56 Bible Verses about Woe

Woe to you who destroy, but you weren't destroyed; and who betray, but nobody betrayed you. When you have finished destroying, you will be destroyed; and when you have made an end of betrayal, you will be betrayed.

Of Moab. "Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: 'Woe to Nebo. for it is laid waste; Kiriathaim is disappointed, it is taken; Misgab is put to shame and broken down. The praise of Moab is no more; in Heshbon they have devised evil against her: "Come, and let us cut her off from being a nation." You also, Madmen, shall be brought to silence: the sword shall pursue you.

Woe to the bloody city. It is all full of lies and robbery. The prey doesn't depart. The noise of the whip, the noise of the rattling of wheels, prancing horses, and bounding chariots, the horseman mounting, and the flashing sword, the glittering spear, and a multitude of slain, and a great heap of corpses, and there is no end of the bodies. They stumble on their bodies,read more.
because of the multitude of the prostitution of the alluring prostitute, the mistress of witchcraft, who sells nations through her prostitution, and families through her witchcraft. "Behold, I am against you," says the LORD of hosts, "and I will lift your skirts over your face. I will show the nations your nakedness, and the kingdoms your shame. I will throw abominable filth on you, and make you vile, and will set you a spectacle. It will happen that all those who look at you will flee from you, and say, 'Nineveh is laid waste. Who will mourn for her?' Where will I seek comforters for you?"

Won't all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, 'Woe to him who increases that which is not his, and who enriches himself by extortion. How long?' Won't your debtors rise up suddenly, and wake up those who make you tremble, and you will be their victim? Because you have plundered many nations, all the remnant of the peoples will plunder you, because of men's blood, and for the violence done to the land, to the city and to all who dwell in it.read more.
Woe to him who gets an evil gain for his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the hand of evil. You have devised shame to your house, by cutting off many peoples, and have sinned against your soul. For the stone will cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the woodwork will answer it. Woe to him who builds a town with blood, and establishes a city by iniquity. Behold, isn't it of the LORD of hosts that the peoples labor for the fire, and the nations weary themselves for vanity? For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. "Woe to him who gives his neighbor drink, pouring your inflaming wine until they are drunk, so that you may gaze at their naked bodies. You are filled with shame, and not glory. You will also drink, and be exposed. The cup of the LORD's right hand will come around to you, and disgrace will cover your glory. For the violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, and the destruction of the animals, which made them afraid; because of men's blood, and for the violence done to the land, to every city and to those who dwell in them. "What value does the engraved image have, that its maker has engraved it; the molten image, even the teacher of lies, that he who fashions its form trusts in it, to make mute idols? Woe to him who says to the wood, 'Awake.' or to the mute stone, 'Arise.' Shall this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in its midst. But the LORD is in his holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before him."

Woe to the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites. The word of the LORD is against you, Canaan, the land of the Philistines. I will destroy you, that there will be no inhabitant.

Woe to them. For they have wandered from me. Destruction to them. For they have trespassed against me. Though I would redeem them, yet they have spoken lies against me. They haven't cried to me with their heart, but they howl on their beds. They assemble themselves for grain and new wine. They turn away from me. Though I have taught and strengthened their arms, yet they plot evil against me.read more.
They return, but not to the Most High. They are like a faulty bow. Their leaders will fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue. This will be their derision in the land of Egypt.

"Woe to the rebellious children," says the LORD, "who take counsel, but not from me; and who make an alliance, but not with my Spirit, that they may add sin to sin, who set out to go down into Egypt, and have not asked my advice; to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to take refuge in the shadow of Egypt.

Woe to him who strives with his Maker, a clay pot among the clay pots of the earth. Shall the clay ask him who fashions it, 'What are you making?' or your work, 'He has no hands?' Woe to him who says to a father, 'What have you become the father of?' or to a mother, 'To what have you given birth?'"

Behold, he shall come up as clouds, and his chariots shall be as the whirlwind: his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us. For we are ruined. Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness, that you may be saved. How long shall your evil thoughts lodge within you? For a voice declares from Dan, and publishes evil from the hills of Ephraim:read more.
"Tell the nations; behold, publish against Jerusalem, 'Watchers come from a far country, and raise their voice against the cities of Judah. As keepers of a field, they are against her all around, because she has been rebellious against me,'" says the LORD. "Your way and your doings have brought these things to you. This is your wickedness; for it is bitter, for it reaches to your heart."

"'It has happened after all your wickedness, ("Woe, woe to you." says the Lord GOD), that you have built for yourselves a vaulted place, and have made yourselves a lofty place in every street. You have built your lofty place at the head of every way, and have made your beauty an abomination, and have opened your feet to everyone who passed by, and multiplied your prostitution.read more.
You have also committed sexual immorality with the Egyptians, your neighbors, great of flesh; and have multiplied your prostitution, to provoke me to anger. See therefore, I have stretched out my hand over you, and have diminished your ordinary food, and delivered you to the will of those who hate you, the daughters of the Philistines, who are ashamed of your lewd way.

"Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture." says the LORD. Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, against the shepherds who feed my people: "You have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them; behold, I will visit on you the evil of your doings," says the LORD.

The word of the LORD came to me, saying, "Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who prophesy, and say to those who prophesy out of their own heart, 'Hear the word of the LORD: Thus says the Lord GOD, "Woe to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing.read more.
Israel, your prophets have been like foxes in the waste places. You have not gone up into the gaps, neither built up the wall for the house of Israel, to stand in the battle in the day of the LORD." They have seen falsehood and lying divination, who say, "The LORD says"; but the LORD has not sent them: and they have made men to hope that the word would be confirmed. "Haven't you seen a false vision, and haven't you spoken a lying divination, in that you say, "The LORD says"; but I have not spoken? Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Because you have spoken falsehood, and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you, says the Lord GOD. My hand shall be against the prophets who see false visions, and who divine lies: they shall not be in the council of my people, neither shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel, neither shall they enter into the land of Israel; and you shall know that I am the Lord GOD.

The word of the LORD came to me, saying, "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and tell them, even to the shepherds, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves. Shouldn't the shepherds feed the sheep? You eat the fat, and you clothe yourself with the wool, you kill the fatlings; but you do not feed the sheep.read more.
You haven't strengthened the diseased, neither have you healed that which was sick, neither have you bound up that which was broken, neither have you brought back that which was driven away, neither have you sought that which was lost; but with force and with rigor you have ruled over them. They were scattered, because there was no shepherd; and they became food to all the animals of the field, and were scattered. My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and on every high hill: yes, my sheep were scattered on all the surface of the earth; and there was none who searched or sought."' "'"Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: 'As I live,' says the Lord GOD, 'surely because my sheep became a prey, and my sheep became food to all the animals of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my sheep, but the shepherds fed themselves, and didn't feed my sheep'; therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: Thus says the Lord GOD: 'Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my sheep at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the sheep; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; and I will deliver my sheep from their mouth, that they may not be food for them.'"

Woe to her who is rebellious and polluted, the oppressing city. She did not obey the voice. She did not receive correction. She did not trust in the LORD. She did not draw near to her God. Her princes in the midst of her are roaring lions. Her judges are evening wolves. They leave nothing until the next day.read more.
Her prophets are arrogant and treacherous people. Her priests have profaned the sanctuary. They have done violence to the law.

The LORD said to me, "Take for yourself yet again the equipment of a foolish shepherd. For, behold, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, who will not visit those who are cut off, neither will seek those who are scattered, nor heal that which is broken, nor feed that which is sound; but he will eat the flesh of the fat sheep, and will tear their hoofs in pieces. Woe to the worthless shepherd who leaves the flock. The sword will be on his arm, and on his right eye. His arm will be completely withered, and his right eye will be totally blinded."

Woe to those who are at ease in Zion, and to those who are secure on the mountain of Samaria, the notable men of the foremost of nations, to whom the house of Israel come. Go to Calneh, and see; and from there go to Hamath the great; then go down to Gath of the Philistines. Are they better than these kingdoms? or is their border greater than your border? Those who put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near;read more.
Who lie on beds of ivory, and stretch themselves on their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall; who strum on the strings of a harp; who invent for themselves instruments of music, like David; who drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the best oils; but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph. Therefore they will now go captive with the first who go captive; and the feasting and lounging will end.

"Woe to you who desire the day of the LORD. Why do you long for the day of the LORD? It is darkness, and not light. As if a man fled from a lion, and a bear met him; Or he went into the house and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him. Won't the day of the LORD be darkness, and not light? Even very dark, and no brightness in it?read more.
I hate, I despise your feasts, and I can't stand your solemn assemblies. Yes, though you offer me your burnt offerings and meal offerings, I will not accept them; neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat animals. Take away from me the noise of your songs. I will not listen to the music of your harps. But let justice roll on like rivers, and righteousness like a mighty stream.

