Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath (Ephesians 4:26-27). Be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath (James 1:19-20). A soft answer turns away wrath (Proverbs 15:1), and he that is slow to anger is better than the mighty (Proverbs 16:32).
Anger in the Bible is not always forbidden—but uncontrolled wrath is. These twelve King James passages teach how to slow anger, answer softly, and leave vengeance to God, without confusing righteous zeal with explosive temper.
Slow to wrath
1. James 1:19-20
"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."
Swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. Human fury rarely produces godly results.
2. Proverbs 14:29
"He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly."
Slow to wrath shows great understanding; a hasty spirit exalts folly. Speed of anger tracks with folly.
3. Proverbs 16:32
"He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city."
He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city. Self-mastery outranks conquest.
4. Ecclesiastes 7:9
"Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools."
Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. Lingering anger is a fool's guest.
Handle anger without sin
5. Ephesians 4:26-27
"Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil."
Anger is acknowledged, but sin and prolonged wrath are not. Do not give place to the devil by letting rage overnight.
6. Psalms 37:8
"Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil."
Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. Anger and fretting can slide into evil action.
7. Colossians 3:8
"But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth."
Put off anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication. Anger is listed among the clothes of the old life to remove.
8. Proverbs 29:11
"A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards."
A fool uttereth all his mind; a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards. Wisdom delays the full blast of feeling.
Words and vengeance
9. Proverbs 15:1
"A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger."
A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. Tone can de-escalate or ignite.
10. Proverbs 19:11
"The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression."
The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression. Overlooking an offense can be strength, not weakness.
11. Matthew 5:22
"But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire."
Jesus warns that angry contempt ("Raca," "Thou fool") puts a person in danger of judgment. Heart-level rage matters, not only fists.
12. Romans 12:19
"Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord."
Avenge not yourselves; vengeance is mine, saith the Lord. Leaving payback to God frees you from nursing wrath.
A short prayer
Lord, make me slow to wrath and quick to hear. When I am angry, help me not to sin—or to let the sun go down on my wrath. Give me soft answers, discretion to defer anger, and trust to leave vengeance with You. In Jesus' name, amen.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the best Bible verse about anger?
Ephesians 4:26-27, James 1:19-20, Proverbs 15:1, and Proverbs 16:32 are among the most shared.
Is anger a sin according to the Bible?
Not automatically. Ephesians 4:26 says "be ye angry, and sin not." Sin enters when anger turns to wrath, contempt, or revenge (Matthew 5:22; Romans 12:19).
Where does the Bible say a soft answer turns away wrath?
Proverbs 15:1.
What does "let not the sun go down upon your wrath" mean?
Ephesians 4:26 urges dealing with anger promptly so it does not harden overnight and give the devil a foothold (v. 27).
Sources: All Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (KJV), public domain in the United States. References were checked against the KJV text from bible-api.com.
Related: Bible verses about patience · Bible verses about forgiveness · Bible verses about peace · Bible verses about humility · Bible verses about loving your enemy
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