Someone wrongs you. The moment passes, but the feeling does not. Days pass, then weeks. The offense calcifies into something harder — something you carry in your chest like a stone. That is resentment: not the flash of anger in the moment, but the slow, sustained decision to stay angry. The Bible does not wink at this. It names it, forbids it, and offers a way out.
If you have ever wondered what Scripture says about resentment — whether it is wrong, where it comes from, and how to be free of it — these KJV verses will give you clear answers and a practical path forward.
What the Bible Says About Resentment
The Bible does not dance around the subject of resentment. It names it plainly alongside other destructive patterns of the heart. The Greek word underlying much of the New Testament teaching on this subject carries the idea of inward boiling — anger that is nursed rather than released. That sustained, inward burn is precisely what Scripture addresses.
Ephesians 4:31 is the most direct command on this topic in all of Scripture. The Apostle Paul, writing to the Ephesian believers, issues a comprehensive order to strip away everything that poisons human relationships:
“Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, andclamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice.”
— Ephesians 4:31, KJV
The word bitterness here is the Greek pikria — it refers not merely to a passing bitter taste but to a deep, rooted animosity that has had time to grow. Paul lists it first, before wrath and anger, because it is the foundation on which the others build. Bitterness is the soil; resentment is what grows from it. The entire list — bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, evil speaking, and malice — must be put away. That is an imperative verb. It is a command, not a suggestion.
For more on the root issue of bitterness, see our article on Bible verses about bitterness and how the writer of Hebrews warns against a root of bitterness springing up to trouble many.
Resentment and the Command to Forgive
The reason Scripture is so direct about resentment is that it is fundamentally a refusal to forgive. And the New Testament ties the forgiveness you extend to the forgiveness you receive. This is not a metaphor or a poetic way of speaking — it is a stated condition of the covenant.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus makes this connection explicit and startling:
“For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also shall forgive you: but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
— Matthew 6:14–15, KJV
The logic is severe in its simplicity: your unforgiving spirit is not a private matter between you and the person who wronged you. It is a barrier between you and your Father. Resentment, by its nature, refuses to let go. And refusing to let go means refusing to receive the forgiveness Christ purchased on the cross.
The same teaching appears in Mark's Gospel, where Jesus connects forgiveness to effective prayer:
“And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”
— Mark 11:25, KJV
This is striking: before you stand praying, deal with your heart. Forgive first. Not after you have gone through your list of grievances — before. The order matters. You cannot come to God with your hands full of resentment and expect to receive from Him.
Love Does Not Resent
When the Apostle Paul wrote his famous love chapter in 1 Corinthians 13, he was not simply writing poetry. He was describing the character of God and the marks of a Spirit-filled life. And among the things love actively does not do is resent:
“Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth.”
— 1 Corinthians 13:4–6, KJV
The phrase thinketh no evil in the KJV translates a single Greek verb: logizetai, meaning to reckon, account, or hold something against someone. Love actively chooses not to keep a mental ledger of wrongs. Resentment does the opposite — it records every offense in fine detail and reviews the file regularly.
Related: our article on Bible verses about forgiveness and letting go explores the freedom that comes from releasing what you have a right to hold.
Vengeance Belongs to God, Not to You
One of the most common reasons people nurse resentment is that they believe they have the right to see justice done. Someone hurt them and got away with it. The scales feel unbalanced. So they hold onto the offense as a way of keeping the account open.
Romans 12:19 closes that door firmly:
“Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”
— Romans 12:19, KJV
This is a quotation from Deuteronomy 32:35, which God spoke through Moses. Paul invokes it here to make a single, pointed argument: you are not the judge. When you hold a grudge, you are usurping God's role. You are saying, in effect, that you are better equipped to render justice than the God of the universe. That is not a small thing in Scripture.
The writer to the Hebrews reinforces the same truth with even more gravity:
“For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord.”
— Hebrews 10:30, KJV
When you resent someone, you are essentially filing a claim with the wrong court. The case does not belong to you. Give it to the One whose judgment is perfect, whose timing is certain, and whose justice will be flawlessly executed.
The Old Testament Prohibition on Grudges
The prohibition against resentment and grudges is not only in the New Testament. It appears prominently in the Old Testament law, which shows how seriously God took this issue among His people Israel:
“Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him. Thou shalt not avenge nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord.”
— Leviticus 19:17–18, KJV
Note the structure of this passage. First, it addresses the internal disposition: do not hate your brother in your heart. Then it gives a constructive outlet: rebuke your neighbour. Finally, it explicitly forbids the grudge: thou shalt not bear any grudge. The Hebrew word for grudge here is qeseb, meaning a persistent, nursed grievance.