Woe to those who decree unrighteous decrees, and to the writers who write oppressive decrees; to deprive the needy from justice, and to rob the poor among my people of their rights, that widows may be their spoil, and that they may make the fatherless their prey. What will you do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which will come from afar? To whom will you flee for help? Where will you leave your wealth?read more.
They will only bow down under the prisoners, and will fall under the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

Woe to those who join house to house, who lay field to field, until there is no room, and you are made to dwell alone in the midst of the land. In my ears, the LORD of hosts says: "Surely many houses will be desolate, even great and beautiful, unoccupied. For ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath, and a homer of seed shall yield an ephah."read more.
Woe to those who rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; who stay late into the night, until wine inflames them. The harp, lyre, tambourine, and flute, with wine, are at their feasts; but they do not regard the work of the LORD, neither have they considered the operation of his hands. Therefore my people go into captivity for lack of knowledge. Their honorable men are famished, and their multitudes are parched with thirst. Therefore Sheol has enlarged its desire, and opened its mouth without measure; and their glory, their multitude, their pomp, and he who rejoices among them, descend into it. So man is brought low, mankind is humbled, and the eyes of the arrogant ones are humbled; but the LORD of hosts is exalted in justice, and God the Holy One is sanctified in righteousness. Then the lambs will graze as in their pasture, and strangers will eat the ruins of the rich. Woe to those who draw iniquity with cords of falsehood, and wickedness as with cart rope; Who say, "Let him make speed, let him hasten his work, that we may see it; and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw near and come, that we may know it." Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter. Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight. Woe to those who are mighty to drink wine, and champions at mixing strong drink; who acquit the guilty for a bribe, but deny justice for the innocent.

Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness, and his rooms by injustice; who uses his neighbor's service without wages, and doesn't give him his hire; who says, "I will build me a wide house and spacious rooms," and cuts him out windows; and it is ceiling with cedar, and painted with vermilion. Shall you reign, because you strive to excel in cedar? Did not your father eat and drink, and do justice and righteousness? Then it was well with him.read more.
He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well. Wasn't this to know me?' says the LORD. "But your eyes and your heart are not but for your covetousness, and for shedding innocent blood, and for oppression, and for violence, to do it." Therefore thus says the LORD concerning Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah: "they shall not lament for him, saying, 'Ah my brother. or, Ah sister.' They shall not lament for him, saying, 'Ah lord.' or, 'Ah his glory.' He shall be buried with the burial of a donkey, drawn and cast forth beyond the gates of Jerusalem.

Woe to those who devise iniquity and work evil on their beds. When the morning is light, they practice it, because it is in the power of their hand. They covet fields, and seize them; and houses, and take them away: and they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage. Therefore thus says the LORD: "Behold, I am planning against these people a disaster, from which you will not remove your necks, neither will you walk haughtily; for it is an evil time.

I saw, and I heard an eagle, flying in mid heaven, saying with a loud voice, "Woe. Woe. Woe for those who dwell on the earth, because of the other voices of the trumpets of the three angels, who are yet to sound."

Therefore rejoice, heavens, and you who dwell in them. Woe to the land and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has but a short time."

standing far away for the fear of her torment, saying, 'Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city. For your judgment has come in one hour.'

Woe is me because of my hurt. My wound is grievous: but I said, 'Truly this is my grief, and I must bear it.'

When the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, "What does the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews mean?" They understood that the ark of the LORD had come into the camp. The Philistines were afraid, for they said, "God has come into the camp." They said, "Woe to us. For there has not been such a thing before. Woe to us. Who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods that struck the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness.

Woe is me, that I live in Meshech, that I dwell among the tents of Kedar. My soul has had her dwelling too long with him who hates peace. I am for peace, but when I speak, they are for war.

Behold, he shall come up as clouds, and his chariots shall be as the whirlwind: his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us. For we are ruined.

The crown is fallen from our head; woe to us, for we have sinned.

For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen; because their tongue and their doings are against the LORD, to provoke the eyes of his glory. The look of their faces testify against them. They parade their sin like Sodom. They do not hide it. Woe to their soul. For they have brought disaster upon themselves.

Then I said, "Woe is me. For I am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts."

For if I proclaim the Good News, I have nothing to boast about; for necessity is laid on me; but woe is to me, if I do not proclaim the Good News.

The message that Jeremiah the prophet spoke to Baruch the son of Neriah, when he wrote these words in a book at the mouth of Jeremiah, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, saying, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, to you, Baruch: 'You said, "Woe is me now. For the LORD has added sorrow to my pain; I am weary with my groaning, and I find no rest."'"read more.
"You shall tell him, 'Thus says the LORD: "Behold, that which I have built will I break down, and that which I have planted I will pluck up; and this in the whole land. Do you seek great things for yourself? Do not seek them; for, behold, I will bring disaster on all flesh, says the LORD; but your life will I give to you for a reward in all places where you go."'"

"But woe to you who are rich. For you have received your consolation. Woe to you, you who are full now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for their fathers did the same thing to the false prophets.

Woe to you Law scholars. For you took away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in, you hindered."

