11 Bible Verses about Strife

Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.

Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no tale-bearer, the strife ceaseth.

The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore withdraw from contention, before it be meddled with.

It is an honor for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.

He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.

And the servant of the Lord must not contend; but be gentle to all men, apt to teach, patient,

Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbor hath put thee to shame.

For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found by you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:

For it hath been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by them who are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.

For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before unbelievers.

I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord.

It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman.

A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.

A foolish son is the calamity of his father: and the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping.

Wherefore, she said to Abraham, Cast out this bond-woman, and her son: for the son of this bond-woman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.

It is better to dwell in a corner of the house-top, than with a brawling woman in a wide house.

And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more right in David than ye: why then did ye despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king? And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.

And the herdmen of Gerar contended with Isaac's herdmen, saying, The water is ours: and he called the name of the well Esek; because they strove with him.

And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelt then in the land.

And there arose a great cry: and the scribes that were of the Pharisees' part arose, and contended, saying, We find no evil in this man: but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God.

How can I alone bear your encumbrance, and your burden, and your strife?

The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore withdraw from contention, before it be meddled with.

It is an honor for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.

Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbor hath put thee to shame. Debate thy cause with thy neighbor himself; and reveal not a secret to another: Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, and thy infamy turn not away.

Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.

Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

For it hath been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by them who are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.

For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

Now in this that I declare to you, I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse. For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there are divisions among you; and I partly believe it.

And nation was destroyed by nation, and city by city: for God troubled them with all adversity.

And lest your heart should faint, and ye should fear for the rumor that shall be heard in the land; a rumor shall both come one year, and after that in another year shall come a rumor, and violence in the land, ruler against ruler.

And when ye shall hear of wars, and rumors of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end will not be yet.

Then said he to them, Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: And great earthquakes will be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences: and fearful sights, and great signs will there be from heaven.

Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.

But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all. And charged them that they should not make him known: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, read more.
Behold, my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall show judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not contend, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.

And sent messengers before his face: and they went and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him. And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem. And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elijah did? read more.
But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.

Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?

Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee.

But I say to you, That ye resist not evil: but whoever shall strike thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.

Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind, and in the same judgment.

Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they contend not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.

For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found by you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:

But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.

Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well-advised is wisdom.

He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife: but he that putteth his trust in the LORD shall be made fat.

A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.

Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.

The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore withdraw from contention, before it be meddled with.

A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.

And the servant of the Lord must not contend; but be gentle to all men, apt to teach, patient,

Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre, but patient; not a brawler, not covetous;

He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, from which cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,

But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they gender contentions.

A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.

An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression.

He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife: but he that putteth his trust in the LORD shall be made fat.

Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbor hath put thee to shame.

Strive not with a man without cause, if he hath done thee no harm.

Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; and thou hast made me the head of the heathen: a people whom I have not known shall serve me.

Thou also hast delivered me from the strivings of my people, thou hast kept me to be head of the heathen: a people which I knew not shall serve me.

And Abram said to Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we are brethren.

Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

A Psalm of David. Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.

Give heed to me, O LORD, and hearken to the voice of them that contend with me.

And if men contend together, and one shall smite another with a stone, or with his fist, and he shall not die, but keep his bed:

If men shall contend, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit shall depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman's husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.

But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.

But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they gender contentions.

He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, from which cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,

For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife; and some also from good will. The one preach Christ from contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds:

And the son of an Israelitish woman whose father was an Egyptian, went out among the children of Israel; and this son of the Israelitish woman and a man of Israel strove together in the camp; And the Israelitish woman's son blasphemed the name of the LORD, and cursed: and they brought him to Moses: (and his mother's name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan:)

For it hath been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by them who are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.

And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.

But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest.

And behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said to him, Why have our brethren the men of Judah stolen thee away, and have brought the king, and his household, and all David's men with him, over Jordan? And all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, Because the king is near of kin to us: why then are ye angry for this matter? have we eaten at all at the king's cost? or hath he given us any gift? And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more right in David than ye: why then did ye despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king? And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.

Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.

For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no tale-bearer, the strife ceaseth. As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.

