What Does the Bible Say About Sarcasm?

1 Kings 18:27 ESV / 22 helpful votes

And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.”

Proverbs 18:21 ESV / 18 helpful votes

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.

Matthew 5:37 ESV / 12 helpful votes

Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.

Proverbs 26:16 ESV / 12 helpful votes

The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly.

Exodus 14:11 ESV / 12 helpful votes

They said to Moses, “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt?

Judges 10:14 ESV / 10 helpful votes

Go and cry out to the gods whom you have chosen; let them save you in the time of your distress.”

Proverbs 26:18-19 ESV / 9 helpful votes

Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I am only joking!”

James 3:1-18 ESV / 8 helpful votes

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! ...

Job 38:5 ESV / 6 helpful votes

Who determined its measurements—surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it?

Genesis 4:9 ESV / 6 helpful votes

Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?”

2 Corinthians 12:16 ESV / 5 helpful votes

But granting that I myself did not burden you, I was crafty, you say, and got the better of you by deceit.

2 Corinthians 11:19 ESV / 4 helpful votes

For you gladly bear with fools, being wise yourselves!

Nehemiah 4:1-2 ESV / 4 helpful votes

Now when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged, and he jeered at the Jews. And he said in the presence of his brothers and of the army of Samaria, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore it for themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish up in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, and burned ones at that?”

Galatians 5:12 ESV / 3 helpful votes

I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves!

1 Corinthians 4:8 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! Without us you have become kings! And would that you did reign, so that we might share the rule with you!

Ezekiel 2:6 ESV / 3 helpful votes

And you, son of man, be not afraid of them, nor be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you and you sit on scorpions. Be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house.

Job 12:2 ESV / 3 helpful votes

“No doubt you are the people, and wisdom will die with you.

1 Kings 22:15-16 ESV / 3 helpful votes

And when he had come to the king, the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall we refrain?” And he answered him, “Go up and triumph; the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.” But the king said to him, “How many times shall I make you swear that you speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?”

1 Kings 20:11 ESV / 3 helpful votes

And the king of Israel answered, “Tell him, ‘Let not him who straps on his armor boast himself as he who takes it off.’”

1 Timothy 4:7 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness;

Acts 26:28 ESV / 2 helpful votes

And Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?”

John 19:3 ESV / 2 helpful votes

They came up to him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and struck him with their hands.

John 2:18-22 ESV / 2 helpful votes

So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking about the temple of his body. When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.

Isaiah 47:12-13 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Stand fast in your enchantments and your many sorceries, with which you have labored from your youth; perhaps you may be able to succeed; perhaps you may inspire terror. You are wearied with your many counsels; let them stand forth and save you, those who divide the heavens, who gaze at the stars, who at the new moons make known what shall come upon you.

Judges 14:18 ESV / 2 helpful votes

And the men of the city said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down, “What is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion?” And he said to them, “If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have found out my riddle.”

Acts 15:10 ESV / 1 helpful vote

Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?

Amos 4:4 ESV / 1 helpful vote

“Come to Bethel, and transgress; to Gilgal, and multiply transgression; bring your sacrifices every morning, your tithes every three days;

Job 26:7 ESV / 1 helpful vote

He stretches out the north over the void and hangs the earth on nothing.

2 Samuel 6:21 ESV / 1 helpful vote

And David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me as prince over Israel, the people of the Lord—and I will make merry before the Lord.

Judges 9:7-19 ESV / 1 helpful vote

When it was told to Jotham, he went and stood on top of Mount Gerizim and cried aloud and said to them, “Listen to me, you leaders of Shechem, that God may listen to you. The trees once went out to anoint a king over them, and they said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us.’ But the olive tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my abundance, by which gods and men are honored, and go hold sway over the trees?’ And the trees said to the fig tree, ‘You come and reign over us.’ But the fig tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my sweetness and my good fruit and go hold sway over the trees?’ ...

Joshua 17:15 ESV / 1 helpful vote

And Joshua said to them, “If you are a numerous people, go up by yourselves to the forest, and there clear ground for yourselves in the land of the Perizzites and the Rephaim, since the hill country of Ephraim is too narrow for you.”

Numbers 11:20 ESV / 1 helpful vote

But a whole month, until it comes out at your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you, because you have rejected the Lord who is among you and have wept before him, saying, “Why did we come out of Egypt?”’”

Bible Verses about Sarcasm