"But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites. Because you shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men; for you do not enter in yourselves, neither do you allow those who are entering in to enter." 15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites. For you travel around by sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much of a son of hell as yourselves. "Woe to you, you blind guides, who say, 'Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obligated.'read more.
You blind fools. For which is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifies the gold? 'Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obligated?' You blind men. For which is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifies the gift? He therefore who swears by the altar, swears by it, and by everything on it. He who swears by the temple, swears by it, and by him who was living in it. He who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God, and by him who sits on it. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites. For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the Law: justice, mercy, and faith. But you ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone. You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites. For you clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the platter, that its outside may become clean also. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites. For you are like whitened tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites. For you build the tombs of the prophets, and decorate the tombs of the righteous, and say, 'If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.' Therefore you testify to yourselves that you are children of those who killed the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers. You serpents, you offspring of vipers, how will you escape the judgment of hell?

But woe to you Pharisees. For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, but you bypass justice and the love of God. You ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone. Woe to you Pharisees. For you love the best seats in the synagogues, and the greetings in the marketplaces. Woe to you. For you are like hidden graves, and the men who walk over them do not know it."read more.
One of the Law scholars answered him, "Teacher, in saying this you insult us also." He said, "Woe to you Law scholars also. For you load people with burdens that are difficult to carry, and you yourselves won't even lift one finger to help carry those burdens. Woe to you. For you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. So you are witnesses and consent to the works of your fathers. For they killed them, and you build their tombs. Therefore also the wisdom of God said, 'I will send to them prophets and apostles; and some of them they will kill and persecute, that the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary.' Yes, I tell you, it will be required of this generation.

"Woe to the world because of stumbling blocks. For there will always be something to cause people to stumble, but woe to the person through whom the stumbling block comes.

He said to the disciples, "It is impossible that no occasions of stumbling should come, but woe to him through whom they come. It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, rather than that he should cause one of these little ones to stumble. Be careful. If your brother sins, rebuke him. If he repents, forgive him.

"Woe to you, Chorazin. Woe to you, Bethsaida. For if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon which were done in you, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than for you.

Then he began to denounce the cities in which most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent. "Woe to you, Chorazin. Woe to you, Bethsaida. For if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon which were done in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.

The Son of Man goes, even as it is written of him, but woe to that man through whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had not been born."

For the Son of Man goes, even as it is written about him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had not been born."

The Son of Man indeed goes, as it has been determined, but woe to that man through whom he is betrayed."

But woe to those who are with child and to nursing mothers in those days. Pray that your flight will not be in the winter, nor on a Sabbath, for then there will be great oppression, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever will be.

But woe to those who are with child and to those who nurse babies in those days. And pray that it won't be in the winter. For in those days there will be oppression, such as there has not been the like from the beginning of the creation which God created until now, and never will be.

Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who nurse infants in those days. For there will be great distress in the land, and wrath to this people.

Then I said, "Woe is me. For I am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts." Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar. He touched my mouth with it, and said, "Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away, and your sin forgiven."

Woe to Ariel. Ariel, the city where David encamped. Add year to year; let the feasts come around; then I will distress Ariel, and there will be mourning and lamentation. She shall be to me as an altar hearth. I will encamp against you all around you, and will lay siege against you with posted troops. I will raise siege works against you.read more.
You will be brought down, and will speak out of the ground. Your speech will mumble out of the dust. Your voice will be as of one who has a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and your speech will whisper out of the dust. But the multitude of your foes will be like fine dust, and the multitude of the ruthless ones like chaff that blows away. Yes, it will be in an instant, suddenly. She will be visited by the LORD of hosts with thunder, with earthquake, with great noise, with whirlwind and storm, and with the flame of a devouring fire. The multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel, even all who fight against her and her stronghold, and who distress her, will be like a dream, a vision of the night. It will be like when a hungry man dreams, and behold, he eats; but he awakes, and his hunger isn't satisfied; or like when a thirsty man dreams, and behold, he drinks; but he awakes, and behold, he is faint, and he is still thirsty. The multitude of all the nations that fight against Mount Zion will be like that.

"Comfort, comfort my people," says your God. "Speak tenderly to Jerusalem; and call out to her that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received of the LORD's hand double for all her sins."

"Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, to you, Baruch: 'You said, "Woe is me now. For the LORD has added sorrow to my pain; I am weary with my groaning, and I find no rest."'" "You shall tell him, 'Thus says the LORD: "Behold, that which I have built will I break down, and that which I have planted I will pluck up; and this in the whole land.read more.
Do you seek great things for yourself? Do not seek them; for, behold, I will bring disaster on all flesh, says the LORD; but your life will I give to you for a reward in all places where you go."'"

He has also broken my teeth with gravel; he has pressed me down in the dust. You have removed my soul far away from peace; I have forgotten what prosperity is. And I said, "My strength and my hope has perished from the LORD."read more.
Remember my affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. My soul considers them, and is depressed. But this I call to my mind; therefore I have hope: The LORD's faithful love does not cease; his compassion does not fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. "The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him." The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul that seeks him. It is good that a man should hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.