Bible Verses About Criticism

“Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. And if you judge the law, you are not a practitioner of the law, but a judge of it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?”

“Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.”

“Better an open rebuke than love that is concealed. The wounds of a friend are faithful, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.”

“The wounds of a friend are faithful, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.”

“But if you keep on biting and devouring one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another.”

“A fool vents all his anger, but a wise man holds it back.”

“Poverty and shame come to him who ignores discipline, but whoever heeds correction is honored.”

“He who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever heeds correction gains understanding.”

“To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct, and perverse speech.”

“Therefore encourage and build one another up, just as you are already doing.”

“When they heaped abuse on Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats, but entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.”

“For no such prophecy was ever brought forth by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”

“You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit, just as your fathers did.”

“The natural man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

“For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”

“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power to prevail.”

“Do not be quick to speak, and do not be hasty in your heart to utter a word before God. For God is in heaven and you are on earth. So let your words be few. As a dream comes through many cares, so the speech of a fool comes with many words.”

“Who is this who obscures My counsel by words without knowledge? Now brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall inform Me.”

“Do not rebuke a mocker, or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man, and he will love you. Instruct a wise man, and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man, and he will increase his learning.”

“I know your deeds; you are neither cold nor hot. How I wish you were one or the other! So because you are lukewarm — neither hot nor cold — I am about to vomit you out of My mouth!”

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

“For some say, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but his physical presence is unimpressive, and his speaking is of no account.”

“He who walks with the wise will become wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed.”

“Therefore let us stop judging one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way.”

“Speaking rashly is like a piercing sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”

“Do everything in love.”

“Do not make friends with an angry man, and do not associate with a hot-tempered man, or you may learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.”

“Oil and incense bring joy to the heart, and the counsel of a friend is sweetness to the soul.”

“When pride comes, disgrace follows, but with humility comes wisdom.”

“I have written to the church about this, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not accept our instruction. So if I come, I will call attention to his malicious slander against us. And unsatisfied with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers and forbids those who want to do so, even putting them out of the church.”

“A perverse man spreads dissension, and a gossip divides close friends.”

“The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to counsel.”

“You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.”

“Do not complain about one another, brothers, so that you will not be judged. Look, the Judge is standing at the door!”

“Drive out the mocker, and conflict will depart; even quarreling and insults will cease.”

“But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or height, for I have rejected him; the LORD does not see as man does. For man sees the outward appearance, but the LORD sees the heart.”

“Every wise woman builds her house, but a foolish one tears it down with her own hands. He who walks in uprightness fears the LORD, but the one who is devious in his ways despises Him. The proud speech of a fool brings a rod to his back, but the lips of the wise protect them. Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but an abundant harvest comes through the strength of the ox. An honest witness does not deceive, but a dishonest witness pours forth lies. A mocker seeks wisdom and finds none, but knowledge comes easily to the discerning. Stay away from a foolish man; you will gain no knowledge from his speech. The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way, but the folly of fools deceives them. Fools mock the making of amends, but goodwill is found among the upright. The heart knows its own bitterness, and no stranger shares in its joy. The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the upright will flourish. There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. Even in laughter the heart may ache, and joy may end in sorrow. The backslider in heart receives the fill of his own ways, but a good man is rewarded for his ways. The simple man believes every word, but the prudent man watches his steps. A wise man fears and turns from evil, but a fool is careless and reckless. A quick-tempered man acts foolishly, and a devious man is hated. The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge. The evil bow before the good, and the wicked at the gates of the righteous. The poor man is hated even by his neighbor, but many are those who love the rich. He who despises his neighbor sins, but blessed is he who shows kindness to the poor. Do not those who contrive evil go astray? But those who plan goodness find loving devotion and faithfulness. There is profit in all labor, but mere talk leads only to poverty. The crown of the wise is their wealth, but the effort of fools is folly. A truthful witness saves lives, but one who utters lies is deceitful. He who fears the LORD is secure in confidence, and his children shall have a place of refuge. The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death. A large population is a king’s splendor, but a lack of subjects is a prince’s ruin. A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man promotes folly. A tranquil heart is life to the body, but envy rots the bones. Whoever oppresses the poor taunts their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors Him. The wicked man is thrown down by his own sin, but the righteous man has a refuge even in death. Wisdom rests in the heart of the discerning; even among fools she is known. Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people. A king delights in a wise servant, but his anger falls on the shameful.”

“A man who remains stiff-necked after much reproof will suddenly be shattered beyond recovery.”

“For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but think of yourself with sober judgment, according to the measure of faith God has given you.”

“How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ while there is still a beam in your own eye?”

“He who listens to life-giving reproof will dwell among the wise. He who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever heeds correction gains understanding. The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom, and humility comes before honor.”

“Bear with one another and forgive any complaint you may have against someone else. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”

“Therefore if you have any encouragement in Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being united in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross. Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name above all names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

“A soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.”

“You must not allow a sorceress to live.”

“All a man’s ways are pure in his own eyes, but his motives are weighed out by the LORD.”

“Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye but fail to notice the beam in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ while there is still a beam in your own eye? You hypocrite! First take the beam out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

“Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.”

“There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called;”

“The plans of the heart belong to man, but the reply of the tongue is from the LORD.”