23 Bible Verses on Justice and Revenge When You’re Wronged

Bible verses about Justice and Fairness

The Bible has several verses that address justice and fairness, and God was very outspoken about this. People are, however, inherently selfish, and as such, we need constant reminders about how important it is to be fair in our dealing with others.

1. Micah 6:8 NKJV

“He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you. But to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?”

In our prayers, we often seek God's will for our lives, and we can consider this scripture as one of the answers to that prayer. God explains his requirement for us to live justly, a verse many keep on Bible verse signs. Often, when we think of justice, we visualize a courthouse and process the word in a legal, economic, or even political sense, but Micah makes the matter of justice a personal one.

Are you treating others justly? Are you fair in your interactions, or do you take advantage of the vulnerable? Do you treat the single parent the same as the married parent? Do you offer the same opportunities to the foster child as you do to your biological child? God wants us to do justly while loving mercy because justice without mercy is cruelty.

2. Proverbs 21:15 NKJV

“It is a joy for the just to do justice, but destruction will come to the workers of iniquity.”

People who are just and righteous delight in doing good and treating others fairly. On the other hand, the wicked are constantly seeking ways to cheat others and often believe that their prosperity will only come about through dishonest means. God is not pleased, and he declared that their destruction is inevitable.

God will mete out justice to all workers of iniquity who shun the values of justice and fairness. God “will repay each person according to what they have done” (Romans 2:6).

3. Leviticus 19:15 NKJV

“You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor.”

Sometimes in our pursuit of justice, we tend to tip the scales in favor of the poor and vulnerable to the detriment of the wealthy. At other times we idolize the rich and give them special treatment to the disadvantage of the poor. We often find ourselves going to one extreme or the other in our humanness, but God calls us to judge our neighbor fairly (see these Bible verses about judging others).

Fairness overlooks the status of the individual and assesses the facts of the case. God does not want partiality; he wants us to be fair.

4. Proverbs 24:24-25 NKJV

“He who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,” Him the people will curse; Nations will abhor him. But those who rebuke the wicked will have delight, And a good blessing will come upon them.”

This scripture solidifies the point that fairness plays a significant role in dispensing justice, and those who rightly apportion justice will be blessed. Psalm 106:3 also assigns a blessing to those who keep justice and do righteousness at all times.

On the other hand, those who cheat and deal in dishonesty by applauding the wicked will be hated by nations. We know what is right, and our actions are being judged. We have to be mindful that we do not take sides in the course of justice.

5. Isaiah 61:8 NKJV

“For I, the Lord, love justice; I hate robbery for burnt offering; I will direct their work in truth, And will make with them an everlasting covenant.”

God loves justice, and he hates robbery and unfair transactions. He has promised a reward for his people who avoid injustice and iniquity.

As followers of God, we should love justice and avoid cheating others, as there is no profit in such practices. “Place no trust in extortion, or false hope in stolen goods. If your riches increase, do not set your heart upon them” (Psalm 62:10).

Bible verses about Justice and Revenge

As humans, the moment we are wronged, we immediately begin to conceive ways of getting back at the perpetrator. We believe we will only find peace if the person who wronged us suffers as much as we did or worse. However, this is not how God wants us to behave; he calls us instead to love our enemies and do good to those who hurt us.

6. Hebrews 10:30 NKJV

“For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. And again, “The Lord will judge His people.”

This text falls within one of the sternest Bible passages against apostasy and is followed by encouragement to the saints to persevere. God's judgment is sure, and he will judge every man according to his works.

Within this context, he will allocate vengeance as needed, more so on those who, through their behavior, become enemies of God. Revenge, in this case, should be left to God, as he is the only just and all-knowing One who will judge aright.

7. 1 Samuel 25:33 NKJV

“And blessed is your advice and blessed are you, because you have kept me this day from coming to bloodshed and from avenging myself with my own hand.”

