40 Important Bible Verses About Toxic People

We can not survive this life without people, just as a tree can not make a forest, so we can not do without people. But there are certain kinds of people we do not need in our lives, those people are the people we call toxic humans! Toxic people are people who bring nothing but negativity into other people’s lives. They lack empathy and are manipulative, controlling and even abusive. They see nothing good in other people. Having a toxic person as a friend, spouse or colleague can cause mental harm to the person involved. To maintain a happy and healthy life style, it is paramount we critically recognize people with toxic characters and avoid them. That’s why in this article, you will get some important Bible verses about toxic people, how to identify and stay away from them.

It is often said that people who are not happy with their own lives will try to bring drama into other people’s lives, that is why it is important to totally avoid toxic people, and if you already have toxic people around you, you cut them off.

Cutting toxic people off from your life is not an act of cruelty, rather it is a way of maintaining peace and sanity for proper functionality. The damages toxic people cause in other people’s lives is endless and often time, these damages remain and extend to other innocent people. Never let toxic people into your life.

SEE ALSO: Important Bible Verses About Fake Friends

What does the Bible say about toxic people?

The Bible has instructed us to stay away from people who are not good for our soul. Solomon who was a man endowed with wisdom from God, wrote to us in the book of Proverbs 13:20, to walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm. Colossians 3:8 advises us to get rid of anger, slander, rage and other bad characters so that we will not corrupt ourselves. Not only does the Bible advises us to stay away from toxic people, it also encourages us to continually watch our characters so that we do not become toxic to ourselves and the people around us. Here are some Bible verses to help us stay away from toxic people;

Short Bible Verses About Toxic People

1. As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly. – Proverbs 26:11
2. Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’ – 1 Corinthians 15:33
3. Stay away from a fool, for you will not find knowledge on their lips. – Proverbs 14:7
4. Better to live in a desert than with a quarrelsome and nagging wife. – Proverbs 21:19
5. Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm. – Proverbs 13:20

General Bible Verses on Toxic Behavior;

1. Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared. – Proverbs 22:24-25
2. But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. – 2 Timothy 3:1-5
3. Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers. – Psalm 1:1
4. Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers. Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way. – Proverbs 4:14-15
5. Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them. – Titus 3:10
6. Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces. – Matthew 7:6
7. I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. – Romans 16:17
8. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them. Anyone who welcomes them shares in their wicked work. – 2 John 1:10-11
9. But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people. – 1 Corinthians 5:11
10. I do not sit with the deceitful, nor do I associate with hypocrites. I abhor the assembly of evildoers and refuse to sit with the wicked. – Psalm 26:4-5
11. There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community. – Proverbs 6:16-19
12. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them. – Ephesians 5:6-7
13. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. – Colossians 3:8
14. If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet. – Matthew 10:14
15. The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. – Galatians 5:19-21
16. You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. – James 4:4
17. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. – Luke 6:45
18. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. – Hebrews 12:15
19. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. – Ephesians 4:29
20. Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. – 1 Peter 2:1

Bible Verses for recognizing Toxic Behavior

1. Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” – Proverbs 4:23
2. Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.” – Psalm 34:14
3. Avoiding such people. For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions,” – 2 Timothy 3:5-6

Bible verses for wisdom in Dealing with Toxic People

1. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” – James 1:5
2. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” – Proverbs 3:5-6
3. The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going.” – Proverbs 14:15
4. Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.” – Matthew 10:16

Bible verses about Toxic Relationships

1. And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” – Ephesians 4:32
2. Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.” – Colossians 3:13
3. Then Peter came to him and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.” – Matthew 18:21-22
4. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;” – Matthew 5:44

Prayers for Protection against Toxic People

1. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.” – Psalm 91:2
2. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.” – Psalm 18:2
3. The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.” – Proverbs 18:10
4. Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me.” – Psalm 143:9