Quarrels in the Bible

32 passages of the Berean Standard Bible, line by line, from Nave’s Topical Bible.

Examples

Abram’s and Lot’s herdsmen quarrel, so the two part waysGen 13:7–9
The verses
Gen 13:7–9And there was discord between the herdsmen of Abram and the herdsmen of Lot. At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were also living in the land. So Abram said to Lot, “Please let there be no contention between you and me, or between your herdsmen and my herdsmen. After all, we are brothers. Is not the whole land before you? Now separate yourself from me. If you go to the left, I will go to the right; if you go to the right, I will go to the left.”
Abraham complains about a well seized by Abimelech’s servantsGen 21:25
The verses
Gen 21:25But when Abraham complained to Abimelech about a well that Abimelech’s servants had seized,
Moses finds two Hebrews fightingExod 2:13, Acts 7:26
The verses
Exod 2:13The next day Moses went out and saw two Hebrews fighting. He asked the one in the wrong, “Why are you attacking your companion?”
Acts 7:26The next day he came upon two Israelites who were fighting, and he tried to reconcile them, saying, ‘Men, you are brothers. Why are you mistreating each other?’
Moses cannot bear all the people’s disputes by himselfDeut 1:12
The verses
Deut 1:12But how can I bear your troubles, burdens, and disputes all by myself?
Ephraim threatens Jephthah; “Shibboleth” at the fords of the JordanJudg 12:1–6
The verses
Judg 12:1–6Then the men of Ephraim assembled and crossed the Jordan to Zaphon. They said to Jephthah, “Why have you crossed over to fight the Ammonites without calling us to go with you? We will burn your house down with you inside!” But Jephthah replied, “My people and I had a serious conflict with the Ammonites, and when I called, you did not save me out of their hands. When I saw that you would not save me, I risked my life and crossed over to the Ammonites, and the LORD delivered them into my hand. Why then have you come today to fight against me?” Jephthah then gathered all the men of Gilead and fought against Ephraim. And the men of Gilead struck them down because the Ephraimites had said, “You Gileadites are fugitives in Ephraim, living in the territories of Ephraim and Manasseh.” The Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan leading to Ephraim, and whenever a fugitive from Ephraim would say, “Let me cross over,” the Gileadites would ask him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he answered, “No,” they told him, “Please say Shibboleth.” If he said, “Sibboleth,” because he could not pronounce it correctly, they seized him and killed him at the fords of the Jordan. So at that time 42,000 Ephraimites were killed.
The woman of Tekoa’s story: two sons fight in the field2 Sam 14:6
The verses
2 Sam 14:6And your maidservant had two sons who were fighting in the field with no one to separate them, and one struck the other and killed him.
The disciples argue about which of them is the greatestMark 9:33–34, Luke 22:24
The verses
Mark 9:33–34Then they came to Capernaum. While Jesus was in the house, He asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” But they were silent, for on the way they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest.
Luke 22:24A dispute also arose among the disciples as to which of them would be considered the greatest.
Sharp debate at Antioch over circumcisionActs 15:1–2
The verses
Acts 15:1–2Then some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” And after engaging these men in sharp debate, Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question.
Paul and Barnabas part company over MarkActs 15:37–39
The verses
Acts 15:37–39Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark. But Paul thought it best not to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not accompanied them in the work. Their disagreement was so sharp that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus,
Pharisees and Sadducees quarrel over the resurrectionActs 23:7–10
The verses
Acts 23:7–10As soon as he had said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. For the Sadducees say that there is neither a resurrection, nor angels, nor spirits, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all. A great clamor arose, and some scribes from the party of the Pharisees got up and contended sharply, “We find nothing wrong with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” The dispute grew so violent that the commander was afraid they would tear Paul to pieces. He ordered the soldiers to go down and remove him by force and bring him into the barracks.
Paul opposes Cephas to his face at AntiochGal 2:11
The verses
Gal 2:11When Cephas came to Antioch, however, I opposed him to his face, because he stood to be condemned.
Corinthians: “I follow Paul,” “I follow Apollos”1 Cor 1:11–12
The verses
1 Cor 1:11–12My brothers, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: Individuals among you are saying, “I follow Paul,” “I follow Apollos,” “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.”
Believers take one another to court1 Cor 6:6–7
The verses
1 Cor 6:6–7Instead, one brother goes to law against another, and this in front of unbelievers! The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means that you are thoroughly defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?
Paul urges Euodia and Syntyche to agreePhil 4:2
The verses
Phil 4:2I urge Euodia and Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord.

In the Law

One injured in a fight is paid for lost work and healingExod 21:18–19
The verses
Exod 21:18–19If men are quarreling and one strikes the other with a stone or a fist, and he does not die but is confined to bed, then the one who struck him shall go unpunished, as long as the other can get up and walk around outside with his staff. Nevertheless, he must compensate the man for his lost work and see that he is completely healed.
A dispute between men is taken to court to be judgedDeut 25:1
The verses
Deut 25:1If there is a dispute between men, they are to go to court to be judged, so that the innocent may be acquitted and the guilty condemned.

Sayings in Proverbs

Hatred stirs up dissension; love covers wrongsProv 10:12
The verses
Prov 10:12Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers all transgressions.
A hot-tempered man stirs up strifeProv 15:18, Prov 29:22
The verses
Prov 15:18A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger calms dispute.
Prov 29:22An angry man stirs up dissension, and a hot-tempered man abounds in transgression.
Better a dry morsel in quietness than a feast with strifeProv 17:1
The verses
Prov 17:1Better a dry morsel in quietness than a house full of feasting with strife.
To start a quarrel is to release a floodProv 17:14
The verses
Prov 17:14To start a quarrel is to release a flood; so abandon the dispute before it breaks out.
It is honorable to resolve a dispute; any fool will quarrelProv 20:3
The verses
Prov 20:3It is honorable for a man to resolve a dispute, but any fool will quarrel.
Drive out the mocker, and quarreling will ceaseProv 22:10
The verses
Prov 22:10Drive out the mocker, and conflict will depart; even quarreling and insults will cease.
Meddling in another’s quarrel is like grabbing a dog by the earsProv 26:17
The verses
Prov 26:17Like one who grabs a dog by the ears is a passerby who meddles in a quarrel not his own.
A contentious wife is like constant dripping on a rainy dayProv 27:15, Prov 25:24
The verses
Prov 27:15A constant dripping on a rainy day and a contentious woman are alike—
Prov 25:24Better to live on a corner of the roof than to share a house with a quarrelsome wife.

Elsewhere

Reconcile quickly with your adversary on the way to courtMatt 5:25
The verses
Matt 5:25Reconcile quickly with your adversary, while you are still on the way to court. Otherwise, he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison.
If possible, live at peace with everyoneRom 12:18
The verses
Rom 12:18If it is possible on your part, live at peace with everyone.
Foolish speculation breeds quarrels2 Tim 2:23–24
The verses
2 Tim 2:23–24But reject foolish and ignorant speculation, for you know that it breeds quarreling. And a servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome, but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, and forbearing.
“What causes conflicts and quarrels among you?”Jas 4:1
The verses
Jas 4:1What causes conflicts and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from the passions at war within you?

Sources

From Nave’s Topical Bible (Orville J. Nave, 1896; public domain): subjects chosen, lines shortened and put into modern words, lines of interpretation left out; each verse checked.

Berean Standard Bible · Public domain