In the context of the Bible, the concept of injury encompasses both physical harm and emotional or spiritual damage. The Scriptures address injury in various forms, emphasizing the importance of justice, mercy, and forgiveness.

Old Testament References

The Old Testament law provides specific guidelines regarding injury, particularly in the context of justice and retribution. Exodus 21:23-25 outlines the principle of lex talionis, or the law of retaliation: "But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, and stripe for stripe" . This principle was intended to limit retribution and ensure that punishment was proportional to the offense.

Leviticus 19:18 instructs the Israelites, "Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against any of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD" . This command highlights the importance of forgiveness and reconciliation, even in the face of injury.

New Testament Teachings

The New Testament expands on the Old Testament teachings by emphasizing love and forgiveness over retribution. Jesus Christ, in His Sermon on the Mount, challenges the traditional understanding of retaliation. In Matthew 5:38-39, He states, "You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone slaps you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also" . This teaching encourages believers to respond to injury with grace and patience, reflecting the character of Christ.

The Apostle Paul further elaborates on this principle in Romans 12:17-19: "Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Carefully consider what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible on your part, live at peace with everyone. 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'" . Paul underscores the importance of leaving justice in God's hands and pursuing peace with others.

Spiritual and Emotional Injury

Beyond physical harm, the Bible also addresses spiritual and emotional injury. Proverbs 18:14 notes, "The spirit of a man can endure his sickness, but who can survive a broken spirit?" . This highlights the profound impact of emotional and spiritual wounds, which can be more debilitating than physical injuries.

The Scriptures encourage believers to support and restore those who are spiritually injured. Galatians 6:1 advises, "Brothers, if someone is caught in a trespass, you who are spiritual should restore him with a spirit of gentleness. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted" . This passage emphasizes the need for compassion and humility in addressing the spiritual injuries of others.

Conclusion

The biblical perspective on injury encompasses a call to justice, mercy, and forgiveness. While the Old Testament provides a framework for justice, the New Testament calls believers to transcend retaliation and embody the love and grace of Christ. Through these teachings, the Bible offers guidance on how to navigate the complexities of injury in a fallen world.(v. t.) To do harm to; to impair the excellence and value of; to hurt; to damage; -- used in a variety of senses; as: (a) To hurt or wound, as the person; to impair soundness, as of health. (b) To damage or lessen the value of, as goods or estate. (c) To slander, tarnish, or impair, as reputation or character. (d) To impair or diminish, as happiness or virtue. (e) To give pain to, as the sensibilities or the feelings; to grieve; to annoy. (f) To impair, as the intellect or mind.91. adikeo -- to do wrong, act wickedly
... Speech: Verb Transliteration: adikeo Phonetic Spelling: (ad-ee-keh'-o) Short Definition:
I act unjustly towards Definition: I act unjustly towards, injure, harm ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/91.htm - 8k

2345. thiggano -- to touch
... Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: thiggano Phonetic Spelling: (thing-gan'-o)
Short Definition: I touch, handle Definition: I touch, handle, injure, harm. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2345.htm - 6k

984. blapto -- to hurt
... blapto. 985 . to hurt. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: blapto Phonetic Spelling:
(blap'-to) Short Definition: I hurt, injure Definition: I hurt, injure. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/984.htm - 6k

2559. kakoo -- to ill-treat
... afflict, embitter, make angry. Cognate: 2559 -- to inflict (ill-treatment,
vexation); to harm, injure. See 2556 (). Word Origin from ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2559.htm - 7k

5195. hubrizo -- to run riot, to outrage, insult
... 5195 (from 5196 , "an injury, reproach") -- properly, to seize (steal); (figuratively)
to injure, bring loss, especially to damage someone's reputation (good ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5195.htm - 7k

2554. kakopoieo -- to do evil
... doing evil. From kakopoios; to be a bad-doer, ie (objectively) to injure,
or (genitive) to sin -- do(ing) evil. see GREEK kakopoios. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2554.htm - 7k

