Hatred doesn’t announce itself. It begins quietly—a wound left untreated, a betrayal left unforgiven, a grudge nurtured in silence until bitterness hardens into something unrecognizable.
By the time most people admit it, hatred has already taken up permanent residence in their hearts.
Scripture doesn’t ignore this destructive emotion or pretend it doesn’t exist. These bible verses about hatred towards others confront it directly with truth that both convicts and heals, showing its devastating consequences while pointing toward the only cure.
Hatred destroys the hater more than the hated, poisoning your soul, separating you from God, and blinding you to truth. God equates it with murder and declares it incompatible with genuine faith.
Yet these bible verses about hatred towards others offer real hope—hatred can be overcome through forgiveness, displaced by love, and defeated by choosing good over evil through Christ’s strength working in surrendered hearts.
Bible Verses About Hatred Towards Others
1. 1 John 4:20 (NIV)
“Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.”
Claiming to love God while hating others is impossible—it’s a lie.
These bible verses about hatred towards others reveal that hatred contradicts genuine love for God and proves spiritual deception.
2. 1 John 3:15 (ESV)
“Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.”
Hatred equals murder in God’s eyes because it desires another’s destruction.
Murderers don’t possess eternal life—hatred reveals a heart without Christ’s transforming presence.
3. Leviticus 19:17 (NKJV)
“You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him.”
Hatred harbored secretly in your heart is sin.
Address grievances openly through loving rebuke rather than nurturing silent hatred that corrupts your soul.
4. Proverbs 10:12 (NLT)
“Hatred stirs up quarrels, but love makes up for all offenses.”
Hatred creates conflict and division wherever it exists.
Love does the opposite—covering offenses and restoring peace. Choose love’s healing power over hatred’s destructive force.
5. Matthew 5:43-44 (CSB)
“You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
Jesus commands the impossible by human standards—loving enemies and praying for persecutors.
This supernatural love distinguishes His followers from worldly hatred.
6. Proverbs 10:18 (NASB)
“One who conceals hatred has lying lips, and one who spreads slander is a fool.”
Concealing hatred makes you a liar; expressing it through slander makes you a fool.
These bible verses about hatred towards others show that hatred corrupts both silence and speech.
7. Titus 3:3 (KJV)
“For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.”
Before salvation, we lived in hatred—both hateful and hating others.
Remember your former condition to maintain humility and extend grace to those still trapped in hatred.
8. Proverbs 15:17 (NRSV)
“Better is a dinner of vegetables where love is than a fatted ox and hatred with it.”
Poverty with love surpasses wealth with hatred.
Material prosperity means nothing when hatred poisons relationships—love makes simple meals richer than lavish feasts consumed in animosity.
9. 1 John 2:9-11 (MSG)
“Anyone who claims to live in God’s light and hates a brother or sister is still in the dark. It’s the person who loves brother and sister who dwells in God’s light and doesn’t block the light from others. But whoever hates is still in the dark, stumbles around in the dark, doesn’t know which end is up, blinded by the darkness.”
Hatred keeps you in spiritual darkness, stumbling blindly through life.
Love brings light, but hatred blinds you to truth, direction, and God’s presence.
10. Galatians 5:19-21 (AMP)
“Now the practices of the sinful nature are clearly evident: they are sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, riotous behavior, and other things like these. I warn you, as I have warned you before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
Hatred (hostility) is listed among practices that exclude people from God’s kingdom.
It’s as serious as immorality, idolatry, and witchcraft—not a minor character flaw.
11. Proverbs 26:24-26 (NET)
“The one who hates others disguises it with his lips, but he stores up deceit within him. When he speaks graciously, do not believe him, for there are seven abominations within his heart. Though his hatred may be concealed by deceit, his evil will be uncovered in the assembly.”
Hatred often hides behind pleasant words and false kindness.
But concealed hatred eventually surfaces—what’s hidden in the heart will be revealed publicly.
12. Matthew 5:21-22 (HCSB)
“You have heard that it was said to our ancestors, Do not murder, and whoever murders will be subject to judgment. But I tell you, everyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment.”
Anger and hatred toward others bring the same judgment as murder.
God judges heart attitudes, not just outward actions—internal hatred condemns as surely as physical violence.
13. Psalm 139:21-22 (CEV)
“You know I hate anyone who hates you, LORD, and refuses to obey. They are my enemies too, and I truly hate them.”
