Wisdom Principles—Dealing with Anger

Leviticus 19:17-18
You will not harbor hatred for your brother.

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18 You will not exact vengeance on, or bear any sort of grudge

1 Samuel 25:32-33
David said to Abigail: “Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel, who sent you to meet me today. 33 Blessed is your good judgment and blessed are you yourself. Today you have prevented me from shedding blood...

2 Kings 5:10-14
Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, ‘Go, wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored and you shall be clean.’ 11 But Naaman became angry and went away, saying, ‘I thought that for me he would surely come out, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and would wave his hand over the spot, and cure the leprosy! 12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them, and be clean?’ He turned and went away in a rage. 13 But his servants approached and said to him, ‘Father, if the prophet had commanded you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? How much more, when all he said to you was, “Wash, and be clean”?’ 14 So he went down and immersed himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; his flesh was restored like the flesh of a young boy, and he was clean.

Job 5:2
Resentment kills the senseless, and anger brings death to the fool.

Proverbs 10:12
Hatred provokes disputes, but love excuses all offences.

Proverbs 12:16
Fools show their anger at once, but the prudent ignore an insult.

Proverbs 14:17
One who is quick-tempered acts foolishly

Proverbs 14:29
Mastery of temper is high proof of intelligence, a quick temper makes folly worse than ever.

Proverbs 14:30
A tranquil mind gives life to the body

Proverbs 15:18
The hot-headed provokes disputes, the equable allays dissension.

Proverbs 16:32

Better an equable person than a hero, someone with self-mastery than one who takes a city.

Proverbs 17:14

As well unleash a flood as start a dispute; desist before the quarrel breaks out.

Proverbs 17:27
He who restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.

Proverbs 18:19

A brother offended is worse than a fortified city, and quarrels are like the locks of a keep.

Proverbs 19:11
Good sense makes for self-control, and for pride in overlooking an offence.

Proverbs 20:3

It is praiseworthy to stop short of a law-suit; only a fool flies into a rage.

Proverbs 22:24-25
Do not make friends with one who gives way to anger, make no one quick-tempered a companion of yours, ²⁵ for fear you learn such behavior and in it find a snare for yourself.

Proverbs 25:28
A city breached and left defenseless are those who do not control their temper.

Proverbs 26:21
Charcoal for live embers, wood for fire, and the quarrelsome for kindling strife.

Proverbs 29:11
The fool blurts out every angry feeling, but the wise subdues and restrains them.

Proverbs 29:22
The hot-head provokes disputes, someone in a rage commits all sorts of sins.

Proverbs 30:33
For as the churning of milk produces curds, and the pressing of the nose produces blood, the churning of anger produces strife.

Ecclesiastes 7:9
Do not be too easily exasperated, for exasperation dwells in the heart of fools.

Sirach 1:22-24
The rage of the wicked cannot put him in the right, for the weight of his rage is his downfall. 23 A patient person puts up with things until the right time comes: but his joy will break out in the end. 24 Till the time comes he keeps his thoughts to himself, and many a lip will affirm how wise he is.

Sirach 8:16
Do not argue with a quick-tempered man, do not go with him where there are no other people, since blood counts for nothing in his eyes, and where no help is to be had, he will strike you down.

Sirach 27:30
Resentment and anger, these are foul things too, and a sinner is a master at them both.

Sirach 28:1-7
Whoever exacts vengeance will experience the vengeance of the Lord, who keeps strict account of sin.

² Pardon your neighbor any wrongs done to you, and when you pray, your sins will be forgiven.

³ If anyone nurses anger against another, can one then demand compassion from the Lord?

⁴ Showing no pity for someone like oneself, can one then plead for one's own sins?

⁵ Mere creature of flesh, yet cherishing resentment!-who will forgive one for sinning?

⁶ Remember the last things, and stop hating, corruption and death, and be faithful to the commandments.

⁷ Remember the commandments, and do not bear your fellow ill-will, remember the covenant of the Most High, and ignore the offence.

⁸ Avoid quarrelling and you will sin less; for the hot-tempered provokes quarrels

Matthew 5:9
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

Matthew 5:22  
But I say this to you, anyone who is angry with a brother will answer for it before the court; anyone who calls a brother "Fool" will answer for it before the Sanhedrin; and anyone who calls him "Traitor" will answer for it in hell fire.

