Anger Management According to the Bible

Do you struggle with anger management issues and wonder what the Bible has to say? If so, this article on Bible verses about anger may be just what you are looking for. Knowing what it says about anger can help you process it and deal with it more positively. The Bible tells us that not all anger is bad. Anger can be righteous or unrighteous, depending on what makes you angry, what you do with it, whether it controls you, etc.

Anger Management: Righteous anger

Righteous anger is a response to injustice and wrongdoing, to people taking advantage of the weak and poor, to things that dishonor God. It focuses on the defense of others or principles and confronts both the sin and the sinner. Righteous anger is the kind of anger God feels toward the wicked, and that Jesus expressed when He drove the moneychangers out of the temple. It does not stir up conflict, cause quarrels, or lead to wrongdoing or unforgiveness.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. – Romans 1:18

The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple, he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.” – John 2:13-16

Anger Management: Unrighteous anger

While anger is a natural human response, it can also be unrighteous. Anger can be unrighteous for a variety of reasons. Uncontrolled outbursts are dangerous, foolish, and sinful. Unrighteous anger is typically a response to wounded pride and is accompanied by a desire to retaliate against the person who hurt oroffended you. Anger can also be unrighteous when it is for the wrong reason or when it is out of proportion to the event or situation that caused it.

Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the heart of fools. – Ecclesiastes 7:9

A man of wrath stirs up strife, and one given to anger causes much transgression. – Proverbs 29:22

A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back. – Proverbs 29:11

Anger Management God’s way

The Bible has much to say about anger management. Whether you are quick-tempered or have been stewing over something that’s been building up for a while, the following Bible verses about anger can help you gain perspective and work through it in a healthy way. Print out the ones that speak to your heart, and put them where you can see them throughout the day. Let them serve as reminders – especially when you start to feel the tension rise.

Think before you speak. When you act on your negative emotions, you are likely to make wrong decisions. Take time to cool down and think things through before saying or doing anything rash or hasty. Lashing out with harsh words is usually sinful, leading to guilt or regrets later.

Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. – James 1:19-20

Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. – Psalm 37:8

The vexation of a fool is known at once, but the prudent ignores an insult. – Proverbs 12:16

Don’t let anger control you. Learn to control your emotions instead of letting them control you. When you recklessly give vent to your anger, Satan gains a stronghold in your life. He is always on the lookout for weak spots he can exploit and buttons he can push.

Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. – Ephesians 4:26-27

A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention. – Proverbs 15:18

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. – Ephesians 4:31-32

Don’t hold grudges or seek revenge. Holding grudges is pointless and exhausting, and allowing anger to build up and fester inside you can be detrimental to your health and lead you to sin.

And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. – Mark 11:25

You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord. – Leviticus 19:18

When he [Jesus] was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. – 1 Peter 2:23

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.” – Romans 12:17-19

Don’t hang out with bad-tempered people. Choose your friends carefully. We tend to be influenced by the behavior of those we surround ourselves with. If you keep company with angry people, it is likely to rub off on you and cause you to start acting the same way.

Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man, lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare. – Proverbs 22:24-25

Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” – 1 Corinthians 15:33

Stay calm and talk things out. Get all the facts before jumping to conclusions and, keeping your voice down, attack the problem rather than the person. If you’re not the angry one, but you’re being confronted by someone who’s irate, don’t fight with him or her. Talking to them calmly will help calm them down.

A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. – Proverbs 15:1

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. – Ephesians 4:29

Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense. – Proverbs 19:11

Question what’s causing your anger. Turn what’s upsetting you over to God and ask Him to help you release it. Look to Him to provide for your needs. Pray for peace of mind.

What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask [God]. – James 4:1-2

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:6-7

Christian counseling for anger issues

Christian counseling for anger management involves a combination of Biblical principles and clinical intervention. If you have questions or would like to set up an appointment, please contact one of the faith-based counselors in our online counselor directory. We would be happy to meet with you to discuss practical techniques for dealing with anger issues and help you get to the root of your anger so you can find healthy ways to express and release it.