David, a man after God's own heart (and the subject of many movies about King David), knew that revenge could be detrimental. As he encountered the disregard and disrespect of Nabal, he desired to avenge himself and his men; however, he was saved from such acts by the kindness of Abigail, a wise woman. David thanks Abigail for her excellent judgment and kind deeds, which tempered his vengeful spirit.

Sometimes when others are faced with the temptation to take justice into their own hands, our reaction or response can make a difference and change the entire narrative. Let us always remember Proverbs 15:1, “A soft answer turns away wrath, but harsh words stir up anger.”

8. Romans 12:19 NKJV

“Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.”

Justice is not vengeance. Many interpret justice to mean that you should do unto others as they have done unto you, but God frowns upon such behavior. Justice is served when you leave the execution of revenge to the Lord, and he will act on your behalf.

Nahum supported this when he declared that God is jealous (Nahum 1:2) and will take vengeance on his adversaries while reserving his wrath for his enemies. It may be difficult at times, but we have to learn to trust God to work things out on our behalf and to cast our cares on Him (making sense of 1 Peter 5:7).

9. Deuteronomy 32:35 NKJV

“Vengeance is Mine, and recompense; their foot shall slip in due time; for the day of their calamity is at hand, And the things to come hasten upon them.”

Throughout the scriptures, God insists that revenge should be left up to him. We often try to run ahead of God to execute our own justice, but he declared that disaster would fall upon our adversaries in due time.

The fact that God says that their calamity is at hand means that even if it takes a hundred years, God's judgment will not be deferred. Justice will be served, and those who oppose God's people will be overthrown.

10. Proverbs 20:22 NKJV

“Do not say, “I will recompense evil," Wait for the Lord, and He will save you.”

Revenge comes from pride; a humble man does not think about returning evil for evil. When we seek revenge, it is as if we are blinded by rage and the desire to hurt others.

Seeking to repay evil will distort your perception of justice and lead to sinful actions and even crimes. This is why Solomon admonished us to exert self-control and never to seek to avenge evil that is done to us. We should instead follow the advice in Leviticus 19:18, "Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord.”

Justice or revenge: what is the difference?

Justice and revenge can look alike, because both respond to a wrong. The difference is who acts and why. Justice is fair, it is carried out by the right authority, and it aims to set things right. Revenge is personal, and it wants the other person to hurt.

Scripture gives justice to God and to the authorities He has put in place (Romans 13:4), and it takes revenge away from us: “Do not repay anyone evil for evil… Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:17, 21). Seeking justice for someone who has been wronged is right. Getting even is not.

Bible verses about Justice for the Poor and Oppressed

Throughout the Old and New Testaments, God's mandate to take care of the vulnerable and deal justly with the poor and the oppressed rings loud and clear. Whether it was culturally acceptable or not, God called his followers to uphold justice and stand against oppression. He outlined several laws about the farming practices and even the sacrificial system to ensure that the poor, widows, and fatherless would not be left to starve.

11. Isaiah 1:17 NKJV

“Learn to do good; seek justice, rebuke the oppressor; defend the fatherless, plead for the widow.”

This command is clear. God wants us to seek justice for the fatherless and widows while fighting against the oppressors. Psalm 146:7-9 outlines how much God values the vulnerable as he executes justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry and sets prisoners free. Sometimes when we engage in doing good, we prefer to serve others who can afford to return the favor, but God wants us to be deliberate in prioritizing the helpless and ensuring justice for them, whether they can repay us or not.

12. Psalm 82:3 NKJV

“Defend the poor and fatherless; do justice to the afflicted and needy.”

In ancient Israel, a child without a father had no one to protect their land, their inheritance or their rights in court, so they were easily left at the mercy of others. Children without that protection, and the mothers raising them, are still among the most vulnerable people in any society (see these Bible verses for single moms). Such conditions should touch our hearts, and as the psalmist recommends, we should be their defenders. The afflictions of the needy matter to God, and "He administers justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the stranger, giving him food and clothing” (Deuteronomy 10:18).

