Topical Bible

What Does the Bible Say About War?

Here are 13 Bible verses about war, ordered by how relevant readers found them, with the King James Version and the modern Berean Standard Bible side by side.

  1. #1Ecclesiastes 3:8

    A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

    BSBa time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.

  2. #2Matthew 24:6

    And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

    BSBYou will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. These things must happen, but the end is still to come.

  3. #3James 4:1-2

    From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.

    BSBWhat causes conflicts and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from the passions at war within you? You crave what you do not have; you kill and covet, but are unable to obtain it. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask.

  4. #4Jeremiah 51:20

    Thou art my battle axe and weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms;

    BSB“You are My war club, My weapon for battle. With you I shatter nations; with you I bring kingdoms to ruin.

  5. #5Matthew 5:9

    Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

    BSBBlessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.

  6. #6Isaiah 2:4

    And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

    BSBThen He will judge between the nations and arbitrate for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer take up the sword against nation, nor train anymore for war.

  7. #7Exodus 15:3

    The Lord is a man of war: the Lord is his name.

    BSBThe LORD is a warrior, the LORD is His name.

  8. #8Ephesians 6:12

    For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

    BSBFor our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

  9. #9Deuteronomy 20:1-4

    When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the Lord thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And it shall be, when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people, And shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them; For the Lord your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.

    BSBWhen you go out to war against your enemies and see horses, chariots, and an army larger than yours, do not be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, is with you. When you are about to go into battle, the priest is to come forward and address the army, saying to them, “Hear, O Israel, today you are going into battle with your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not be alarmed or terrified because of them. For the LORD your God goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.”

  10. #10Romans 7:21-25

    I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

    BSBSo this is the principle I have discovered: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law. But I see another law at work in my body, warring against the law of my mind and holding me captive to the law of sin that dwells within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with my mind I serve the law of God, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

  11. #11Romans 12:18

    If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

    BSBIf it is possible on your part, live at peace with everyone.

  12. #12Proverbs 21:31

    The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the Lord.

    BSBA horse is prepared for the day of battle, but victory is of the LORD.

  13. #13Psalms 144:1-2

    A Psalm of David. Blessed be the Lord my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight: My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust; who subdueth my people under me.

    BSBOf David. Blessed be the LORD, my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle. He is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer. He is my shield, in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me.

Verse rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY). Scripture: KJV & BSB (public domain).

War in Torrey's Topical Textbook

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