100 Bible Verses about God Allowing Evil

Romans 8:28 ESV / 54 helpful votes

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Proverbs 16:4 ESV / 49 helpful votes

The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble.

Isaiah 45:7 ESV / 47 helpful votes

I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am the Lord, who does all these things.

James 1:13 ESV / 43 helpful votes

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.

1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV / 41 helpful votes

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

2 Peter 3:9 ESV / 34 helpful votes

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

Genesis 50:20 ESV / 31 helpful votes

As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.

Romans 5:12 ESV / 30 helpful votes

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—

Romans 3:5-6 ESV / 29 helpful votes

But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.) By no means! For then how could God judge the world?

Romans 6:23 ESV / 25 helpful votes

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 5:3-4 ESV / 23 helpful votes

Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,

John 3:16 ESV / 23 helpful votes

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Proverbs 8:13 ESV / 22 helpful votes

The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.

Ephesians 1:4-6 ESV / 20 helpful votes

Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

Isaiah 5:20 ESV / 20 helpful votes

Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!

John 8:44 ESV / 19 helpful votes

You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Job 2:10 ESV / 18 helpful votes

But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

1 John 1:5 ESV / 17 helpful votes

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

Romans 8:22 ESV / 16 helpful votes

For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.

Hebrews 12:11 ESV / 15 helpful votes

For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Proverbs 3:7 ESV / 15 helpful votes

Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.

Deuteronomy 28:1-68 ESV / 15 helpful votes

“And if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God. Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field. Blessed shall be the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground and the fruit of your cattle, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock. Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. ...

Genesis 3:6 ESV / 15 helpful votes

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.

Ephesians 2:2 ESV / 14 helpful votes

In which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—

Romans 8:18 ESV / 14 helpful votes

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

Romans 5:3 ESV / 14 helpful votes

Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,

Deuteronomy 30:19-20 ESV / 14 helpful votes

I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.”

Genesis 1:1-31 ESV / 14 helpful votes

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. ...

Romans 3:23 ESV / 13 helpful votes

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Revelation 21:4 ESV / 12 helpful votes

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

John 3:20 ESV / 12 helpful votes

For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.

John 3:16-17 ESV / 12 helpful votes

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

John 1:14 ESV / 12 helpful votes

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Luke 1:37 ESV / 12 helpful votes

For nothing will be impossible with God.”

Luke 1:26-38 ESV / 12 helpful votes

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. ...

Lamentations 3:38 ESV / 12 helpful votes

Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that good and bad come?

Psalm 50:1-23 ESV / 12 helpful votes

A Psalm of Asaph. The Mighty One, God the Lord, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting. Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth. Our God comes; he does not keep silence; before him is a devouring fire, around him a mighty tempest. He calls to the heavens above and to the earth, that he may judge his people: “Gather to me my faithful ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!” ...

Genesis 3:16 ESV / 12 helpful votes

To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you.”

Genesis 2:17 ESV / 12 helpful votes

But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

Genesis 1:31 ESV / 12 helpful votes

And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

Genesis 1:26-27 ESV / 12 helpful votes

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

1 John 5:19 ESV / 11 helpful votes

We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.

1 John 1:9 ESV / 11 helpful votes

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1 Peter 5:10 ESV / 11 helpful votes

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

James 1:2-4 ESV / 11 helpful votes

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Romans 9:1-33 ESV / 11 helpful votes

I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit— that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh. They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen. ...

Luke 1:57-80 ESV / 11 helpful votes

Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father, but his mother answered, “No; he shall be called John.” And they said to her, “None of your relatives is called by this name.” ...

Romans 5:10 ESV / 10 helpful votes

For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.

Matthew 5:45 ESV / 10 helpful votes

So that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

Psalm 5:4 ESV / 10 helpful votes

For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you.

Romans 12:19 ESV / 9 helpful votes

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.”

John 16:33 ESV / 9 helpful votes

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

John 3:3 ESV / 9 helpful votes

Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Matthew 7:21-23 ESV / 9 helpful votes

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

Amos 3:6 ESV / 9 helpful votes

Is a trumpet blown in a city, and the people are not afraid? Does disaster come to a city, unless the Lord has done it?

Revelation 21:3 ESV / 8 helpful votes

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.

Revelation 11:1-19 ESV / 8 helpful votes

Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff, and I was told, “Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship there, but do not measure the court outside the temple; leave that out, for it is given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months. And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. And if anyone would harm them, fire pours from their mouth and consumes their foes. If anyone would harm them, this is how he is doomed to be killed. ...

1 John 4:8 ESV / 8 helpful votes

Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

1 John 2:15 ESV / 8 helpful votes

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

1 Peter 1:6-7 ESV / 8 helpful votes

In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

James 4:4 ESV / 8 helpful votes

You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

2 Thessalonians 1:8 ESV / 8 helpful votes

In flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:22 ESV / 8 helpful votes

Abstain from every form of evil.

2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV / 8 helpful votes

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

John 14:15 ESV / 8 helpful votes

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

John 4:1 ESV / 8 helpful votes

Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John

Mark 7:21-22 ESV / 8 helpful votes

For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness.

Matthew 13:36-43 ESV / 8 helpful votes

Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. ...

Matthew 5:9 ESV / 8 helpful votes

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

Matthew 4:3 ESV / 8 helpful votes

And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.”

Jeremiah 17:9 ESV / 8 helpful votes

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?

Proverbs 6:16-19 ESV / 8 helpful votes

There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.

Psalm 97:10 ESV / 8 helpful votes

O you who love the Lord, hate evil! He preserves the lives of his saints; he delivers them from the hand of the wicked.

Psalm 5:5 ESV / 8 helpful votes

The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers.

Genesis 3:17-18 ESV / 8 helpful votes

And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field.

Genesis 3:4 ESV / 8 helpful votes

But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die.

Genesis 3:3 ESV / 8 helpful votes

But God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’”

Genesis 1:4 ESV / 8 helpful votes

And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness.

1 Peter 5:8-10 ESV / 7 helpful votes

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

John 14:30 ESV / 7 helpful votes

I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me,

John 14:27 ESV / 7 helpful votes

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

Matthew 13:28-30 ESV / 7 helpful votes

He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”

Isaiah 55:8-9 ESV / 7 helpful votes

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Jude 1:4 ESV / 6 helpful votes

For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 1:11 ESV / 6 helpful votes

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,

Psalm 73:26 ESV / 6 helpful votes

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

2 Chronicles 18:22 ESV / 6 helpful votes

Now therefore behold, the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of these your prophets. The Lord has declared disaster concerning you.”

Hebrews 12:6 ESV / 5 helpful votes

For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”

Hebrews 4:15 ESV / 5 helpful votes

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Hebrews 2:14 ESV / 5 helpful votes

Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil,

Job 40:6-8 ESV / 5 helpful votes

Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said: “Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me. Will you even put me in the wrong? Will you condemn me that you may be in the right?

Romans 11:36 ESV / 4 helpful votes

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

Romans 9:23 ESV / 4 helpful votes

In order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory—

Acts 3:21 ESV / 4 helpful votes

Whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.

Matthew 10:29 ESV / 4 helpful votes

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.

Ezekiel 18:20 ESV / 4 helpful votes

The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.

Isaiah 11:6-9 ESV / 4 helpful votes

The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

Psalm 145:9 ESV / 4 helpful votes

The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.

Job 42:2 ESV / 4 helpful votes

“I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.

Job 40:2 ESV / 4 helpful votes

“Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty? He who argues with God, let him answer it.”

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