13. Proverbs 29:7 NKJV

“The righteous considers the cause of the poor, but the wicked does not understand such knowledge.”

One way to ensure justice for the poor and oppressed is to attend to their physical needs. This way, we allow them equal access to food, clothing, shelter, education, and even leisure. Justice is not just served in the context of the judicial system; we ensure justice when we treat each person, rich or poor, with the dignity and respect that they deserve as God's creation. God, who takes note of even the sparrow that falls on the ground (Matthew 10:29), cares about those who are on the margin of society, and if we claim to be righteous, we must show the same consideration as God does.

14. Isaiah 10:1-2 NKJV

“Woe to those who decree unrighteous decrees, who write misfortune, to rob the needy of justice, and to take what is right from the poor of My people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless.”

This scripture uses an ominous warning to advise against those who deliberately create laws that rob the needy and the poor of justice. God is not pleased with leaders who seek to deprive the poor and oppress the vulnerable. In Isaiah 59:15, we read that “ …The LORD looked and was displeased that there was no justice.” Taking care of the poor and oppressed was a covenant obligation of ancient Israel and the same obligation holds true for those who follow God today.

15. James 1:27 NKJV

“Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble and keep oneself unspotted from the world.”

This Bible verse sums up the whole matter of justice for the poor and oppressed. God calls it pure and undefiled religion. The Israelites were called to be different from the surrounding nations, and the way they treated the vulnerable among them was a witness to their relationship with the Sovereign God.

In the New Testament, James is calling Christians to do likewise. We are to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth. Our effectiveness will be evidenced by how we treat the marginalized. Are you practicing pure and undefiled religion?

Bible verses about Justice and Truth

In our human courts, we are so used to the perversion of the justice system that we hardly ever think of justice and truth together. However, the Bible is very vocal on the consequences of cheating the system through bribery and other means under the guise of executing justice.

16. Zechariah 7:9 NKJV

“Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Execute true justice, show mercy and compassion everyone to his brother.”

This verse's reference to true justice suggests that it is possible to have false justice where biases are evident and the vulnerable are short-changed. God wants us to be merciful and compassionate even in the execution of justice.

“Stop judging by outward appearances, and start judging justly” (John 7:24). When judging, the truth must take precedence over the status of those involved.

17. Ezekiel 18:8 NKJV

“He does not engage in usury or take excess interest, but he withholds his hand from iniquity and executes true justice between men.”

Ezekiel 18 answers a proverb the Israelites liked to quote: “The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge” (Ezekiel 18:2). In this verse God describes the righteous man, and it adequately describes God’s expectations of Israel in the course of justice. Israel was expected to treat each other fairly and not to take bribes or any excessive charges. God wanted Israel to deal honestly with each other as they upheld truth and justice, and he expects the same from us today.

Exodus 22:25 elaborates further on the topic of usury, just one of the things God advised his people to shun. “If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury.”

18. Deuteronomy 16:19 NKJV

“You shall not pervert justice; you shall not show partiality, nor take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.”

Throughout the book of Deuteronomy, there are several references to the fact that God is powerful and majestic yet cares about the weak and the outcast and never takes a bribe. "Surely God will never do wickedly, nor will the Almighty pervert justice." Job 34:12

As such, Moses admonished the children of Israel that those who sought to pervert the courts would be cursed. This matter was so important to God that it was listed among the curses in Deuteronomy 27: “Cursed is the one who perverts the justice due the stranger, the fatherless, and widow” (Deuteronomy 27:19).

It is sad to know that it doesn't matter the country, culture, or era, or whether justice and equality are enshrined in our laws; the weak, poor, and marginalized tend not to get the same "justice" as the rich. However, God is expecting us to dispense true justice for all, a justice that is not clouded by bribes or biases.