David’s hatred was directed toward God’s enemies who refused obedience—not personal vendettas.
Righteous hatred opposes evil itself, not individuals, always leaving room for repentance.
14. Proverbs 6:16-19 (GNT)
“There are seven things that the LORD hates and cannot tolerate: A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that kill innocent people, a mind that thinks up wicked plans, feet that hurry off to do evil, a witness who tells one lie after another, and someone who stirs up trouble among friends.”
God hates actions that harm others—pride, lies, violence, evil plans, and stirring up division.
These bible verses about hatred towards others show what righteous hatred looks like.
15. Romans 12:9 (NCV)
“Your love must be real. Hate what is evil, and hold on to what is good.”
Sincere love requires hating evil while clinging to good.
This righteous hatred opposes sin and wickedness, not people created in God’s image.
16. Ephesians 4:31-32 (ISV)
“Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, quarreling, and slander be put away from you, along with all hatred. Instead, be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another just as God in Christ also forgave you.”
Put away all hatred—replace it with kindness, compassion, and forgiveness.
Model your treatment of others after God’s merciful forgiveness of your sins through Christ.
17. Proverbs 25:21-22 (TLV)
“If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. For you will heap coals of fire on his head, and ADONAI will reward you.”
Overcome hatred by blessing enemies—feeding, providing, serving them.
This heaps burning conviction on them while God rewards your choice of love over vengeance.
18. Luke 6:27-28 (LEB)
“But to you who are listening I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”
Jesus commands four specific responses to hatred: love, do good, bless, and pray.
These active choices dismantle hatred’s power through supernatural love.
19. John 15:18-19 (WEB)
“If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are not of the world, since I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”
The world’s hatred toward believers shouldn’t surprise us—they hated Jesus first.
Expect hatred when living righteously in an unrighteous world, but don’t return it.
20. Psalm 97:10 (ASV)
“O ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.”
Loving God requires hating evil—opposing wickedness, injustice, and sin.
This righteous hatred protects your soul while God delivers you from the wicked.
21. Colossians 3:8 (RSV)
“But now put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and foul talk from your mouth.”
Put away malice (hatred) along with anger, slander, and corrupt speech.
These bible verses about hatred towards others command complete removal, not mere management.
22. James 4:11 (NASB)
“Do not speak against one another, brethren. He who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge of it.”
Speaking against others violates God’s law of love.
Judging and criticizing believers reveals hatred’s subtle forms—criticism often masks deeper animosity.
23. 1 Thessalonians 5:15 (NLT)
“See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people.”
Never repay evil with evil—always pursue good for everyone.
Breaking hatred’s cycle requires refusing retaliation and choosing good despite others’ evil toward you.
24. Amos 5:15 (NKJV)
“Hate evil, love good; establish justice in the gate. It may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.”
Hate evil, love good, and establish justice—this righteous hatred pursues God’s purposes.
Proper hatred opposes injustice while loving righteousness and people simultaneously.
25. Romans 12:17-21 (ESV)
“Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’ To the contrary, ‘if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Overcome evil with good—feed enemies, live peaceably, refuse vengeance, and trust God’s justice.
Hatred cannot survive when consistently met with love and kindness.
26. Mark 11:25 (CSB)
“And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven will also forgive you your wrongdoing.”
Forgive those you hate before praying.
Unforgiveness and hatred block your prayers and separate you from experiencing God’s forgiveness for your own sins.
27. Proverbs 8:13 (NIV)
“To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.”
Fearing God produces hatred of evil—pride, arrogance, wicked behavior, and perverse speech.
These bible verses about hatred towards others distinguish righteous hatred from sinful animosity.
28. 2 Timothy 3:2-4 (AMP)
“For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving and irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of sensual pleasure rather than lovers of God.”
End-times characteristics include being “unloving and irreconcilable”—refusing reconciliation and harboring perpetual hatred.
This describes society rejecting God’s love and forgiveness.
29. Proverbs 29:10 (HCSB)
“Bloodthirsty men hate an honest person, but the upright care about him.”
Wicked people hate the righteous because integrity exposes their evil.
Expect hatred from those who love darkness when your life reflects light and truth.
30. 1 John 3:14 (NRSV)
“We know that we have passed from death to life because we love one another. Whoever does not love abides in death.”
Love proves you’ve passed from death to life.
Absence of love—replaced by hatred—indicates spiritual death regardless of religious profession or church attendance.
