to our Lord and Father; and with it we put a curse on men who are made in God's image. Out of the same mouth comes blessing and cursing. My brothers, it is not right for these things to be so. Does the fountain send from the same outlet sweet and bitter water? Is a fig-tree able to give us olives, my brothers, or do we get figs from a vine, or sweet water from the salt sea?

For it is said, Let the man who has a love of life, desiring to see good days, keep his tongue from evil and his lips from words of deceit:

Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from words of deceit.

Do not be like the horse or the ass, without sense; ...

For this cause do not let sin be ruling in your body which is under the power of death, so that you give way to its desires;