18 Bible Verses about Riots

They prepared to retire for the night when suddenly all the men of Sodom, young and old, came from all over the city and surrounded the house. They shouted to Lot: Where are the men who came to spend the night with you? Bring them out so we can have sex with them! Lot stepped outside to talk to them, shutting the door behind him.read more.
Please, my brothers, he begged, do not do such a wicked thing. I have two virgin daughters. Do with them as you wish, but leave these men alone, for they are under my protection. Stand back! they shouted. Who do you think you are? We let you settle among us, and now you are trying to tell us what to do! We will treat you far worse than those other men! They pushed Lot and began breaking down the door. But the two angels reached out and pulled Lot in and bolted the door. Then they blinded the men of Sodom so they could not find the doorway.

They said to Joash: Bring your son here. We will kill him! He tore down the altar to Baal and cut down the symbol of Asherah! Joash replied: Are you arguing for Baal? Are you defending him? Anyone who argues for him will be killed before morning. If Baal really is a god he can defend himself. It is his altar that was torn down.

As soon as I had finished saying all that Jehovah commanded me to say, they grabbed me and shouted: You ought to be killed for this! Why have you said in Jehovah's name that this Temple will become like Shiloh and that this city will be destroyed and no one will live in it?' Then the people crowded around me. When the leaders of Judah heard what had happened, they hurried from the royal palace to the Temple and took their places at the New Gate.read more.
The priests and the prophets said to the leaders and to the people: This man deserves to be sentenced to death because he has spoken against our city. You heard him with your own ears.

Everyone in the synagogue was angry when they heard these things. They rose up to drive him out of the city. They led him to the top of the hill where their city was built to throw him down the hill. But he passed through the midst of them and went his way.

A great disturbance occurred about The Way. A man named Demetrius, a silversmith made silver shrines of Diana. He brought a lot of business to the craftsmen. They gathered together along with similar related workmen, and said: Sirs, You know we receive a good income from this business.read more.
You see and hear that Paul, in Ephesus and throughout all Asia, has persuaded and turned away many people. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all. There is danger that our trade will lose its good name. The temple of the great goddess Artemis (Diana) would then become useless. The goddess who is worshiped in all Asia would be robbed of her divine majesty. When they heard this they were filled with anger. They shouted: Great is Artemis of the Ephesians. The city was filled with the confusion. They rushed with one accord into the theatre and seized Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel. Paul wanted to enter the theatre with the people but his disciples would not permit it. Some of the officials and his friends sent him a message begging him not to enter the theatre. Some cried one thing and others another for the crowd was in confusion. Most of them did not know why they assembled. The crowd of Jews thrust Alexander forward. Alexander motioned with his hand and wanted to make a defense to the people. They perceived that he was a Jew and all with one voice shouted for two hours: Great is Artemis of the Ephesians.

in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watching, in fasting;

The chief priests and elders got the people to request Barabbas, and for Jesus to be put to death. The governor responded to them. He asked: Which of the two do you want me to set free? They shouted: Barabbas! Pilate said to them: What am I to do with Jesus, the one called Christ? They all said: Put him to death. Impale him!read more.
What evil has he done? Pilate asked. But they shouted: Impale him! Pilate saw that he could do nothing. The people were ready to cause much trouble. He took water and washed his hands in front of the people. He said: The blood of this man is not on my hands. You are responsible.

He used to release one prisoner at the feast. This was done by request. Barabbas, a rebel and a murderer was available for this purpose. The crowd cried aloud and asked him to do as he always did for them.read more.
Pilate answered them, saying: Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews? For he knew that it was out of envy the chief priests delivered him up. The chief priests influenced the crowd, that he should release Barabbas to them instead. What should I do with the one you call the King of the Jews? Pilate asked. They cried out: Impale him! Pilate said: Why, what evil has he done? But they cried out exceedingly, Impale him! Wishing to please the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. Then he handed over Jesus. He was flogged and impaled.

Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. Certain men arose from the synagogue. It was called the synagogue of the Libertines, Cyrenians, and Alexandrians. Some of them were from Cilicia and Asia. They argued with Stephen. They were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spoke.read more.
They secretly induced me to say: We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God. They stirred up the people, the elders and the scribes, and pursued him. They caught him and brought him to the council. They brought false witnesses, which said: This man will not stop speaking blasphemous words against this holy place and the law. We heard him say: 'This Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place, and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us.'

The Jews were moved with jealousy so they gathered bad people who organized a crowd for a riot. They assaulted the house of Jason in order to bring them out to the crowd. When they did not find them they dragged Jason and other brothers before the rulers of the city. They said: These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also. Jason welcomed them. They all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.read more.
The crowd and the rulers of the city were troubled when they heard these things. They made Jason post bond and they let them go.

When the seven days were almost over, the Jews from Asia, when they saw him in the temple stirred up the entire crowd and laid hands on him. They shouted: Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against the people, and the law, and this place; and moreover he brought Greeks also into the temple, and defiled this holy place. They had previously been with him in the city Trophimus the Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the Temple.read more.
The entire city was aroused, and the people ran together from all directions. They laid hold on Paul and dragged him out of the Temple. Immediately the doors were shut. They were seeking to kill him when tidings came to the military commander of the band that all Jerusalem was in confusion. At once he took soldiers and centurions and ran down to the crowd. When they saw the military commander and the soldiers they quit beating Paul. Then the military commander came near and laid hold on him. He commanded that he be bound with two chains. He asked who he was and what he had done. Some in the crowd shouted one thing and some another. The commander could not find out the facts because of the uproar so he commanded him to be brought into the barracks. Paul reached the steps. The violence of the mob was so great he had to be carried by the soldiers.

The chief priest and the elders of the people assembled at the court of Caiaphas, the high priest. All of them, using deceit, worked together to capture Jesus and kill him. They insisted: Not during the feast; it could start a riot among the people.

It was just two days until the feast of the Passover and the unleavened bread. The chief priests and the scribes sought how they might quietly capture and kill him. They said: Not during the feast for it might cause the people to riot.

The city recorder quieted the crowd. He said: You men of Ephesus, what man is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple-keeper of the great Artemis, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter? Seeing that these things are indisputable it is fitting that you keep calm and do nothing rash. You brought these men, who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of our goddess.read more.
If Demetrius and the craftsmen that are with him have a grievance against any man, the courts are open, and there are judges. Let them accuse one another. But if you seek anything about other matters, it shall be settled in the regular assembly. For indeed we are in danger to be charged with rioting (sedition) because of today's events. We would not be able to account for this ruckus for there is no reason for it. When he finished speaking he dismissed the assembly.

We have found this man to be a troublemaker who stirs up sedition (resists lawful authority) among all the Jews throughout the world. He is a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. He even tried to desecrate the temple. So we captured him according to our law. But the Roman commander Lysias came to us with the use of force and snatched him from our hands.read more.
He commanded his accusers to come to you. Examine him yourself and you will learn the truth about these charges we bring against him. The Jews also joined in accusing him, saying that these things were true. The governor motioned for Paul to speak. He said, I know that you have been a judge for this nation for many years. For this reason I cheerfully make my defense. You can easily verify that it was no more than twelve days ago that I went to worship in Jerusalem. They did not find me in the Temple, in the synagogues nor in the city disputing with any man. Neither did I cause a riot with the people.

Let us walk honestly as in the daytime, not in rioting and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and loose conduct, not in strife and jealousy.

The night is far along and the day is at hand. Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.

They suffer wrong as their reward for wrongdoing. They are men that count it pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions while they feast with you.