19 Bible Verses About Toxic People

Use these Bible verses about toxic people to find comfort, guidance, and wisdom in how to manage the toxic relationship in your life.

Toxic people can come in all forms. Whether that be a colleague, a family member, or a friend. If you are currently dealing with a toxic person in your life, you are well aware of the effects that they have on those around them. Someone who is described as toxic is often one who drains others emotionally, and may be very manipulative in their behaviors. 

A few traits that they might possess are being extremely controlling, negative, aggressive, critical, selfish, and abusive. They create unpleasantness for others and often are caught in the middle of chaos. 

It can be hard to know where to draw the line with those in your life who are toxic, and how to manage toxic relationships in your life. If you are looking to find direction from God’s Word on how to lay boundaries with toxic people, and how to protect yourself against them, these Bible verses about toxic people are a great place to start.

19 Bible Verses About Toxic People

1. 2 Timothy 3:1-5 – The State Of People In The Last Days 

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. – 2 Timothy 3:1-5

2. Proverbs 13:20 – He Who Walks With Fools Suffers Harm

Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.
– Proverbs 13:20

3. James 3:16 – Envy And Selfish Ambition Lead To Disorder And Evil Practice

For where you have envy and selfish ambition,
there you find disorder and every evil practice.
– James 3:16

4. 1 Corinthians 15:33 – Bad Company Corrupts Good Character 

Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”
– 1 Corinthians 15:33

5. Proverbs 22:24-25 – The Ways Of The Hot-Tempered May Rub Off On You

Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person,
do not associate with one easily angered,
or you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared.
– Proverbs 22:24-25

Bible Verses For Protection From A Toxic Person

6. 1 John 4:1-6 – Test Every Spirit To See Whether They Are From God

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits
to see whether they are from God,
because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 
This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God:
Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ
has come in the flesh is from God,
but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God.
This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming
and even now is already in the world.
You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them
because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world,
and the world listens to them. 
We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us;
but whoever is not from God does not listen to us.
This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.
– 1 John 4:106

7. Proverbs 4:14-17 – Avoid The Path Of The Wicked 

Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers.
Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way.
For they cannot rest until they do evil;
they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble.
They eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
– Proverbs 4:14-17

8. 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 – Do Not Be Unequally Yoked With Unbelievers 

Do not be yoked together with unbelievers.
For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common?
Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 
What harmony is there between Christ and Belial?
Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?
What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols?
For we are the temple of the living God.
As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them,
and I will be their God, and they will be My people.”
Therefore, “Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord.
Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.”
And, “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty.”
– 2 Corinthians 6:14-18

9. Proverbs 6:16-19 – These Things The Lord Hates 

There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him:
haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
a heart that devises wicked schemes,
feet that are quick to rush into evil,
a false witness who pours out lies
and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.
– Proverbs 6:16-19

10. Matthew 7:15-16 – You Will Recognize False Prophets By Their Fruit

Watch out for false prophets.
They come to you in sheep’s clothing,
but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.
By their fruit, you will recognize them.
Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
– Matthew 7:15-16

Bible Verses For Guidance In Managing A Toxic Relationship

11. 1 Peter 3:9 – Repay Evil With Blessing 

Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult.
On the contrary, repay evil with blessing,
because to this, you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
– 1 Peter 3:9

12. 1 Corinthians 5:11 – Do Not Associate With Such People

But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone
who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy,
an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler.
Do not even eat with such people.
– 1 Corinthians 5:11

13. Ephesians 4:31-32 – Forgive As In Christ God Forgave You

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander,
along with every form of malice.
Be kind and compassionate to one another,
forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
– Ephesians 4:31-32

14. Matthew 5:44 – Love Your Enemies And Pray For Those Who Persecute You

But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.
– Matthew 5:44

15. Proverbs 9:7-8 – Do Not Rebuke The Wicked For You Will Incur Abuse

Whoever corrects a mocker invites insults;
whoever rebukes the wicked incurs abuse.
Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you;
rebuke the wise and they will love you.
– Proverbs 9:7-8

16. Luke 6:28 – Pray For Those Who Mistreat You

Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. – Luke 6:28

17. Romans 12:17-21 – Don’t Repay Anyone Evil For Evil

Do not repay anyone evil for evil.
Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
Do not take revenge, my dear friends,
but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written:
“It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.
On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
– Romans 12:17-21

18. Romans 12:14 – Bless And Do Not Curse 

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
– Romans 12:14

19. Proverbs 14:7 – Stay Away From A Fool

Stay away from a fool, for you will not find knowledge on their lips.
– Proverbs 14:7

Gary Thomas Quotes On Boundaries In Toxic Relationships

Many resources can help you deal with toxic people. Through Scripture, we can find guidance from various writers like the Apostle Paul, and today we have additional resources from modern authors. 

One of those is by author Gary Thomas who wrote When To Walk Away: Finding Freedom From Toxic People. In his extremely well-rated book, he draws from both biblical and modern-day stories to help you handle toxic people and live freely for the purposes that God has given you.

Here are a few quotes from his book.

“God is radically for people. He wants everyone to come to a knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4). As his followers, we also must be for everyone, even if we oppose what they’re doing. If we must live and work with toxic people, our call is to make sure their toxicity doesn’t become ours. We don’t treat them as they treat us. We don’t offer evil in exchange for evil. We love. We serve. We guard our hearts so that we are not poisoned by their bad example.”

“Instead of trying to make toxic people happy or satisfied (which is a waste of time, since they can’t and won’t be mollified), live to help reliable people serve and worship God. Our job is to open up new avenues of worship with people who want to reverence God. Rather than living to make toxic people feel good about us, let’s live to make reliable people excited about God.”

“There are certain people who drain us, demean us, and distract us from other healthy relationships. Long after they’re gone, we’re still fighting with them in our minds and trying to get them out of our hearts. They keep us awake. They steal our joy. They demolish our peace. They make us (if we’re honest with ourselves) weaker spiritually. They even invade times of worship and pervert them into seasons of fretting.”

“One of Satan’s cleverest attacks is getting us to pour our time and energy into people who resent the grace we share and who will never change, keeping us from spending time with and focusing on others whom we can love and serve.”

“Sometimes to follow in the footsteps of Jesus is to walk away from others or to let them walk away from us.”

More Bible Verses For Navigating Toxic Relationships:

37 Bible Verses About Addiction For Recovery
34 Scriptures on Hearing God’s Voice 
33 Bible Verses on Breaking Chains
43 Uplifting Bible Verses about Moving On from Hurt
Identity In Christ: Believing You Are Who God Says You Are
Emotional Abuse In A Christian Marriage