Contention

Proverbs knows how a quarrel begins: “The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.” Much of this topic sits in that book. “A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife,” it says, and “Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife.” Abram shows the other path when his herdsmen clash with Lot’s, saying, “Let there be no strife.” Paul takes up the same concern with churches in Corinth that were dividing into camps.

123 verses

Genesis

Genesis 13:8

And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren.

Genesis 45:24

So he sent his brethren away, and they departed: and he said unto them, See that ye fall not out by the way.

Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 1:12

How can I myself alone bear your cumbrance, and your burden, and your strife?

Psalms

Psalms 31:20

Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.

Psalms 55:9

Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues: for I have seen violence and strife in the city.

Psalms 80:6

Thou makest us a strife unto our neighbours: and our enemies laugh among themselves.

Proverbs

Proverbs 3:20

By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.

Proverbs 6:12

A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth.

Proverbs 6:13

He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers;

Proverbs 6:14

Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord.

Proverbs 6:16

These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:

Proverbs 6:17

A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

Proverbs 6:18

An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,

Proverbs 6:19

A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

Proverbs 10:12

Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.

Proverbs 13:10

Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.

Proverbs 15:18

A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.

Proverbs 16:28

A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.

Proverbs 17:1

Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife.

Proverbs 17:14

The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.

Proverbs 17:19

He loveth transgression that loveth strife: and he that exalteth his gate seeketh destruction.

Proverbs 18:6

A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes.

Proverbs 18:19

A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.

Proverbs 19:13

A foolish son is the calamity of his father: and the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping.

Proverbs 20:3

It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.

Proverbs 21:19

It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman.

Proverbs 22:10

Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease.

Proverbs 23:29

Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?

Proverbs 23:30

They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.

Proverbs 25:8

Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame.

Proverbs 25:24

It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman and in a wide house.

Proverbs 26:17

He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.

Proverbs 26:20

Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.

Proverbs 26:21

As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.

Proverbs 27:15

A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike.

Proverbs 28:25

He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife: but he that putteth his trust in the LORD shall be made fat.

Proverbs 29:22

An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression.

Proverbs 30:33

Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.

Isaiah

Isaiah 41:11

Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish.

Isaiah 41:12

Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought.

Isaiah 58:4

Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high.

Habakkuk

Habakkuk 1:3

Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention.

Matthew

Matthew 5:25

Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.

Matthew 5:39

But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

Matthew 5:40

And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.

Matthew 5:41

And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

Matthew 10:34

Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

Matthew 10:35

For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

Matthew 10:36

And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.

Matthew 12:25

And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:

Matthew 18:15

Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.

Matthew 18:16

But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

Matthew 18:17

And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

Mark

Mark 3:24

And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.

Mark 3:25

And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.

Mark 9:34

But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest.

Luke

Luke 11:17

But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth.

Luke 12:51

Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:

Luke 12:52

For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.

Luke 12:53

The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

Luke 12:58

When thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way, give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison.

Luke 12:59

I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the very last mite.

Romans

Romans 2:8

But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,

Romans 12:18

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

Romans 13:13

Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.

Romans 14:1

Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.

Romans 14:19

Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

Romans 14:21

It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.

Romans 16:17

Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

Romans 16:18

For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 1:10

Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

1 Corinthians 1:11

For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.

1 Corinthians 1:12

Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.

1 Corinthians 1:13

Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?

1 Corinthians 3:1

And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.

1 Corinthians 3:3

For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

1 Corinthians 3:4

For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

1 Corinthians 4:6

And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.

1 Corinthians 4:7

For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?

1 Corinthians 6:1

Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?

1 Corinthians 6:2

Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

1 Corinthians 6:3

Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

1 Corinthians 6:4

If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.

1 Corinthians 6:5

I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?

1 Corinthians 6:6

But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers.

1 Corinthians 6:7

Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?

1 Corinthians 11:16

But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.

1 Corinthians 11:17

Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse.

1 Corinthians 11:18

For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it.

1 Corinthians 11:19

For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.

2 Corinthians

2 Corinthians 12:20

For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:

Galatians

Galatians 5:10

I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be.

Galatians 5:15

But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.

Galatians 5:19

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

Galatians 5:20

Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

Galatians 5:21

Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Philippians

Philippians 1:15

Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:

Philippians 1:16

The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds:

Philippians 2:3

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

Philippians 2:14

Do all things without murmurings and disputings:

Based on Nave's Topical Bible by Orville J. Nave (1896). Public domain. KJV scripture text, public domain.