The Law of Israel on Household Violence
"If a man hits a manservant or maidservant in the eye and destroys it, he must let the servant go free to compensate for the eye. And if he knocks out the tooth of a manservant or maidservant, he must let the servant go free to compensate for the tooth." Exodus 21:26-27 NIV

The Prophets on Violence
"I hate a man's covering his wife with violence, as well as with his garment." says the Lord Almighty...."You have wearied the Lord with your words." "How have we wearied him?" you ask. By saying, "all who do evil are good in the eyes of the Lord, and he is pleased with them," or "Where is the God of justice?" Malachi 2:16-17. (NIV alternate translation)

"Give up your violence and oppression and do what is just and right." Ezekiel 45:9 NIV

"Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high. (1).... Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?" Isaiah 58:4-6 NIV

The Destructive Effects of Violence on the Batterer
"The trouble he causes recoils on himself; his violence comes down on his own head." Psalm 7:16 NIV

"The violence of the wicked will drag them away, for they refuse to do what is right." Proverbs 21:7 NIV

Violence Associated with Wrong Choices, Injustice, Lying, Evil, and Satan
"The violent devise injustice." Psalm 58:2 (2)

"Their hearts plot violence." Proverbs 24:2 NIV

The violent bear false witness. Psalm 27:12; 140:11; Proverbs 10:6,11; Hosea 12:1; Micah 6:12; Zephaniah 1:9

Associated with Satan. Ezekiel 28:16

"Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways." Proverbs 3:31 NIV

Stalking and Verbal Abuse Condemned
"All day long they twist my words; they are always plotting to harm me. They conspire, they lurk, they watch my steps, eager to take my life." Psalm 56:5-6 NIV

"They have tracked me down, they now surround me, with eyes alert, to throw me to the ground." Psalm 17:11 NIV

"In his arrogance, the wicked man hunts down the weak...He lies in wait near the villages; from ambush he murders the innocent, watching in secret for his victims. He lies in wait like a lion in cover, he lies in wait to catch the helpless, he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net." Psalm 10:2,8-9 NIV

See also Psalm 37:33; 59:3; Jeremiah 5:26; Micah 7:2

God's Purpose is to Give Deliverance From Violence
"From violent men you rescued me." II Samuel 22:49; Psalm 18:48 NIV

"God will judge the violent" Psalm 11:5 "and deliver the oppressed who cry out to him." II Samuel 22:3

"Rescue me, O Lord, from evil men; protect me from men of violence. Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked; protect me from men of violence who plan to trip my feet.... May disaster hunt down men of violence." Psalm 140:1-11 NIV

"You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed, in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more." Psalm 10:17-18 NIV

Jesus on Child Abuse
"In that hour, the disciples came to Jesus saying, "Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" Calling a little child, Jesus set her in their midst and said "Truly, truly I say to you, unless you repent and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble themselves as this little child, that man or woman is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one such little child in my name, receives me. Whosoever shall give offense to (cause to sin, shock) one of these little ones who believe on me, it would be better for the offender that a millstone would be hung about his neck and he were sunk into the sea." Matthew 18:1-6

"Whoever shall offend one of these little ones who believe on me, it would be good for the abuser rather if a millstone lay about his neck and he were cast into the sea." Mark 9:42

"It is unavoidable that offenses (literally that which causes revulsion) should come; but woe to him by whom they come. It would be better for him if a millstone lay about his neck and he were thrown into the sea rather than that he should offend one of these little ones." Luke 17:1-2

Jesus on Verbal Abuse
"You have heard that it was said in the olden days "Do not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be liable for judgment." But I say to you that anyone who is angry with his brother shall be liable for judgment. And whoever shall say to his brother "You numbskull" shall be liable to the council. Whoever shall say "You imbecile" shall be in danger of hell fire." Matthew 5:21-22

"How are you able to speak good things when you yourselves are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Good persons bring forth good things out of the good treasure within themselves, while evil persons bring forth evil things from the evil storehouse within themselves. I say to you that for every evil word which people speak they must give an accounting on the day of judgment. You shall be justified by your words, and you shall be condemned by your words." Matthew 12:34-37

