'Evil' in the Bible

So I will choose their punishmentsAnd will bring on them what they dread.Because I called, but no one answered;I spoke, but they did not listen.And they did evil in My sightAnd chose that in which I did not delight.”

Then the Lord said to me, “Out of the north the evil will break forth on all the inhabitants of the land.

“Israel was holy to the Lord,The first of His harvest.All who ate of it became guilty;Evil came upon them,” declares the Lord.’”

“Your own wickedness will correct you,And your apostasies will reprove you;Know therefore and see that it is evil and bitterFor you to forsake the Lord your God,And the dread of Me is not in you,” declares the Lord God of hosts.

‘Will He be angry forever?Will He be indignant to the end?’Behold, you have spokenAnd have done evil things,And you have had your way.”

At that time they will call Jerusalem ‘The Throne of the Lord,’ and all the nations will be gathered to it, to Jerusalem, for the name of the Lord; nor will they walk anymore after the stubbornness of their evil heart.

“Circumcise yourselves to the LordAnd remove the foreskins of your heart,Men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem,Or else My wrath will go forth like fireAnd burn with none to quench it,Because of the evil of your deeds.”

“Lift up a standard toward Zion!Seek refuge, do not stand still,For I am bringing evil from the north,And great destruction.

Wash your heart from evil, O Jerusalem,That you may be saved.How long will your wicked thoughtsLodge within you?

“Your ways and your deedsHave brought these things to you.This is your evil. How bitter!How it has touched your heart!”

“For My people are foolish,They know Me not;They are stupid childrenAnd have no understanding.They are shrewd to do evil,But to do good they do not know.”

“Flee for safety, O sons of Benjamin,From the midst of Jerusalem!Now blow a trumpet in TekoaAnd raise a signal over Beth-haccerem;For evil looks down from the north,And a great destruction.

Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in their own counsels and in the stubbornness of their evil heart, and went backward and not forward.

Yet they did not listen to Me or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck; they did more evil than their fathers.

For the sons of Judah have done that which is evil in My sight,” declares the Lord, “they have set their detestable things in the house which is called by My name, to defile it.

And death will be chosen rather than life by all the remnant that remains of this evil family, that remains in all the places to which I have driven them,” declares the Lord of hosts.

“They bend their tongue like their bow;Lies and not truth prevail in the land;For they proceed from evil to evil,And they do not know Me,” declares the Lord.

Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked, each one, in the stubbornness of his evil heart; therefore I brought on them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do, but they did not.’”

The Lord of hosts, who planted you, has pronounced evil against you because of the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done to provoke Me by offering up sacrifices to Baal.

“Can the Ethiopian change his skinOr the leopard his spots?Then you also can do goodWho are accustomed to doing evil.

You too have done evil, even more than your forefathers; for behold, you are each one walking according to the stubbornness of his own evil heart, without listening to Me.

if that nation against which I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent concerning the calamity I planned to bring on it.

if it does evil in My sight by not obeying My voice, then I will think better of the good with which I had promised to bless it.

So now then, speak to the men of Judah and against the inhabitants of Jerusalem saying, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Behold, I am fashioning calamity against you and devising a plan against you. Oh turn back, each of you from his evil way, and reform your ways and your deeds.”’

But they will say, ‘It’s hopeless! For we are going to follow our own plans, and each of us will act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart.’

Should good be repaid with evil?For they have dug a pit for me.Remember how I stood before YouTo speak good on their behalf,So as to turn away Your wrath from them.

O house of David, thus says the Lord:“Administer justice every morning;And deliver the person who has been robbed from the power of his oppressor,That My wrath may not go forth like fireAnd burn with none to extinguish it,Because of the evil of their deeds.

Therefore thus says the Lord God of Israel concerning the shepherds who are tending My people: “You have scattered My flock and driven them away, and have not attended to them; behold, I am about to attend to you for the evil of your deeds,” declares the Lord.

For the land is full of adulterers;For the land mourns because of the curse.The pastures of the wilderness have dried up.Their course also is evilAnd their might is not right.

“But if they had stood in My council,Then they would have announced My words to My people,And would have turned them back from their evil wayAnd from the evil of their deeds.

I will make them a terror and an evil for all the kingdoms of the earth, as a reproach and a proverb, a taunt and a curse in all places where I will scatter them.

saying, ‘Turn now everyone from his evil way and from the evil of your deeds, and dwell on the land which the Lord has given to you and your forefathers forever and ever;

Thus says the Lord of hosts,“Behold, evil is going forthFrom nation to nation,And a great storm is being stirred upFrom the remotest parts of the earth.

Perhaps they will listen and everyone will turn from his evil way, that I may relent of the calamity which I am planning to do to them because of the evil of their deeds.’

Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him to death? Did he not fear the Lord and entreat the favor of the Lord, and the Lord changed His mind about the misfortune which He had pronounced against them? But we are committing a great evil against ourselves.”

Indeed the sons of Israel and the sons of Judah have been doing only evil in My sight from their youth; for the sons of Israel have been only provoking Me to anger by the work of their hands,” declares the Lord.

because of all the evil of the sons of Israel and the sons of Judah which they have done to provoke Me to anger—they, their kings, their leaders, their priests, their prophets, the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

Also I have sent to you all My servants the prophets, sending them again and again, saying: ‘Turn now every man from his evil way and amend your deeds, and do not go after other gods to worship them. Then you will dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your forefathers; but you have not inclined your ear or listened to Me.