31. Ecclesiastes 3:8 (MSG)
“A right time to love and another to hate, a right time to wage war and another to make peace.”
There’s a time to hate—righteous hatred of evil, injustice, and sin.
Wisdom discerns when hatred is appropriate opposition to wickedness versus sinful animosity toward people.
32. Matthew 6:15 (CEV)
“But if you don’t forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
Unforgiveness that hardens into hatred blocks God’s forgiveness.
Refusing to forgive others demonstrates you haven’t truly grasped or received God’s forgiveness yourself.
33. Psalm 5:5 (KJV)
“The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity.”
God hates workers of iniquity—those persistently practicing evil without repentance.
His hatred opposes their wickedness while offering grace for repentance.
34. Romans 13:8-10 (TLV)
“Owe no one anything except to love one another, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the Torah. For the commandments—’Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not covet,’ and any other commandment—are summed up in this word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fullness of the Torah.”
Love fulfills God’s law—it does no harm to neighbors.
Hatred violates every commandment because it desires harm, making love the complete opposite and remedy.
35. Proverbs 19:11 (ISV)
“A person’s discretion makes him slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.”
Wisdom makes you slow to anger and able to overlook offenses.
These bible verses about hatred towards others show that maturity chooses forgiveness over harboring hatred.
36. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NET)
“Love is patient, love is kind, it is not envious. Love does not brag, it is not puffed up. It is not rude, it is not self-serving, it is not easily angered or resentful. It is not glad about injustice, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”
Love—hatred’s opposite—is patient, kind, not resentful, and rejoices in truth.
Cultivate these qualities intentionally to displace hatred from your heart.
37. John 13:34-35 (WEB)
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Jesus commands mutual love among believers.
The world recognizes His disciples by their love—hatred destroys Christian witness and contradicts Christ’s character.
38. Proverbs 14:17 (GNT)
“People with a hot temper do foolish things; wiser people remain calm.”
Hot tempers lead to foolish actions driven by hatred and anger.
Wisdom remains calm, refusing to let hatred control responses or dictate behavior.
39. James 1:19-20 (LEB)
“Understand this, my dear brothers: every person must be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, for human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness.”
Be slow to anger—human anger and hatred don’t accomplish God’s righteousness.
Quick listening, slow speaking, and controlled emotions prevent hatred from taking root.
40. 1 Peter 4:8 (ESV)
“Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.”
Above all else, love earnestly—love covers sins, forgiving offenses rather than nursing hatred.
Prioritize love over every other virtue because it heals, restores, and reflects God’s character.
Our Thoughts on What the Bible Says About Hatred Towards Others
These bible verses about hatred towards others reveal that hatred is spiritually deadly—equated with murder, incompatible with loving God, and evidence of spiritual death.
Scripture distinguishes between righteous hatred of evil and sinful hatred of people.
God hates wickedness, injustice, and sin but loves people enough to send Christ.
We’re commanded to hate evil while loving enemies, praying for persecutors, and blessing those who curse us.
Hatred destroys the hater—poisoning souls, blinding eyes, and separating from God.
It cannot coexist with genuine faith or authentic love for God.
Yet Scripture offers hope: hatred can be overcome through forgiveness, displaced by love, and defeated by choosing good over evil.
Christ’s transforming power enables supernatural love that human effort cannot produce.
When you’ve been deeply wounded, forgiving seems impossible—but God provides strength to release bitterness, extend mercy, and love as He loved you.
Freedom comes through forgiveness, not through nursing hatred until justice arrives.
Say This Prayer
Heavenly Father,
I confess hatred in my heart toward others. Forgive me for harboring bitterness, nursing grudges, and allowing unforgiveness to harden into something darker and more dangerous.
I recognize that hatred makes me a liar if I claim to love You, and it keeps me in spiritual darkness, stumbling blindly.
I cannot overcome this hatred in my own strength—I need Your transforming power.
Give me supernatural ability to forgive those who’ve wounded me deeply, to love those who’ve betrayed me, and to pray for those who’ve persecuted me.
Replace my hatred with Your love, my bitterness with Your grace, and my desire for vengeance with trust in Your justice.
Heal the wounds that bred this hatred and soften my heart toward those I’ve despised. Help me see them as You see them—broken people needing Your mercy, just like me.
I choose today to release this hatred and embrace Your love. Transform my heart completely.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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