"It is not what goes into the mouth which defiles a person but what proceeds out of the mouth - this defiles a person...The things which proceed forth out of the mouth come out of the heart, and they defile a person, for out of the heart come forth disputes, evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual exploitation, robberies, false witness, abuse and blasphemy. These are the things which defile the person." Matthew 15:18-20

The Epistles on Sexual Abuse
"I wrote to you in a letter not to associate with those whose sexual conduct is improper - but by no means with the immoral of this world, or the exploitive or the rapists (3) or idolaters, since then you would be obliged to leave the world. But now I write to you not to associate with any who, though they call themselves sister or brother, yet engage in sexually inappropriate behavior (4) or are exploitive or idolatrous (5) or verbally abusive or drunken or rapists. Do not share the fellowship of the Lord's supper with such persons. (6) Why should I judge those who are without? Rather judge those who are within, (7) and God will judge those who are without. Cast out the evil person from among you." (8) I Corinthians 5:9-13

The Conversion of Rapists
"Neither slaves nor the exploitive nor drunkards nor those who are verbally abusive nor rapists shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you; but you are washed, but you are sanctified, but you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God." I Corinthians 6:10-11

The Apostle Paul Calls Upon the Church to Assume Responsibility in a Known Case of Incest
"It is commonly reported that there is inappropriate sexual behavior among you, and of such a kind as is abhorred by the heathen, that a man should have his father's wife. And have you not been arrogant when you ought rather to have mourned, so that the one who did this deed may be removed from your midst? But I, though absent as to my body and yet present in my spirit, have already come to a judgment against the one who committed this outrage. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together with my spirit, in the power of our Lord Jesus, I decree that you give such an individual over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord. Your smug complacency is not good. Do you not know that a little yeast leavens all of the dough? Purge out the old yeast so that you may be a new dough without leaven. For Christ has been sacrificed as our Passover, so that we may keep the feast not with the old leaven of wickedness and guile, but with unleavened sincerity and truth." (9) I Corinthians 5:1-8

The Epistles on Verbal Abuse
"If any consider themselves to be religious while their tongues are unbridled, they deceive their own hearts, and their religion is at this point an idle sham...If anyone does not sin in their speech, this is a fully mature individual, able as well to bring his or her entire body under control. We put bits into the mouths of horses in order to make them obey us, and we can turn their whole bodies. Behold how great ships are driven by strong winds, and yet are guided by the smallest rudder wherever the impulse of the helmsman wills, and just so the tongue is a small member and yet has great things whereof to boast. Behold how small a fire sets a whole wood ablaze, and the tongue is a fire. The tongue constitutes a world of wickedness among our members, polluting the whole body and inflaming the cycle of existence, and is set on flame by hell. For every sort of beast and bird and reptile and sea creature is tamed and has been controlled by humanity. But no one can tame the human tongue, an unruly evil and full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we pour invective upon people who have been made in God's likeness. From the same mouth comes forth both blessing and abusive cursing. Brother and sister, this ought not to be so." James 3:2-10

"Let no evil communication come forth out of your mouth but rather that which upbuilds in a helpful way, so that it may give grace to the hearer." Ephesians 4:29

The Epistles on Sexual Harassment
"All filthiness and foolish jesting - let it not be named among you as befits the saints." Ephesians 5:4

"Now put away all wrath, venom, evil, blasphemy, dirty jokes from out of your mouth." Colossians 3:8

Batterers Disqualified from Church Leadership
"A bishop should be above reproach, the husband of one wife, (10) sober, discreet, honorable, hospitable, apt to teach, not given to wine, nor a batterer, but meek, peaceable, handling the affairs of his own household well, with children who behave in a responsible fashion." I Timothy 3:2-3

"It is necessary for a bishop to be of irreproachable character, as the steward of God, not arrogant nor quick-tempered, nor given to strong drink, nor a batterer, nor greedy for financial gain." Titus 1:6-7