Perhaps the house of Judah will hear all the calamity which I plan to bring on them, in order that every man will turn from his evil way; then I will forgive their iniquity and their sin.”

Perhaps their supplication will come before the Lord, and everyone will turn from his evil way, for great is the anger and the wrath that the Lord has pronounced against this people.”

But Johanan the son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces that were with him heard of all the evil that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had done.

So the Lord was no longer able to endure it, because of the evil of your deeds, because of the abominations which you have committed; thus your land has become a ruin, an object of horror and a curse, without an inhabitant, as it is this day.

“But I will repay Babylon and all the inhabitants of Chaldea for all their evil that they have done in Zion before your eyes,” declares the Lord.

He did evil in the sight of the Lord like all that Jehoiakim had done.

“Thus says the Lord God, ‘Clap your hand, stamp your foot and say, “Alas, because of all the evil abominations of the house of Israel, which will fall by sword, famine and plague!

He said to me, “Son of man, these are the men who devise iniquity and give evil advice in this city,

There you will remember your ways and all your deeds with which you have defiled yourselves; and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight for all the evil things that you have done.

Then you will know that I am the Lord when I have dealt with you for My name’s sake, not according to your evil ways or according to your corrupt deeds, O house of Israel,” declares the Lord God.’”

“Moreover, I will make the Nile canals dryAnd sell the land into the hands of evil men.And I will make the land desolateAnd all that is in it,By the hand of strangers; I the Lord have spoken.”

Say to them, ‘As I live!’ declares the Lord God, ‘I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die, O house of Israel?’

Then you will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and your abominations.

‘Thus says the Lord God, “It will come about on that day, that thoughts will come into your mind and you will devise an evil plan,

As for both kings, their hearts will be intent on evil, and they will speak lies to each other at the same table; but it will not succeed, for the end is still to come at the appointed time.

When I would heal Israel,The iniquity of Ephraim is uncovered,And the evil deeds of Samaria,For they deal falsely;The thief enters in,Bandits raid outside,

Although I trained and strengthened their arms,Yet they devise evil against Me.

All their evil is at Gilgal;Indeed, I came to hate them there!Because of the wickedness of their deedsI will drive them out of My house!I will love them no more;All their princes are rebels.

And rend your heart and not your garments.”Now return to the Lord your God,For He is gracious and compassionate,Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindnessAnd relenting of evil.

Therefore at such a time the prudent person keeps silent, for it is an evil time.

Seek good and not evil, that you may live;And thus may the Lord God of hosts be with you,Just as you have said!

Hate evil, love good,And establish justice in the gate!Perhaps the Lord God of hostsMay be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.

“And though they go into captivity before their enemies,From there I will command the sword that it slay them,And I will set My eyes against them for evil and not for good.”

Woe to those who scheme iniquity,Who work out evil on their beds!When morning comes, they do it,For it is in the power of their hands.

Therefore thus says the Lord,“Behold, I am planning against this family a calamityFrom which you cannot remove your necks;And you will not walk haughtily,For it will be an evil time.

“You who hate good and love evil,Who tear off their skin from themAnd their flesh from their bones,

Then they will cry out to the Lord,But He will not answer them.Instead, He will hide His face from them at that timeBecause they have practiced evil deeds.

Concerning evil, both hands do it well.The prince asks, also the judge, for a bribe,And a great man speaks the desire of his soul;So they weave it together.

From you has gone forthOne who plotted evil against the Lord,A wicked counselor.

There is no relief for your breakdown,Your wound is incurable.All who hear about youWill clap their hands over you,For on whom has not your evil passed continually?

Your eyes are too pure to approve evil,And You can not look on wickedness with favor.Why do You look with favorOn those who deal treacherously?Why are You silent when the wicked swallow upThose more righteous than they?

“Woe to him who gets evil gain for his houseTo put his nest on high,To be delivered from the hand of calamity!

You went forth for the salvation of Your people,For the salvation of Your anointed.You struck the head of the house of the evilTo lay him open from thigh to neck. Selah.

“It will come about at that timeThat I will search Jerusalem with lamps,And I will punish the menWho are stagnant in spirit,Who say in their hearts,‘The Lord will not do good or evil!’

“Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets proclaimed, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Return now from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.”’ But they did not listen or give heed to Me,” declares the Lord.

and do not oppress the widow or the orphan, the stranger or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another.’

Also let none of you devise evil in your heart against another, and do not love perjury; for all these are what I hate,’ declares the Lord.”

But when you present the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? And when you present the lame and sick, is it not evil? Why not offer it to your governor? Would he be pleased with you? Or would he receive you kindly?” says the Lord of hosts.

You have wearied the Lord with your words. Yet you say, “How have we wearied Him?” In that you say, “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and He delights in them,” or, “Where is the God of justice?”

“Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.

But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is of evil.

But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.

so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’]

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!

And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, “Why are you thinking evil in your hearts?

You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.

The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil.

But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet;

Then it goes and takes along with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. That is the way it will also be with this evil generation.”

When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road.

and the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one;

For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother is to be put to death.’

For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders.

An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and a sign will not be given it, except the sign of Jonah.” And He left them and went away.

Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered together all they found, both evil and good; and the wedding hall was filled with dinner guests.

But if that evil slave says in his heart, ‘My master is not coming for a long time,’

And he said, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they kept shouting all the more, saying, “Crucify Him!”

For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, is to be put to death’;

For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries,

All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man.”

But Jesus said, “Do not hinder him, for there is no one who will perform a miracle in My name, and be able soon afterward to speak evil of Me.