What Does the Bible Say About Anger?

Anger itself is not always sinful — God Himself expresses righteous anger against sin, and Jesus overturned the money changers' tables in holy indignation (John 2:15-16). Ephesians 4:26 instructs, 'Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath.' The key distinction is between righteous indignation at injustice and sin, versus selfish, uncontrolled rage. James 1:19-20 counsels, 'Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.' Proverbs repeatedly warns about anger: 'He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city' (Proverbs 16:32). 'A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger' (Proverbs 15:1). Colossians 3:8 commands believers to 'put off all these; anger, wrath, malice.' The fruit of the Spirit — particularly gentleness and self-control — is the antidote to sinful anger.