Deliver Us From Evil

Believers’ responses to evil

Synopsis: Scripture outlines several ways in which believers should respond to evil.

Scripture outlines several ways in which believers should respond to evil.

Evil is to be avoided

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(ESV) — 1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers;

(ESV) — 14 Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil.

(ESV) — 22 Abstain from every form of evil.

See also ; ; ; ; ; Peter’s appeal to the crowd; ;

(ESV) — 28 And he said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’ ”

(ESV) — 115 Depart from me, you evildoers, that I may keep the commandments of my God.

(ESV) — 27 Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.

(ESV) — 16 One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is reckless and careless.

(ESV) — 11 Depart, depart, go out from there; touch no unclean thing; go out from the midst of her; purify yourselves, you who bear the vessels of the Lord.

(ESV) — 40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.”

(ESV) — 9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.

(ESV) — 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

Evil likened to yeast:

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(ESV) — 6 Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 7 Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.

(ESV) — 9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump.

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(ESV) — 14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, 18 and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”

(ESV) — 27 and give no opportunity to the devil.

(ESV) — 3 But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints.

(ESV) — 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not become partners with them;

(ESV) — 6 Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us.

(ESV) — 11 let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.

(ESV) — 14 Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

Evil is to be hated

(ESV) — 13 The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.

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(ESV) — 10 O you who love the Lord, hate evil! He preserves the lives of his saints; he delivers them from the hand of the wicked.

(ESV) — 15 Hate evil, and love good, and establish justice in the gate; it may be that the Lord, the God of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.

(ESV) — 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.

(ESV) — 9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.

Evil is to be rebuked

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(ESV) — 23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

(ESV) — 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.

See also ; ; ; Nathan rebukes David; Elijah rebukes Ahab; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; John the Baptist rebukes Herod; ; Peter rebukes Ananias; Peter rebukes Sapphira; ; ; ;

(ESV) — 29 Why then do you scorn my sacrifices and my offerings that I commanded for my dwelling, and honor your sons above me by fattening yourselves on the choicest parts of every offering of my people Israel?’

(ESV) — 13 And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the Lord your God, with which he commanded you. For then the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever.

(ESV) — 22 And Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.

(ESV) — 9 Why have you despised the word of the Lord, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife to be your wife and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites.

(ESV) — 18 And he answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but you have, and your father’s house, because you have abandoned the commandments of the Lord and followed the Baals.

(ESV) — 9 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him. You have done foolishly in this, for from now on you will have wars.”

(ESV) — 20 Then the Spirit of God clothed Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, and he stood above the people, and said to them, “Thus says God, ‘Why do you break the commandments of the Lord, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the Lord, he has forsaken you.’ ”

(ESV) — 18 and they withstood King Uzziah and said to him, “It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense. Go out of the sanctuary, for you have done wrong, and it will bring you no honor from the Lord God.”

(ESV) — 10 And Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have broken faith and married foreign women, and so increased the guilt of Israel.

(ESV) — 5 Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness; let him rebuke me—it is oil for my head; let my head not refuse it. Yet my prayer is continually against their evil deeds.

(ESV) — 27 Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you: break off your sins by practicing righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity.”

(ESV) — 22 And you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this,

(ESV) — 4 because John had been saying to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”

(ESV) — 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?

(ESV) — 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.”

(ESV) — 9 But Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.”

(ESV) — 3 As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine,

(ESV) — 20 As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear.

(ESV) — 13 This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,

(ESV) — 15 Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.

Evil is to be resisted

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(ESV) — 10 My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.

(ESV) — 11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.

(ESV) — 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

(ESV) — 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

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(ESV) — 13 God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.”

(ESV) — 11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.

(ESV) — 1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

(ESV) — 1 So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.

(ESV) — 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.

Evil is to be repaid with good

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(ESV) — 35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.

(ESV) — 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

(ESV) — 21 If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, 22 for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you.

(ESV) — 21 If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, 22 for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you.

(ESV) — 5 If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying down under its burden, you shall refrain from leaving him with it; you shall rescue it with him.

(ESV) — 18 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.

(ESV) — 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

(ESV) — 15 See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.

(ESV) — 9 Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.

Believers should pray in response to evil

(ESV) — 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

(ESV) — 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

(ESV) — 29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness,

(ESV) — 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

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(ESV) — 4 So Moses cried to the Lord, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.”

(ESV) — 36 And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word.

(ESV) — 19 So now, O Lord our God, save us, please, from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, O Lord, are God alone.”

(ESV) — 12 O our God, will you not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”

(ESV) — 23 So we fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty.

(ESV) — 4 As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven.

(ESV) — 41 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

(ESV) — 5 So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.

(ESV) — 13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.

Believers should trust God in the face of evil

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(ESV) — 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

(ESV) — 39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”

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(ESV) — 8 In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

(ESV) — 7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.

(ESV) — 1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

(ESV) — 2 “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.”

(ESV) — 17 If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. 18 But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

(ESV) — 17 Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, 18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.

(ESV) — 12 which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me.

(ESV) — 6 So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”

(ESV) — 6 The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? 7 The Lord is on my side as my helper; I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.