Matthew 5:25
Come to terms with your opponent in good time while you are still on the way to the court with him, or he may hand you over to the judge and the judge to the officer, and you will be thrown into prison.

Matthew 5:44 
But I say this to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

Matthew 6:12, 14-15 
And forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven those who are in debt to us.

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if you forgive others their failings, your heavenly Father will forgive you yours;15 but if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive your failings either.

Luke 6:27-28
But I say this to you who are listening: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸bless those who curse you, pray for those who treat you badly.

Romans 12:19-21  
Never try to get revenge: leave that, my dear friends, to the Retribution. As scripture says: Vengeance is mine – I will pay them back, the Lord promises. ²⁰And more: If your enemy is hungry, give him something to eat; if thirsty, something to drink. By this, you will be heaping red-hot coals on his head. ²¹Do not be mastered by evil, but master evil with good.

Galatians 5:19-21
When self-indulgence is at work the results are obvious… antagonisms and rivalry, jealousy, bad temper and quarrels, disagreements… and all such things. And about these, I tell you now as I have told you in the past, that people who behave in these ways will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Ephesians 4:31-32
Any bitterness or bad temper or anger or shouting or abuse must be far removed from you -- as must every kind of malice. ³²Be generous to one another, sympathetic, forgiving each other as readily as God forgave you in Christ.

Colossians 3:13
Bear with one another; forgive each other if one of you has a complaint against another. The Lord has forgiven you; now you must do the same.

James 1:19-20
Remember this, my dear brothers: everyone should be quick to listen but slow to speak and slow to human anger; ²⁰God's saving justice is never served by human anger

Wisdom Principles—Guaranteeing Others’ Obligations

Proverbs 6:1-5
My child, if you have gone surety for your neighbor, if you have guaranteed the bond of a stranger,2 if you have committed yourself with your lips, if through words of yours you have been entrapped, 3 do this, my child, to extricate yourself -- since you have put yourself in the power of your neighbor: go, humble yourself, plead with your neighbor, 4 give your eyes no sleep, your eyelids no rest,5 break free like a gazelle from the trap, like a bird from the fowler's clutches.

Proverbs 11:15
Whoever goes bail for a stranger does himself harm, but one who shuns going surety is safe.

Proverbs 17:18
Whoever offers guarantees lacks sense and goes surety for a neighbor.

Proverbs 20:16
Take the man's clothes! He has gone surety for a stranger. Take a pledge from him to the profit of persons unknown!

Proverbs 22:26-27
Do not be one of those who go guarantor, who go surety for debts:27 if you have no means of paying your bed will be taken from under you.

Proverbs 27:13
Take his garment when he becomes surety for a stranger; and for an adulterous woman hold him in pledge.

Sirach 8:13
Do not stand surety beyond your means; if you do stand surety, be prepared to pay up.

Sirach 29:14
A good man will go surety for his neighbor; only a shameless wretch would desert him.

Sirach 29:15-16
Do not forget the favor your guarantor has done you; he has given his life for you.16 A sinner is careless of his guarantor's prosperity, the ungrateful forgets his deliverer.

Sirach 29:17-18
Going surety has ruined many who were prosperous, tossing them about in a heavy sea. 18 It has driven the powerful from home to wander among foreign nations.

Sirach 29:19
A wicked man in a hurry to stand guarantor in the hope of profit, is hurrying to be sentenced.

Sirach 29:20
Come to your neighbor’s help as far as you can, but take care not to fall into the same plight.

Wisdom Principles—The Importance of Wise Counsel

Proverbs 11:14
Where there is no guidance the people fall, but in abundance of counselors there is victory.

Proverbs 15:22
Plans fail when there is no counsel, but they succeed when advisers are many

Proverbs 20:18
Prepare plans by consultation, and make war by wise guidance.

Proverbs 24:6
It is by strategy that you wage war, and victory depends on having many counsellors.

Proverbs 29:12
If a ruler listens to falsehood, all his officials will be wicked.

Wisdom 6:24
A multitude of wise men is the salvation of the world, and a sensible king is the stability of his people.

Sirach 10:2
Like the magistrate of the people, so are his officials

Wisdom Principles—God Loves Humility and Hates Pride

Psalm 18:27
You save those who are humble, but you humble those who are proud.

