Recompense for evil. In Scripture this is the prerogative of God and of the authorities ordained by God, and never of individuals.

Exodus 20:5-6

The principle of retribution

Romans 12:19
Hebrews 10:30

See also

Deuteronomy 32:35
Exodus 32:33-34
Leviticus 26:23-25
Deuteronomy 7:9-10; 32:41-43
Job 34:11
Proverbs 24:12
Isaiah 1:24
Nahum 1:2
Genesis 18:25

Divine retribution is just

See also

Deuteronomy 32:3-4
2 Chronicles 12:1-6
Psalms 58:10-11
Jeremiah 5:7-9,26-29
Hosea 4:6
Psalms 7:15-16

Retribution is often built into the nature of wrongdoing

See also

Psalms 37:14-15
Proverbs 1:18; 26:27; 28:10
Ecclesiastes 10:8
Matthew 26:52
Galatians 6:7-8
Genesis 9:6

Retribution is placed in the hands of governments

Exodus 21:23-25
Romans 13:4

See also

This "lex talionis" (law of exacting like for like) was not for private retribution. It insisted that justice be fair and not out of proportion to the crime

Leviticus 24:17-22
Numbers 35:16-25
1 Peter 2:14
Proverbs 24:29

Private retribution is forbidden

See also

Matthew 5:38-39
Romans 12:19
Psalms 28:4

Prayer for retribution

2 Thessalonians 1:6-10

See also

Christians can agree with these prayers, hating all that opposes the Lord and goodness, and gladly anticipating the ultimate vindication of God's glory. Christians leave judgment in God's hands, but nonetheless grieve over the world's pain and over the death of every unrepentant sinner

Psalms 79:10; 94:1-2; 137:8-9
Lamentations 3:64-66
Revelation 20:13

The final retribution

See also

Psalms 62:11-12
John 5:28-29
Romans 2:5-11
Genesis 3:14,17

Examples of direct divine retribution on people

See also

In the fall

Genesis 3:15-16,18-19
Genesis 6:5-7

In the flood

See also

Genesis 11:5-7

At the Tower of Babel

Genesis 19:24

On Sodom and Gomorrah

Exodus 7:16-17; 11:1; 12:29

In the ten plagues on Egypt

Exodus 32:35

See also

On the Israelites in the wilderness

1 Corinthians 10:6-10
Leviticus 18:25
Deuteronomy 9:4

On the heathen nations

Leviticus 18:28
Deuteronomy 28:47-48

On the rebellious nation of Israel

Isaiah 65:6-7; 66:6
Ezekiel 5:11-13

On idolatrous Judah

Jeremiah 51:6,24,56

On Babylon

Obadiah 1:15-16

Upon all the nations

Matthew 23:35-36

On Jerusalem

1 Thessalonians 2:14-16

This judgment came on Jerusalem in A.D. 70.

Upon persecutors and unbelievers

Acts 12:23

Examples of divine retribution on individuals

See also

Numbers 16:30
2 Samuel 6:7; 12:10
Jeremiah 23:2
Acts 5:3-5,9
1 Corinthians 11:29-30
Judges 1:7; 9:56-57

Examples of divine retribution through human beings

2 Samuel 18:17
2 Kings 9:7,24,30-33

Through Jehu upon the house of Ahab:

Romans 1:27

Natural retribution

2 Timothy 3:13

See also

Examples of retribution by the state

Joshua 7:25
1 Kings 2:31-32
Esther 7:10
Luke 23:40-41
Joshua 10:13-14

National retribution

Judges 11:36
Esther 9:5

The special case of God's dealings with the nation of Israel and her enemies is not a basis on which to argue for a concept of a war, just or otherwise. A just war has to be in defence of the nation or of the defenceless, and involve a minimum of suffering.

Acts 17:31

Warnings of future retribution

See also

Matthew 25:31-32

See also

1075 God, justice of
1310 God as judge
5214 attack
5215 authority
5359 justice
5482 punishment
5494 revenge
8450 martyrdom
9105 last things
9210 judgment, God's
9510 hell