What Does the Bible Say About Anger?

The verses that matter, in context

Read together, these passages warn about anger without pretending it never comes.

• Ephesians 4:26–27. “‘Be angry, and don’t sin.’ Don’t let the sun go down on your wrath, and don’t give place to the devil.” Paul is describing how believers live together, and his concern is anger left to sit.
• James 1:19–20. “let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger; for the anger of man doesn’t produce the righteousness of God.” James is writing to believers under pressure, and his point is that human anger doesn’t do God’s work.
• Psalm 37:8. “Cease from anger, and forsake wrath. Don’t fret; it leads only to evildoing.” A psalm for anyone watching wicked people get ahead.
• Proverbs 15:1. “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Practical wisdom for any argument.
• Proverbs 29:11. “A fool vents all of his anger, but a wise man brings himself under control.” The wisdom books treat self-control as strength.
• Genesis 4:7. “sin crouches at the door. Its desire is for you, but you are to rule over it.” God says this to Cain before he harms his brother, while there is still time to choose.

Is anger always a sin?

Most Christians say no. God himself is described as angry, though “slow to anger” (Psalm 103:8), and the psalmist says, “For his anger is but for a moment. His favor is for a lifetime.” (Psalm 30:5). Mark 3 says Jesus looked at his critics with anger when they cared more about trapping him than about a man who needed healing, and his clearing of the temple (Mark 11) is often read the same way. Nehemiah writes, “I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words.” (Nehemiah 5:6). He had just learned that the poor were being exploited, and he confronted the nobles.

The warnings are just as real. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus sets anger and contempt toward another person beside the command against murder, and he tells his followers to go and make peace (Matthew 5:21–24). Paul lists “outbursts of anger” among the deeds of the flesh (Galatians 5:20). A line like “Be angry” can’t stand alone, which is why reading a verse in context matters so much here.

A useful question is what your anger is protecting. Anger on behalf of someone being hurt looks very different from anger on behalf of your pride.

How Christians see anger differently

• Catholic teaching counts wrath among the seven capital sins and calls anger a desire for revenge. Thomas Aquinas taught that anger can be praiseworthy when reason guides it toward justice, and that it turns sinful when it goes too far.
• Orthodox spiritual writers, drawing on the early desert monks, tend to be more wary. Many teach that even anger that feels justified clouds prayer, and they try to turn its energy against sin.
• Many Protestant teachers distinguish righteous anger at real wrong from selfish anger, and warn how quickly the second can pass for the first.
• Peace churches such as the Mennonites and Quakers focus on nonviolence and reconciliation, so they ask what anger does to people and how to make peace.

These views overlap more than they clash. All of them take Jesus’ warning seriously, and all of them treat revenge as wrong.

What to do with anger

1. Slow down. Listen first and speak later, even if that means leaving the room for a while.
2. Tell God the truth. “Pour out your heart before him.” (Psalm 62:8). The psalms are full of raw prayers, so yours can be raw too.
3. Ask what’s underneath. Anger often sits on top of hurt, fear, shame, grief or exhaustion.
4. Don’t feed it. Paul’s line about the sun going down warns against nursing anger. Some conflicts can’t be settled by bedtime, but you can stop rehearsing them.
5. Leave revenge with God. “Don’t seek revenge yourselves, beloved, but give place to God’s wrath.” (Romans 12:19). That doesn’t mean giving up on justice or staying quiet about harm.
6. Repair what you can. “If it is possible, as much as it is up to you, be at peace with all men.” (Romans 12:18). Paul knows it may not be possible.

Forgiveness often comes next, and it can take a long time. These Bible verses about forgiveness may help when you’re ready. If your anger tends to come out in your language, see our guide to cussing and the Bible.

When anger is hurting you or someone else

If your anger scares you, if you’ve hurt someone, or if it keeps coming back however hard you pray, a counselor or doctor can help. There’s no shame in that. Anger can be tied to stress, grief, old wounds or your health, and someone trained can help you sort it out.

If someone else’s anger frightens you, your safety comes first. None of these verses ask you to stay in danger. Reach out to someone you trust, a counselor or a local support service, and call emergency services if you’re in immediate danger.

Questions to think through

• What exactly are you angry about, and what do you want to happen now?
• Are you protecting someone, or protecting your pride?
• Have you said this to God, or only rehearsed it in your head?
• Is there a conversation you’ve been avoiding?
• Would the people who know you best call this anger fair?

Common questions