Compare Jeremiah 25:14 with Romans 12:19 on God's vengeance. What similarities exist?

Scripture Texts

• Jeremiah 25:14 – “For many nations and great kings will enslave them, and I will repay them according to their deeds and the work of their hands.”

• Romans 12:19 – “Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: ‘Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.’ ”

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Shared Truths About God’s Vengeance

• Exclusive prerogative – In both verses, the Lord alone claims the right to repay wrongs (“I will repay”).

• Moral basis – Repayment is “according to their deeds” (Jeremiah 25:14) and implied the same in Romans 12:19; God’s vengeance is perfectly just, never arbitrary.

• Certainty – Each passage states vengeance in the future tense but with absolute assurance; God’s payback is not hypothetical.

• Protection for the faithful – Because God will act, His people need not. Romans makes it explicit: believers are commanded to stand back and trust Him.

• Echoes of covenant justice – Both texts resonate with Deuteronomy 32:35 (“Vengeance is Mine, and recompense”), underscoring continuity from Law to Prophets to Epistles.

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Consistent Biblical Pattern

• Psalm 94:1 – “O LORD, God of vengeance… shine forth!” affirms God as the sole avenger.

• Nahum 1:2 – “The LORD is a jealous and avenging God.”

• Revelation 6:10; 19:2 – Final judgment fulfills this promise fully and publicly.

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Implications for Believers

• Rest – We abandon personal retaliation, confident that no injustice escapes God’s notice.

• Reverence – God’s holy wrath reminds us of His righteousness and our need for grace (Romans 5:9).

• Witness – Responding to evil with good (Romans 12:20–21) showcases trust in God’s character rather than in personal revenge.