As Christians, we are called to love one another and lift each other up, not tear each other down. The Bible provides us with clear instructions on how to treat others with kindness, respect, and humility. Putting others down contradicts the teachings of Christ, and the following verses remind us to guard our hearts and words, using them to encourage, not harm. These Bible verses emphasize the importance of building others up and avoiding actions that diminish their worth.
Bible Verses About Putting Others Down
Proverbs 16:24 – Kind words bring healing
“Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, Sweet and delightful to the soul and healing to the body.”
Ephesians 4:29 – Speak words that build up
“Do not let unwholesome foul, profane, worthless, vulgar words ever come out of your mouth, but only such speech as is good for building up others, according to the need and the occasion, so that it will be a blessing to those who hear you speak.”
Colossians 4:6 – Let your speech be gracious
“Let your speech at all times be gracious and pleasant, seasoned with salt, so that you will know how to answer each one who questions you.”
James 3:10 – Words of blessing, not cursing
“Out of the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. These things, my brothers, should not be this way.”
Matthew 7:1-2 – Do not judge others
“Do not judge and criticize and condemn others unfairly, with an attitude of self-righteous superiority, as though assuming the office of a judge, so that you will not be judged unfairly. For just as you judge others, you will be judged; and in accordance with your standard of measure, judgment will be measured to you.”
Proverbs 12:18 – Reckless words wound
“There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword, But the tongue of the wise brings healing.”
1 Peter 3:9 – Repay evil with blessing
“And never return evil for evil or insult for insult, avoid scolding, berating, and any kind of abuse, but on the contrary, give a blessing; for you have been called for this very purpose, that you might inherit a blessing.”
Proverbs 15:1 – A gentle answer turns away wrath
“A soft and gentle and thoughtful answer turns away wrath, But harsh and painful and careless words stir up anger.”
Luke 6:31 – Treat others as you want to be treated
“Treat others the same way you want them to treat you.”
Galatians 5:14 – Love your neighbor as yourself
“For the whole Law concerning human relationships is fulfilled in one precept, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”
Proverbs 11:17 – Kindness brings reward
“The merciful and generous man benefits his soul, For his behavior returns to bless him, But the cruel and callous man does himself harm.”
Philippians 2:3 – Value others above yourself
“Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit through factional motives, or strife, but with an attitude of humility being neither arrogant nor self-righteous, regard others as more important than yourselves.”
Romans 12:10 – Honor one another
“Be devoted to one another with authentic brotherly affection as members of one family, give preference to one another in honor.”
1 Thessalonians 5:11 – Encourage one another
“Therefore encourage and comfort one another and build up one another, just as you are doing.”
Proverbs 21:23 – Guard your tongue
“He who guards his mouth and his tongue guards himself from troubles.”
Matthew 12:36 – Be accountable for your words
“But I tell you, on the day of judgment people will have to give an accounting for every careless or useless word they speak.”
James 1:19 – Be slow to speak
“Understand this, my beloved brothers and sisters. Let everyone be quick to hear, be a careful, thoughtful listener, slow to speak, a speaker of carefully chosen words, and slow to anger.”
Proverbs 15:4 – Words bring life or crush the spirit
“A soothing tongue speaking words that build up and encourage is a tree of life, But a perverse tongue speaking words that overwhelm and depress crushes the spirit.”
Romans 14:13 – Do not be a stumbling block
“Then let us no longer criticize one another, but rather determine this—not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block or a source of temptation in another believer’s way.”
1 John 4:20 – Loving God means loving others
“If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates works against his Christian brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.”
Proverbs 10:19 – Be wise in your speech
“When there are many words, transgression and offense are unavoidable, But he who controls his lips and keeps thoughtful silence is wise.”
James 4:11 – Do not speak evil against others
“Believers, do not speak against or slander one another. He who speaks self-righteously against a brother or judges his brother hypocritically, speaks against the law and judges the law.”
Proverbs 27:2 – Let others praise you
“Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; A stranger, and not your own lips.”
1 Corinthians 13:4 – Love does not dishonor others
“Love endures with patience and serenity, love is kind and thoughtful, and is not jealous or envious; love does not brag and is not proud or arrogant. It is not rude; it is not self-seeking, it is not provoked nor overly sensitive and easily angered; it does not take into account a wrong endured.”
Proverbs 15:28 – Think before speaking
“The heart of the righteous thinks carefully about how to answer in a wise and appropriate and timely way, But the babbling mouth of the wicked pours out malevolent things.”
