Human evil. It's a lot to think about.
Evil behavior stems from humanity's sinful nature. Evil stirs up conflict, and sin produces death. All evil derives from Satan, the adversary. Many wicked people who plot evil are our friends, family, and enemies.
Satan comes to earth to kill and destroy. He brings the spiritual forces of evil to shed innocent blood. Satan hates the light and leads the authorities against the powers of goodness.
Let's dig into the age-old question: Why does God allow evil in this world?
Why God allows evil
The problem of evil is a profound argument against God. Evil causes strife and suffering. We don't want to suffer, yet we will all suffer at some point in our lives.
We will never understand the mind of God. But if God were to stop human evil from occurring, then this would take away our free wills.
A couple more reasons why God allows evil:
- Evil and suffering are caused by man's sinful nature
- God allows suffering to judge the wicked
- God allows suffering to discipline His children
- God achieves good through suffering
- God allowed His only Son, Jesus Christ, to endure all pain and suffering to eradicate it.
In today's Bible study, our Bible reading will center around evil in the Scriptures. Put on your armor of God and ask for the help from the heavenly realms for God's discernment today:
What does the Bible say about evil?
1. Romans 12:9 KJV
Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
2. Proverbs 4:27 KJV
Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.
3. 1 Thessalonians 5:22 KJV
Abstain from all appearance of evil.
4. Romans 12:21 KJV
Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
5. Micah 2:1 KJV
Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand.
6. John 1:1 KJV
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
7. Proverbs 3:7 KJV
Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.
8. Proverbs 8:13 KJV
The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.
9. Isaiah 45:7 KJV
I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.
10. Psalms 141:4 KJV
Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties.
11. 2 Timothy 4:18 KJV
And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
12. Proverbs 10:29 KJV
The way of the Lord is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.
13. Malachi 2:17 KJV
Ye have wearied the Lord with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?
14. Romans 12:19 KJV
Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
15. James 1:13 KJV
Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
16. Romans 13:4 KJV
For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
17. 1 Kings 17:13 KJV
And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.
18. Revelation 21:8 KJV
But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
19. Proverbs 10:12 KJV
Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.
20. Proverbs 29:11 KJV
A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards.
21. Psalms 34:16 KJV
The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
22. 1 Corinthians 13:6 KJV
Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
23. 1 John 4:4 KJV
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
24. 1 John 5:19 KJV
And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.
25. Isaiah 5:20 KJV
Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
26. Psalms 5:4 KJV
For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee.
27. Psalms 28:3 KJV
Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbours, but mischief is in their hearts.
28. Revelation 1:1 KJV
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:
29. James 4:7 KJV
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
30. Romans 7:13 KJV
Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.
31. James 1:21 KJV
Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
32. 2 Peter 3:9 KJV
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
33. Isaiah 1:16 KJV
Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;
34. Genesis 2:17 KJV
But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
35. Matthew 6:13 KJV
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
36. Judges 2:19 KJV
And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned, and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way.
37. Genesis 3:5 KJV
For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
38. Matthew 5:39 KJV
But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
39. Joshua 24:15 KJV
And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
40. Psalms 37:9 KJV
For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.
41. Psalms 7:14 KJV
Behold, he travaileth with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood.
42. Proverbs 4:16 KJV
For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
43. 1 Samuel 15:23 KJV
For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king.
44. Ephesians 5:11 KJV
And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
45. Ephesians 4:29 KJV
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
46. 2 Timothy 2:22 KJV
Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
47. Psalms 50:19 KJV
Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit.
48. Exodus 14:14 KJV
The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.
49. Romans 3:23 KJV
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
50. 1 Peter 3:9 KJV
Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
51. Proverbs 21:15 KJV
It is joy to the just to do judgment: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.
52. 1 Corinthians 15:33 KJV
Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
53. Proverbs 16:4 KJV
The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.
54. 1 Samuel 12:20 KJV
And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart;
55. Romans 8:28 KJV
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
56. Proverbs 17:15 KJV
He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the Lord.
57. Luke 1:37 KJV
For with God nothing shall be impossible.
58. Romans 16:17 KJV
Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
59. Genesis 3:22 KJV
And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:
60. Deuteronomy 17:7 KJV
The hands of the witnesses shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterward the hands of all the people. So thou shalt put the evil away from among you.
61. Isaiah 54:17 KJV
No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.
62. John 1:5 KJV
And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
63. John 10:10 KJV
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
64. James 1:14 KJV
But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
65. Proverbs 25:26 KJV
A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring.
66. Psalms 23:4 KJV
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
67. 1 Timothy 6:10 KJV
For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
68. John 3:16 KJV
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
69. Proverbs 12:20 KJV
Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil: but to the counsellors of peace is joy.
70. Psalms 34:14 KJV
Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.
71. Psalms 119:133 KJV
Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.
72. 2 Chronicles 29:6 KJV
For our fathers have trespassed, and done that which was evil in the eyes of the Lord our God, and have forsaken him, and have turned away their faces from the habitation of the Lord, and turned their backs.
73. Matthew 7:12 KJV
Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
74. Ephesians 6:12 KJV
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
75. Psalms 73:7 KJV
Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.
76. Genesis 6:5 KJV
And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
77. Proverbs 20:22 KJV
Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the Lord, and he shall save thee.
78. Romans 6:23 KJV
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
79. 1 Kings 14:9 KJV
But hast done evil above all that were before thee: for thou hast gone and made thee other gods, and molten images, to provoke me to anger, and hast cast me behind thy back:
80. Ephesians 6:11 KJV
Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
81. Job 4:8 KJV
Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.
82. Luke 10:19 KJV
Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
83. Proverbs 17:13 KJV
Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.
84. John 3:20 KJV
For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
85. 1 John 1:9 KJV
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
86. 1 Thessalonians 5:15 KJV
See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.
87. John 14:6 KJV
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
88. Psalms 97:10 KJV
Ye that love the Lord, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.
89. Genesis 50:20 KJV
But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.
90. Isaiah 32:6 KJV
For the vile person will speak villany, and his heart will work iniquity, to practise hypocrisy, and to utter error against the Lord, to make empty the soul of the hungry, and he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail.
91. John 17:15 KJV
I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
Conclusion
We hope you enjoyed this Scripture reading about evil and wicked people.
Satan is constantly at work in the hearts of wicked people. The powers of this dark world are Satan's, but only because God allows it.
When the day of the Lord comes, God will reclaim this world as His. All we can do in the meantime is to help bring more goodness into the world.
As Christians, we have a responsibility to be the light in the dark place. We can bless people by doing good, even when people do evil against us. We will not be repaying evil with evil but return it with good.
May you find salvation through Jesus Christ today.
God bless!
