Bible verses about anger
The Bible is franker about anger than about most faults, partly because so many of the people it admires lost their tempers. These passages are set out with a sentence on each — God’s own slowness to anger included.
So, then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger; — James 1:19 · WEB
Three instructions about speech open the letter's longest running subject, and the reason given is what anger fails to produce.
A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. — Proverbs 15:1 · WEB
The chapter opens with the most practical sentence in the book and ends by pricing a dinner.
Yahweh passed by before him, and proclaimed, “Yahweh! Yahweh, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness and truth, — Exodus 34:6 · WEB
Asked to show his glory, God recites his own character, and mercy is named four times before justice is named once.
Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels! Shall we bring water out of this rock for you?” — Numbers 20:10 · WEB
Moses is told to speak to a rock and strikes it twice, and the charge against him is about who the water appeared to come from.
Yahweh said, “Is it right for you to be angry?” — Jonah 4:4 · WEB
Nineveh's rescue strikes Jonah as a catastrophe, and he finally says why he ran.
But I tell you that everyone who is angry with his brother without a cause will be in danger of the judgment. Whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ will be in danger of the council. Whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of Gehenna. — Matthew 5:22 · WEB
The first of six: the commandment against murder reaches the contempt behind it, and reconciliation interrupts worship.
Don’t seek revenge yourselves, beloved, but give place to God’s wrath. For it is written, “Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord.” — Romans 12:19 · WEB
The ethic turns outward to enemies, vengeance is returned to its owner, and the chapter ends with evil conquered by feeding it.
“Be angry, and don’t sin.” Don’t let the sun go down on your wrath, — Ephesians 4:26 · WEB
Each instruction replaces rather than forbids, and the reason attached to the first one is anatomical.
but now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and shameful speaking out of your mouth. — Colossians 3:8 · WEB
The second list is entirely about speech — and the reason given for dropping it is a change of clothes that has already happened.
Cease from anger, and forsake wrath. Don’t fret; it leads only to evildoing. — Psalm 37:8 · WEB
An old man's answer to the oldest complaint, and its argument is entirely about time.
I desire therefore that the men in every place pray, lifting up holy hands without anger and doubting. — 1 Timothy 2:8 · WEB
Two instructions are given, one to men and one to women, and both name a disposition rather than a posture.
For the overseer must be blameless, as God’s steward, not self-pleasing, not easily angered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for dishonest gain; — Titus 1:7 · WEB
The overseer manages what belongs to someone else, and the list of qualities is what that fact requires.
A fool vents all of his anger, but a wise man brings himself under control. — Proverbs 29:11 · WEB
Read the comment on When the Righteous Thrive, the People Rejoice
Don’t be hasty in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools. — Ecclesiastes 7:9 · WEB
The crooked thing that could not be straightened in chapter 1 is here said to have been made crooked, and the alternation of good days and bad is given a purpose.
One who is slow to anger is better than the mighty; one who rules his spirit, than he who takes a city. — Proverbs 16:32 · WEB
He who is quick to become angry will commit folly, and a crafty man is hated. — Proverbs 14:17 · WEB