Matthew 7:12 – The Golden Rule
“So then, in everything, treat others the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the essence of the Law and the writings of the Prophets.”
Colossians 3:13 – Forgive others as God forgives
“Bearing graciously with one another, and willingly forgiving each other if one has a cause for complaint against another; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so should you forgive.”
1 Timothy 6:4 – Avoid quarrels and disputes
“He is conceited and woefully ignorant, understanding nothing; he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, which produce envy, quarrels, verbal abuse, and evil suspicions.”
Ecclesiastes 10:12 – Words of wisdom bring favor
“The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious and win him favor, but the lips of a fool consume him.”
Proverbs 18:21 – Words have the power of life and death
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it and indulge it will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words.”
Romans 2:1 – Do not condemn others
“Therefore you have no excuse or justification, every one of you who hypocritically judges and condemns others; for in passing judgment on another person, you condemn yourself, because you who judge from a position of arrogance or self-righteousness are habitually practicing the very same things which you denounce.”
Galatians 6:1 – Restore others gently
“Brothers, if anyone is caught in any sin, you who are spiritual, that is, you who are responsive to the guidance of the Spirit, are to restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness; not with a sense of superiority or self-righteousness, keeping a watchful eye on yourself, so that you are not tempted as well.”
Hebrews 10:24 – Spur each other to do good
“And let us consider thoughtfully how we may encourage one another to love and to do good deeds.”
1 Peter 2:1 – Rid yourselves of malice and slander
“So put aside every trace of malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander and hateful speech.”
Romans 14:19 – Pursue peace and edification
“So then, let us pursue with enthusiasm the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.”
Also Read: Bible Verses About Leading By Example
What Does the Bible Say About Putting Others Down
Well, let me tell you something, folks, we live in a world where putting others down has become a normal part of life for many people. You see it all around – people gossiping, criticizing, mocking, and looking down on each other like it’s a sport. But when we turn to the Bible, we get a very different message about how we should treat others. The Bible makes it clear that tearing others down, speaking ill of them, or making them feel less than who they are is not the way God intended for us to live. In fact, it goes against everything that Jesus taught.
Let’s start by looking at one of the most famous teachings of Jesus. In Matthew 7:12, He gives us what we call the Golden Rule, which says, “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you.” Now, think about that for a moment. If you don’t want people to put you down, gossip about you, or make you feel small, then you shouldn’t be doing that to them. It’s a simple principle, but it’s one that we tend to forget all too easily.
Now, the Bible is filled with verses that encourage us to speak kindly and lift others up. Proverbs 12:18 says, “The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” Words have power, my friends. They can either hurt or heal, build or destroy, and we have the choice every single day about how we use our words. When we put others down, we’re not using our words to heal. We’re using them to hurt, and that’s something that can have a lasting impact on someone’s heart.
James 4:11 tells us, “Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another.” When you slander someone, you’re speaking negatively about them behind their back, and that’s one of the ways we put others down. Slandering may make you feel better for a moment, but it does nothing but spread negativity and damage relationships. The Bible is very clear that this is not how we should behave. Instead, we should be encouraging one another and lifting each other up.
In Ephesians 4:29, Paul gives us another clear instruction about how we should speak. He says, “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.” Now, that’s pretty straightforward, isn’t it? If the words coming out of your mouth aren’t going to help someone, if they’re not going to build someone up, then they don’t need to be said. It’s not always easy, especially when you’re frustrated or angry, but as Christians, we’re called to a higher standard.
Jesus also taught us in Matthew 5:22 that being angry with a brother or sister and calling them names can have serious consequences. He says, “Anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.” Now, you might be wondering what “Raca” means. It’s a term of contempt, something like calling someone worthless. Jesus is warning us here that the way we talk to others matters deeply. When we put others down with our words, we’re not just hurting them – we’re distancing ourselves from the kind of life God wants us to live.
It’s important to remember that every single person is made in the image of God. Genesis 1:27 tells us that “God created mankind in his own image.” When we put others down, we are disrespecting that image. We are devaluing something that God Himself created, and that’s not something we should take lightly. Every person has worth and value in God’s eyes, and it’s our job to reflect that in how we treat them.
So, what does the Bible say about putting others down? It says don’t do it. Instead of tearing people down, we should be lifting them up, encouraging them, and showing them the love and kindness that God shows to each of us every day. It’s not always easy, but with God’s help, we can use our words to heal, to bless, and to build a better community where love and respect for one another are at the center of all we do. Amen!