'Evil' in the Bible

For their feet run to evil,And they hurry to shed blood.

“How long, O naive ones [you who are easily misled], will you love being simple-minded and undiscerning?How long will scoffers [who ridicule and deride] delight in scoffing,How long will fools [who obstinately mock truth] hate knowledge?

“But whoever listens to me (Wisdom) will live securely and in confident trustAnd will be at ease, without fear or dread of evil.”

To keep you from the way of evil and the evil man,From the man who speaks perverse things;

Who find joy in doing evilAnd delight in the perversity of evil,

Do not be wise in your own eyes;Fear the Lord [with reverent awe and obedience] and turn [entirely] away from evil.

Do not devise evil against your neighbor,Who lives securely beside you.

Do not enter the path of the wicked,And do not go the way of evil men.

Do not turn away to the right nor to the left [where evil may lurk];Turn your foot from [the path of] evil.

“I was almost in total ruinIn the midst of the assembly and congregation.”

Who perversely in his heart plots trouble and evil continually;Who spreads discord and strife.

A heart that creates wicked plans,Feet that run swiftly to evil,

To keep you from the evil woman,From [the flattery of] the smooth tongue of an immoral woman.

So is the one who goes in to his neighbor’s wife;Whoever touches her will not be found innocent or go unpunished.

“The [reverent] fear and worshipful awe of the Lord includes the hatred of evil;Pride and arrogance and the evil way,And the perverted mouth, I hate.

The foolish woman is restless and noisy;She is naive and easily misled and thoughtless, and knows nothing at all [of eternal value].

He who is steadfast in righteousness attains life,But he who pursues evil attains his own death.

He who diligently seeks good seeks favor and grace,But he who seeks evil, evil will come to him.

The wicked desire the plunder of evil men,But the root of the righteous yields richer fruit.

Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil,But counselors of peace have joy.

No harm befalls the righteous,But the wicked are filled with trouble.

A wicked messenger falls into hardship,But a faithful ambassador brings healing.

Desire realized is sweet to the soul;But it is detestable to fools to turn away from evil [which they have planned].

Adversity pursues sinners,But the [consistently] upright will be rewarded with prosperity.

A wise man suspects danger and cautiously avoids evil,But the fool is arrogant and careless.

The evil will bow down before the good,And the wicked [will bow down] at the gates of the righteous.

Do they not go astray who devise evil and wander from the way of righteousness?But kindness and truth will be to those who devise good.

The eyes of the Lord are in every place,Watching the evil and the good [in all their endeavors].

All the days of the afflicted are bad,But a glad heart has a continual feast [regardless of the circumstances].

The heart of the righteous thinks carefully about how to answer [in a wise and appropriate and timely way],But the [babbling] mouth of the wicked pours out malevolent things.

The Lord has made everything for its own purpose,Even the wicked [according to their role] for the day of evil.

By mercy and lovingkindness and truth [not superficial ritual] wickedness is cleansed from the heart,And by the fear of the Lord one avoids evil.

The highway of the upright turns away and departs from evil;He who guards his way protects his life (soul).

He who [slyly] winks his eyes does so to plot perverse things;And he who compresses his lips [as if in a secret signal] brings evil to pass.

A rebellious man seeks only evil;Therefore a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

Whoever returns evil for good,Evil will not depart from his house.

When the wicked man comes [to the depth of evil], contempt [of all that is pure and good] also comes,And with inner baseness (dishonor) comes outer shame (scorn).

The name of the Lord is a strong tower;The righteous runs to it and is safe and set on high [far above evil].

A man’s stomach will be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth;He will be satisfied with the consequence of his words.

The fear of the Lord leads to life,So that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil.

A [discerning] king who sits on the throne of judgmentSifts all evil [like chaff] with his eyes [and cannot be easily fooled].

Do not say, “I will repay evil”;Wait [expectantly] for the Lord, and He will rescue and save you.

Blows that wound cleanse away evil,And strokes reach to the innermost parts.

The soul of the wicked desires evil [like an addictive substance];His neighbor finds no compassion in his eyes.

The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable and offensive [to the Lord].How much more [unacceptable and insulting can it be] when he brings it with evil intention?

A prudent and far-sighted person sees the evil [of sin] and hides himself [from it],But the naive continue on and are punished [by suffering the consequences of sin].

Do not be envious of evil men,Nor desire to be with them;

He who plans to do evilWill be called a schemer or deviser of evil.

Or the Lord will see your gloating and be displeased,And turn His anger away from your enemy.

For there will be no future for the evil man;The lamp of the wicked will be put out.

A prudent man sees evil and hides himself and avoids it,But the naive [who are easily misled] continue on and are punished [by suffering the consequences of sin].

Evil men do not understand justice,But they who long for and seek the Lord understand it fully.

He who leads the upright astray on an evil pathWill himself fall into his own pit,But the blameless will inherit good.

He who has an evil and envious eye hurries to be richAnd does not know that poverty will come upon him.

By his wicked plan an evil man is trapped,But the righteous man sings and rejoices [for his plan brings good things to him].

If you have foolishly exalted yourself,Or if you have plotted evil, put your hand on your mouth.