"The servant of the Lord should not become embroiled in fighting." II Timothy 2:24

Biblical Antidotes
"Thy gentleness hath made me great." II Samuel 22:36; Psalm 18:35
"Depart from evil and do good. Seek peace and pursue it." Psalm 34:14
"There is a future for the man of peace." Psalm 37:37
"There is deceit in the hearts of those who plot evil, but joy for those who promote peace." Proverbs 12:20
"Be devoted to one another with kindly affection, in honor advancing one another." Romans 12:10
"As much as it is possible for you, be at peace with everyone." Romans 12:18
"Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification." Romans 14:9
"Be angry and do not sin. Do not let the sun go down upon your angry mood, lest you give an opportunity to the devil." Ephesians 4:26-27
"Let all bitterness and anger and rage and angry shouting and blasphemy be put away from you, along with all wickedness. Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another just as God in Christ has forgiven you." Ephesians 4:31-32
"Let your forbearing spirit be known to all people." Philippians 4:5
"Seek peace with everyone and holiness, without which no one shall see the Lord." Hebrews 12:14
"Make your souls holy in obedience to the truth, and with unfeigned affection love one another steadfastly with a pure heart." I Peter 1:22

The Call for God's People to Deliver the Oppressed From Violent Oppressors
"Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun: I saw the tears of the oppressed - and they have no comforter; power was on the side of their oppressors - and they have no comforter." Ecclesiastes 4:1 NIV

"The righteous king will defend the afflicted and crush the oppressor." Psalm 72:1-4 "He will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in his sight." Psalm 72:14 NIV

"Thus says the Lord: Act with justice and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor anyone who has been robbed. And do no wrong or violence to the alien, the fatherless, and the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place." Jeremiah 22:3 NRSV

"He did what was right and just, so all went well with him. He defended the cause of the poor and the needy, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know me? declares the Lord." Jeremiah 22:15-16 NIV

"Thus says the Lord: Execute justice in the morning, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor anyone who has been robbed, or else my wrath will go forth like fire, and burn, with no one to quench it, because of your evil doings." Jeremiah 21:12 NRSV

The Need for Believing Communities to Deal with the Problems Associated with Abuse
Matthew 18:15-17
James 5:19-20
Titus 3:2-11
I Thessalonians 5:14
II Thessalonians 3:14-15
I Timothy 4:20
Submission should not be given to individuals whose behavior or communication is wrong, even though they pretend to be very pious. Galatians 2:5-6
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(1) The concept of abuse as nullifying the prayers of the abuser is also found in I Peter 3:7.
(2) Unless otherwise indicated, all translations are those of Catherine C. Kroeger.
(3) The word used here harpax can refer to anyone who seizes by force against the will of another. Translators usually render this "robber" or "rapacious" but the term is used specifically of rapists. In a passage on sexual immorality, this is the most appropriate meaning.
(4) The Greek adjective used here pornos and the related noun porneia, cover a wide range of sexually inappropriate and exploitive behaviors, such as obscenity, prostitution, indecent exposure, rape, fornication, incest, and pederasty. No one English word implies the whole cluster of activities. This means that we often fail to understand the strength of the biblical condemnation of abuse.
(5) Idolatry in the ancient world was frequently associated with explicitly sexual behavior.
(6) Such behavior is unacceptable within the believing community.
(7) Here the church is specifically charged to deal with sexual misbehavior within the congregation. The believing community is responsible not only to protect the victim but to condemn the perpetrator.
(8) This is an Old Testament quotation. See Deuteronomy 17:7; 19:19; 22:21, 24; 24:7.
(9) In this extended passage the sacrifice of Christ, the Lamb unblemished with evil or hypocrisy, is specifically set against the wickedness and deceit of incest.
(10) During the New Testament period, it was legal for a Jewish man to have more than one wife. A series of documents discovered in the Dead Sea area reveal that the practice was more widespread than previously thought. Bigamy was certainly not acceptable for leaders within the Christian community.

© 2003 Catherine C. Kroeger. Reprinted by permission

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