Psalm 101:5
The man of haughty looks and arrogant heart I will not endure.

Psalm 131
Yahweh, my heart is not haughty, I do not set my sights too high. I have taken no part in great affairs, in wonders beyond my scope.

2 No, I hold myself in quiet and silence, like a little child in its mother's arms, like a little child, so I keep myself.

3 Let Israel hope in Yahweh henceforth and for ever.

Proverbs 3:34
He mocks proud mockers, but shows favor to the humble and oppressed.

Proverbs 6:16-17
There are six things which the Lord hates, seven which are an abomination to him…17 haughty eyes…

Proverbs 11:2
When pride comes, then comes disgrace; but with the humble is wisdom.

Proverbs 15:33
The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom, and humility goes before honor.

Proverbs 16:5

Every arrogant heart is abhorrent to Yahweh: be sure this will not go unpunished.

Proverbs 16:18
Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

Proverbs 16:19

Better be humble with the poor than share the booty with the proud.

Proverbs 18:12
Before a downfall the heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor.

Proverbs 25:6-7
Do not claim honor in the presence of the king, And do not stand in the place of great men; 7 For it is better that it be said to you, “Come up here,” Than for you to be placed lower in the presence of the prince

Sirach 1:30
Do not exalt yourself lest you fall and bring dishonor upon yourself; for then the Lord will reveal your secrets and cast you down in the midst of the assembly.

Sirach 3:17-24
My child, be gentle in carrying out your business, and you will be better loved than a lavish giver. 18The greater you are, the more humbly you should behave, and then you will find favor with the Lord; 20 for great though the power of the Lord is, he accepts the homage of the humble.

21 Do not try to understand things that are too difficult for you, or try to discover what is beyond your powers. 22 Concentrate on what has been assigned you, you have no need to worry over mysteries. 23 Do not meddle with matters that are beyond you; what you have been taught already exceeds the scope of the human mind. 24 For many have been misled by their own notions, wicked presumption having warped their judgment.

Sirach 3:28
For the disease of the proud there is no cure, since an evil growth has taken root there.

Sirach 13:9-10
When a powerful man invites you, be reserved; and he will invite you the more often. 10 Do not push forward, lest you be repulsed; and do not remain at a distance, lest you be forgotten.

Isaiah 13:11
I will put an end to the pride of the arrogant, and lay low the haughtiness of the ruthless.

Micah 6:8
What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Matthew 5:3
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:5
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

Matthew 18:3-4
Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 20:26
Whoever would be great among you must be your servant

Matthew 23:12
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted

Mark 9:33-35
And they came to Caper′na-um; and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” 34 But they were silent; for on the way they had discussed with one another who was the greatest. 35 And he sat down and called the twelve; and he said to them, “If any one would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”

Luke 1:47-53
My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,48 for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden. For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed; 49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. 50 And his mercy is on those who fear him from generation to generation. 51 He has shown strength with his arm, he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts, 52 

he has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted those of low degree; 53 he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent empty away.

Luke 14:8-11
When you are invited by any one to a marriage feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest a more eminent man than you be invited by him; 9 and he who invited you both will come, and say to you, ‘Give place to this man,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. 10 But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher’; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. 11 For every one who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Luke 18:10-14
Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank thee that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week, I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for every one who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.

Luke 20:46
Beware of the scribes, who like to go about in long robes, and love salutations in the market places and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts

John 13:3-5,12-15
Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, 4 rose from supper, laid aside his garments, and girded himself with a towel. 5 Then he poured water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which he was girded.

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When he had washed their feet, and taken his garments, and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.

Philippians 2:5-11  
Make your own the mind of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, did not count equality with God something to be grasped. 7 But he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, becoming as human beings are; and being in every way like a human being, 8 he was humbler yet, even to accepting death, death on a cross. 9 And for this God raised him high, and gave him the name which is above all other names; 10 so that all beings in the heavens, on earth and in the underworld, should bend the knee at the name of Jesus 11 and that every tongue should acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

James 4:6-7
But he gives more grace; therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

1 Peter 5:5-7
Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that in due time he may exalt you. 7 Cast all your anxieties on him, for he cares about you.