Several Bible verses might enrage some readers today. Here are a few examples of verses that are often cited as being offensive, insensitive, or even harmful:
Leviticus 18:22
“You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.”
Many people find this verse to be homophobic and hateful. It is important to note that this verse was written in a very different time and context and that many Christians today do not interpret it literally. However, it is still a verse that can be very triggering for some people, and it is important to be aware of that.
Deuteronomy 22:20-21
“But if the charge is true and the girl was not found to be a virgin, then she shall be brought to the door of her father’s house and the men of her town shall stone her to death with stones, because she did a disgraceful thing in Israel by committing fornication in her father’s house. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.”
This verse is often cited as an example of the Bible’s misogyny and violence against women. It is important to note that this verse is from the Old Testament and that many Christians today do not believe it should be applied literally in the modern world. However, it is still a verse that can be very upsetting for some people, and it is vital to be aware of that.
1 Timothy 2:11-12
“A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet.”
This verse is often cited as an example of the Bible’s sexism and its promotion of male dominance. It is important to note that this verse was written in a very different time and context and that many Christians today do not interpret it literally. However, it is still a verse that can be very triggering for some people, and it is essential to be aware of that.
Leviticus 25:44-46
“Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy male and female slaves. You may also buy them from the temporary residents living among you and from their descendants born in your land. They will become your property and you can bequeath them to your children as inherited property forever. You may rule over them as slaves, but you must not rule over your fellow Israelites ruthlessly.”
This verse is often cited as an example of the Bible’s condoning of slavery. It is important to note that this verse was written in a very different time and context and that many Christians today do not believe it should be applied literally in the modern world. However, it is still a verse that can be very upsetting for some people, and it is essential to be aware of that.
Joshua 6:21
“So they devoted to the destruction by the sword everything in the city—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys.”
This verse is often cited as an example of the Bible’s violence and brutality. It is important to note that this verse is from the Old Testament and that many Christians today do not believe it should be applied literally in the modern world. However, it is still a verse that can be very disturbing for some people, and it is essential to be aware of that.
Exodus 21:20-21
“Anyone who beats their male or female slave with a rod must be punished if the slave dies as a direct result, but they are not to be punished if the slave survives for a day or two, since the slave is their property.”
This verse is often cited as an example of the Bible’s condoning of violence against enslaved people. It is important to note that this verse was written in a very different time and context and that many Christians today do not believe it should be applied literally in the modern world. However, it is still a verse that can be very upsetting for some people, and it is essential to be aware of that.
Leviticus 20:13
“If a man has sexual relations with a male as he does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.”
This verse is often cited as homophobic and hateful. It is important to note that this verse was written in a very different time and context and that many Christians today do not interpret it literally. However, it is still a verse that can be very triggering for some people, and it is essential to be aware of that.
1 Corinthians 14:34-35 KJV
Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. And if they will learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home, for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.
The passage is sexist: It says that women should remain silent in churches and be subordinate to their husbands. This is a view that many people find outdated and offensive. Other Bible passages, such as Galatians 3:28, teach that men and women are equal in Christ. This contradiction makes it difficult for some people to accept the passage in 1 Corinthians.
Psalm 137:9
“Happy shall he be who seizes your little ones and dashes them against the rocks!”
This line is part of a psalm expressing the Israelites’ anger and hatred towards the Babylonians, who had conquered and exiled them from their homeland. The psalmist is calling for God to avenge the Israelites by destroying their enemies, including their children.
1 Timothy 2:12
“ I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet.”
Some people believe that this verse is meant to be taken literally and that women should never speak in church or teach men. Others believe this passage is specific to the historical context in which it was written and does not apply to Christians today.