What is remarkable is the conclusion: I am the Lord. God attaches His own name to this command. The implication is that holding grudges is not merely a relational problem — it is a covenant violation. It calls into question whether you understand who God is and what He has done for you.
For more on dealing with anger and related struggles, see our article on Bible verses about anger and the important distinction between righteous anger and sinful wrath.
How to Apply These Verses
Understanding what the Bible says about resentment is only half the battle. The other half is putting it into practice. Resentment is not a feeling you wait for to pass — it is a disposition you choose to abandon. Here are five concrete steps drawn from Scripture:
1. Make the Choice to Forgive — Before You Feel Ready
Forgiveness is not a feeling; it is a decision. You choose to release the debt, just as Christ released yours. Even if the hurt is fresh and the wound is deep, make the decision now to not hold it against the person. Tell God, honestly, what you are feeling — and then tell Him that you are choosing to let it go because He commands it.
2. Pray for the Person Who Wronged You
Jesus commands you to love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you (Matthew 5:44). This is not natural. It is supernatural. But when you choose to pray for the person who hurt you, something shifts. The resentment loses its grip because you are actively invoking God's blessing on the one you resent. Start with a single sentence: "Lord, help them."
3. Stop Rehearsing the Offense in Your Mind
Resentment feeds on replay. The more you revisit the offense in your mind, the more justified you feel. Philippians 4:8 commands you to think on things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report. When the memory of the wrong surfaces, deliberately redirect your thoughts to what is commendable. You are not ignoring the hurt — you are choosing not to let it define you.
4. Release the Right to Vengeance to God
Romans 12:19 tells you to give place unto wrath. Vengeance is not yours to carry. Write it down if you need to — a specific list of what you wish would happen to the person who hurt you — and then hand that list to God deliberately and say, "This is Your department. I am not qualified for this." Trust that He will handle it with perfect justice in His timing.
5. Set a Boundary if Necessary — But Do So Without Bitterness
Forgiveness does not always mean reconciliation. If someone has repeatedly hurt you, wisdom may require distance. But boundaries set in wisdom are not the same as resentment. You can remove yourself from a harmful situation without nursing hatred. Pray for clarity, set the boundary calmly, and let go of the anger that accompany it. The goal is peace, not punishment.
More KJV Verses on Resentment
"But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth."
— Colossians 3:8, KJV"Anger dwelleth in the bosom of fools."
— Ecclesiastes 7:9, KJV"The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression."
— Proverbs 19:11, KJV"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God."
— James 1:19–20, KJV"Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil."
— Psalm 37:8, KJV"Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously."
— 1 Peter 2:23, KJVFrequently Asked Questions
What is resentment according to the Bible?
Resentment is a sustained bitterness toward someone who has wronged you — a refusal to forgive that the Bible directly condemns. It is closely linked to bearing grudges, which Leviticus 19:18 expressly forbids when it says ' thou shalt not bear any grudge.' The Greek word for resentment carries the idea of hot anger that burns inward.
Does the Bible say it is wrong to resent someone?
Yes. Ephesians 4:31 commands believers to put away all bitterness, wrath, anger, and malice. Resentment is the sustained form of that bitterness — it keeps the wound open instead of allowing God to heal it. The Bible is clear that hanging on to resentment is incompatible with walking in the light of Christ.
How do I let go of resentment toward someone who hurt me?
Letting go of resentment begins with a deliberate choice to release the offense to God. You acknowledge that vengeance belongs to the Lord (Romans 12:19), not to you. Pray for the person who wronged you (Matthew 5:44), remind yourself that God is the Judge, and choose to forgive as an act of obedience — not because the other person deserves it, but because Christ has forgiven you.
What does the Bible say about forgiveness and resentment?
The Bible ties forgiveness directly to freedom from resentment. Mark 11:25 says that before you pray, you must forgive if you have anything against anyone — so that your Father also may forgive you. Matthew 6:14-15 reinforces this: if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive you. Forgiveness is not optional for the Christian; it is the condition of receiving God's grace.
Is resentment a sin?
Yes, sustained resentment is a sin. The Bible lumps it with hatred, bitterness, wrath, and malice — all of which Ephesians 4:31 commands believers to put away. Resentment is not merely a feeling; it is a decision to cling to an offense, and that decision violates the law of love that 1 Corinthians 13:5 says love actively chooses not to resent.