For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and such like: of which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Do all things without murmurings and disputings:

For it hath been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by them who are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.

But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before unbelievers.

How can I alone bear your encumbrance, and your burden, and your strife?

Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbor hath put thee to shame. Debate thy cause with thy neighbor himself; and reveal not a secret to another: Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, and thy infamy turn not away.

Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they contend not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.

As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.

A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.

Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no tale-bearer, the strife ceaseth.

Cast out the scorner, and contention shall end; yes, strife and reproach shall cease.

Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.

As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.

Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.

Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well-advised is wisdom.

An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression.

But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one by another.

Why dost thou show me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for devastation and violence are before me: and there are that raise strife and contention. Therefore the law is slackened, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth encompass the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth.

He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.

Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.

The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore withdraw from contention, before it be meddled with.

He loveth transgression that loveth strife: and he that exalteth his gate seeketh destruction.

Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.

Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no tale-bearer, the strife ceaseth.

A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.

Cast out the scorner, and contention shall end; yes, strife and reproach shall cease.

A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.

The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore withdraw from contention, before it be meddled with.

He loveth transgression that loveth strife: and he that exalteth his gate seeketh destruction.

He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.

Cast out the scorner, and contention shall end; yes, strife and reproach shall cease.

A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.

Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

And the herdmen of Gerar contended with Isaac's herdmen, saying, The water is ours: and he called the name of the well Esek; because they strove with him.

And Jacob was wroth, and chid with Laban: and Jacob answered, and said to Laban, What is my trespass? what is my sin, that thou hast so eagerly pursued after me?

Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him show by a good deportment his works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, demoniacal. read more.
For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

Better is a dry morsel, and quietness with it, than a house full of sacrifices with strife.

It is an honor for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.

A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes.

Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.

And behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said to him, Why have our brethren the men of Judah stolen thee away, and have brought the king, and his household, and all David's men with him, over Jordan? And all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, Because the king is near of kin to us: why then are ye angry for this matter? have we eaten at all at the king's cost? or hath he given us any gift? And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more right in David than ye: why then did ye despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king? And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.

And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelt then in the land.

But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work. And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed, separating one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed to Cyprus.

And the herdmen of Gerar contended with Isaac's herdmen, saying, The water is ours: and he called the name of the well Esek; because they strove with him. And they digged another well, and contended for that also: and he called the name of it Sitnah. And he removed from thence, and digged another well; and for that they did not contend: and he called the name of it Rehoboth; and he said, For now the LORD hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.

Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high.

Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.

And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude was divided. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both. And there arose a great cry: and the scribes that were of the Pharisees' part arose, and contended, saying, We find no evil in this man: but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God. read more.
And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul would have been pulled in pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle.

And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed, separating one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed to Cyprus.

For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues: for I have seen violence and strife in the city.

And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together. And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelt then in the land.

And the men of Ephraim assembled, and went northward, and said to Jephthah, Why didst thou pass over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee; we will burn thy house upon thee with fire. And Jephthah said to them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, ye delivered me not out of their hands. And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the LORD delivered them into my hand: why then have ye come up to me this day, to fight against me? read more.
Then Jephthah collected all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, and among the Manassites. And the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan before the Ephraimites: and it was so, that when those Ephraimites who had escaped, said, Let me go over; that the men of Gilead said to him, Art thou an Ephraimite? If he said, No; Then said they to him, Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for he could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slew him at the passages of Jordan. And there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand.

And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude was divided.

There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings.

When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain others of them, should go to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders about this question.

From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even from your lusts that war in your members?

And Abraham reproved Abimelech, because of a well of water, which Abimelech's servants had violently taken away.

And Jacob was wroth, and chid with Laban: and Jacob answered, and said to Laban, What is my trespass? what is my sin, that thou hast so eagerly pursued after me?

When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain others of them, should go to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders about this question.

And Gilead's wife bore him sons; and his wife's sons grew up, and they thrust out Jephthah, and said to him, Thou shalt not inherit in our father's house; for thou art the son of a strange woman.

How can I alone bear your encumbrance, and your burden, and your strife?