19. Psalm 37:28 NKJV

“For the Lord loves justice, and does not forsake His saints; They are preserved forever, but the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off.”

God loves justice. He loves when his people seek to do right by their brothers and sisters and defend those often mistreated and oppressed. When we seek to uphold justice and truth, God will reward us with everlasting life (see what John 11:26 teaches about believers) while the wicked will be cut off.

It is easy to fall into the trap of perverting the courts of justice in favor of the poor, to the detriment of the rich, but God does not want extremes. He wants fairness and truth.

Bible verses about Justice of God

God is righteous, holy, and just. His judgments are true. As humans, we judge based on outward appearance and even personal preferences, but God judges us as he looks at our hearts and motives. His justice is dispensed with mercy and compassion, without bribery or perversion.

20. Psalm 89:14 NKJV

“Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; mercy and truth go before Your face.”

This verse is a beautiful summation of the character of God, pure and undefiled. It pays tribute to the fact that God balances all the essentials of justice.

It has been said that justice without mercy is tyranny, but God in his wisdom, holds justice, truth, righteousness, and mercy in his hands. His justice is the ultimate because he is the righteous judge who will reward every man according to his works.

21. Deuteronomy 32:4 NKJV

“He is the Rock, His work is perfect; for all His ways are justice, A God of truth and without injustice; righteous and upright is He.”

Dubbed the Song of Moses, these verses in Deuteronomy testify of God's justice, justice as righteous and upright as God himself. God is not a man, and as such, he cannot lie. (Numbers 23:19) His ways are perfect, and he does not deal with injustice. He is faithful and just, and He keeps His covenant of loving devotion for a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments (Deuteronomy 7:9).

22. Isaiah 30:18 NKJV

“Therefore, the Lord will wait, that He may be gracious to you; and therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; Blessed are all those who wait for Him.”

We live in a world where we have all gotten used to instant gratification with everything at our fingertips. However, when it comes to the execution of justice, we sometimes have to wait for it. We have to trust God, knowing that he is faithful and will fulfill what he has promised.

David sang that “As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him." (2 Samuel 22:31) We can wait on God to dispense justice. His justice is steadfast and sure.

23. Psalm 9:8 NKJV

“And he shall judge the world in righteousness; he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.”

There is coming a day when the ultimate justice will be served. “For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the Man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead." Acts 17:31

God the righteous judge will bring every work into judgment, and we will be rewarded accordingly. Justice will finally be served between the righteous and the wicked. God, the righteous judge, will have the final say as he judges the world with equity and justice. Will you be able to stand in the judgment?

When justice is delayed: the persistent widow

Jesus told a parable about a widow who kept coming to an unjust judge, asking for justice against her adversary, until he finally gave in. Then He said, “will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?” (Luke 18:7). The point is not that God is like the unjust judge, but that He is far better, so keep praying (Jesus also taught how to pray).

Some wrongs are never put right in this life. Scripture promises that they will be: “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:10).

Where God’s justice and mercy meet: the cross

If God is perfectly just, how can He forgive sinners? Paul answers that at the cross. God presented Jesus as a sacrifice of atonement “to demonstrate his righteousness… so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus” (Romans 3:25-26). Sin was not ignored. It was paid for through His Son Jesus. That is why the Bible can say both that God “does not leave the guilty unpunished” (Exodus 34:7) and that He is “faithful and just and will forgive us our sins” when we confess them (1 John 1:9).

Living justly today

Justice is a covenant obligation of God's people. Even as God, the righteous judge, is holy and just, he requires the same from us. Unfairness and injustice may exist everywhere else, but we should not find these characteristics among God's people.

If we know the true God and demonstrate all the correct forms of worship but mistreat the poor and marginalized, it will profit us nothing. No matter how we adhere to religious rituals, we cannot be holy and practice injustice simultaneously; Jesus told us to go deeper than the outward religion of the scribes and Pharisees. God calls us to love mercy, do justly, and walk humbly with him in service to others.