15 Bible Verses about Riots

Most Relevant Verses

Luke 4:28-30

When they had heard these words, those in the synagogue were filled with fury; they rose, hurried him outside the town, and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, intending to cast him down headlong. But he, passing through the midst of them, took his departure.

Acts 19:23-34

Now just at this time, there arose no small commotion concerning the Way. There was a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Diana, and brought rich profit to his workmen. He gathered them together with others of like occupation, and said: "Men, you know that by this business we make our money.read more.
"And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but almost throughout all of Asia, this fellow Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, by telling them that they are no gods at all who are made with hands. "So there is danger not only that our trade come into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana will be brought into disrepute, and that she herself may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world now worships." After listening to this they were filled with rage, and cried out again and again, saying, The city was filled with commotion. They rushed like one man into the theater, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians, Paul's companions in travel. When Paul wanted to go in to the people, the disciples would not let him, and some of the Asiarchs, too, who were his friends, sent word to him repeatedly, entreating him not to venture into the theater. Now some were shouting one thing, some another, for the assembly was in an uproar, and the majority had no idea why they were come together. And they brought Alexander out of the crowd, whom the Jews had pushed forward. And Alexander, motioning with his hand, would have made a defense to the people, but when they saw that he was a Jew they all, with one voice, for about two hours, shouted,

Matthew 27:20-24

But the chief priests and the elders urged the crowds to ask for Barabbas, and to destroy Jesus. So when Pilate said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release unto you?" they said, "Barabbas." And Pilate asked, "What then shall I do with Jesus, who is called Christ?" What one voice they shouted, "Let him be crucified!"read more.
But Pilate said, "Why, what evil has he done?" But they kept shouting the more fiercely, "Let him be crucified!" So when Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but that on the contrary a riot was threatening, he took water and washed his hands in the presence of the crowd, saying. "I am innocent of the blood of this man; you must answer for it."

Mark 15:6-15

Now at the time of the feast it was customary to release to them a prisoner, whatever one they asked for. A man named Barabbas was there in prison, with some rioters who had committed murder during an uprising. So when the crowd went up and began asking Pilate to follow his usual custom,read more.
he asked them, "Do you wish me to release the King of the Jews?" For he recognized that it was through spite that the high priests had handed him over. But the chief priests incited the crowds to have Barabbas released to them, instead. So Pilate spoke to them once more, "What them shall I do to him you call 'King of the Jews'?" Then they shouted again, "Crucify him!" "Why, what wrong has he done?" Pilate kept saying. But they shouted furiously, "Crucify him!" So Pilate, who wished to make himself strong with the crowd, released Barabbas to them, and gave Jesus over for crucifixion, after he had scourged him.

Acts 6:8-14

Meanwhile Stephen, full of grace and power, wrought great wonders and signs among the people. But certain men from the so-called "Synagogue of the Freedmen" and certain Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, Cilicians, and men from Roman Asia, started to dispute with Stephen, but were unable to withstand the wisdom and spirit with which he used to speak.read more.
Then they instigated some to say, "We have heard him speaking blasphemy against Moses and against God;" and in this way they excited the people. The elders and the scribes rushed upon him, and seized him, and brought him into the Sanhedrin. They also set up false witnesses who testified. "This fellow is continually talking against the Holy Place and against the law. "For we have heard him say that Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place, and will change the customs which were handed down to us by Moses."

Acts 17:5-9

But the Jews, moved with jealousy, called to their aid certain ill-favored and idle fellows, formed a mob, and began to set the town in an uproar. Assaulting the house of Jason, they sought to bring them out to the people. And when they had failed to find Paul and Silas, they began to drag Jason and some of the brethren before the politarchs, shouting. "These fellows who have upset the habitable earth are come hither also. "Jason has received them, and they all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus."read more.
Both the crowd and the politarchs were disturbed when they heard this, but when they had taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.

Acts 21:27-35

But when the seven days were almost over, the Asiatic Jews caught sight of him in the temple, and began to stir up all the crowd, and laid hands on him, shouting. "Men of Israel, help! This is the man who goes everywhere preaching to everybody against the people, and the Law, and this place. And he has actually brought Gentiles even into the temple, and has desecrated the holy place." (For they had formerly seen Trophimus, the Ephesian, with him in the city, and supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple.)read more.
The whole city was thrown into uproar. The mob surged together, seized Paul, and began to drag him outside the temple. Whereupon the doors were at once shut. While they were attempting to kill him, news came to the tribune commander of the garrison that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. At once he took soldiers and centurions, and rushed down upon them. When they saw the tribune and the troops, they left off beating Paul. Then the tribune came up and seized him, and ordered that he be bound with two chains. "Who is he?" he began asking, "and what has he done?" Some among the crowd kept shouting one thing, some another; and when the tribune could not learn the facts because of the uproar, he ordered Paul into the barracks. When was going up the steps, he had to be carried by the soldiers, because of the violence of the mob,

Matthew 26:3-5

Then the chief priests and the elders of the people met together in the court of the palace of the high priest who was called Caiaphas, and they plotted together to get Jesus into their power by a trick, and to put him to death; but said they, "Not during the feast, for fear of causing a riot among the people."

Mark 14:1-2

Now two days later was the feast of the Passover and of Unleavened Bread. Both the chief priests and the Scribes were continually seeking how they might arrest him by a stratagem and kill him; but, "Not on a feast-day," they said, "for fear there should be a riot among the people."

Acts 19:35-41

At length the recorder got them quiet. "Men of Ephesus," he said, "who here does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple-guardian of the great Diana and of the image which fell down from Jupiter? "Since these facts cannot be gainsaid, you ought to be calm and do nothing reckless. "For you have brought these men here, who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of our goddess.read more.
If then Demetrius and his craftsmen have a grievance against any one, the courts are open and there are the proconsuls; let them accuse one another. But if you desire anything further, it must be settled in the regular assembly. For indeed we are in danger of being accused in regard to this day's riot, since there is no cause for it, nor shall we be able to give account for this disorderly gathering." With these words he dismissed the assembly.

Acts 24:5-12

"For we have found this fellow a pest, an inciter of insurrection among all the Jews of the empire, and a ringleader in the heresy of the Nazarenes. "He even tried to profane the Temple, but we arrested him. "Then the chief captain, Lysias came and violently took him from us.read more.
From him you will be able, by examining Paul yourself, to learn the truth of all these charges we are bringing against him." The Jews also joined in the charge, maintaining that these were the facts. Then at a nod from the governor, Paul spoke. "Because I know that for many years you have been a judge in this nation, I feel encouraged to make my defense. "For you have it in your power to know that it is not more than twelve days ago that I went up to Jerusalem to worship; "and that neither in the Temple, nor in the synagogues, nor in the city, did they find me disputing with any man or stirring up a crowd.

2 Peter 2:13

suffering wrong as the wage of wrong which they have done. These are men who count it pleasure to carouse in open daylight; they are spots and blemishes reveling in their deceit, even while they are feasting with you.

Never miss a post

Theasaurus: Riots