2555. kakopoios -- an evildoer
... 2555 (from 2556 , "of a malicious disposition" and 4160 , "make") -- properly, an
evil-doer, someone who makes trouble (inflicts harm), ie to injure (damage). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2555.htm - 7k

2210. zemioo -- to damage, suffer loss
... be cast away, suffer loss. From zemia; to injure, ie (reflexively or passively)
to experience detriment -- be cast away, receive damage, lose, suffer loss. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2210.htm - 8k

2719. katesthio -- to eat up
... Phonetic Spelling: (kat-es-thee'-o) Short Definition: I eat till it is finished
Definition: I eat up, eat till it is finished, devour, squander, annoy, injure. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2719.htm - 8k

1796. enubrizo -- to insult
... 1796 (from 1722 , "in," intensifying 5195 , "to insult, injure, showing arrogance") --
to insult (outrage), treat despitefully, reproach (used only in Heb 10:29 ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1796.htm - 7k

1970. hakar -- perhaps to wrong
... root Definition perhaps to wrong NASB Word Usage wrong (1). make self strange. A
primitive root; apparently to injure -- make self strange. 1969, 1970. ...
/hebrew/1970.htm - 5k

7463a. raah -- evil, misery, distress, injury
... 2), distresses (1), evil (112), evil deeds (1), evildoer* (1), evildoing (1), evils
(5), great wickedness (1), harm (19), hurt (5), ill (1), injure (2), injury ...
/hebrew/7463a.htm - 6k

5143. nezeq -- injury, damage
... Usage annoyance (1). damage. From an unused root meaning to injure; loss --
damage. 5142, 5143. nezeq. 5144 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/5143.htm - 5k

Death Cannot Injure those who have Received the Grace of ...
... Chapter 120."Death Cannot Injure Those Who Have Received the Grace of
Regeneration. But before a man can receive the commandment ...
/.../augustine/the enchiridion/chapter 120 death cannot injure those.htm

Introduction to the Treatise that no one Can Harm the Man who Does ...
... INTRODUCTION TO THE TREATISE THAT NO ONE CAN HARM THE MAN WHO DOES NOT INJURE
HIMSELF. This very beautiful treatise was composed when St. ...
/.../chrysostom/on the priesthood/introduction to the treatise that.htm

How a Fortunate Issue Will be of no Avail to Evil Doers, While Bad ...
... The Conferences of John Cassian. Chapter XII. How a fortunate issue will be of no
avail to evil doers, while bad deeds will not injure good men. ...
/.../cassian/the conferences of john cassian/chapter xii how a fortunate.htm

A Treatise to Prove that no one Can Harm the Man who Does not ...
... A TREATISE TO PROVE THAT NO ONE CAN HARM THE MAN WHO DOES NOT INJURE HIMSELF. ... Dost
thou perceive that he who does not injure himself suffers no evil? ...
/.../chrysostom/on the priesthood/a treatise to prove that.htm

St. Chrysostom: a Treatise to Prove that no one Can Harm the Man ...
... St. Chrysostom: a treatise to prove that no one can harm the man who does
not injure himself. translated by rev. wrw stephens, ma,. ...
/.../chrysostom/on the priesthood/st chrysostom a treatise to.htm

That Demons have no Power Over those who are Established in the ...
... truth. For they think that those demons profit them when they cease to
injure, whereas they have no power except to injure. [329 ...
/.../lactantius/the divine institutes/chap xvi that demons have no.htm

Cheating and Dishonest Ways of Making Money are Utterly Unfit for ...
... For them the example of David is given, that they should injure none, even when
provoked; also the death of Naboth, to keep them from preferring life to virtue ...
/.../ambrose/works and letters of st ambrose/chapter ix cheating and dishonest.htm

That the Enemies of God are So, not by Nature, but by Will, Which ...
... Chapter 3."That the Enemies of God are So, Not by Nature, But by Will, Which, as
It Injures Them, Injures a Good Nature; For If Vice Does Not Injure, It is ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/city of god/chapter 3 that the enemies of.htm

On the Priesthood
... St. Chrysostom: a treatise to prove that no one can harm the man who does
not injure himself. INTRODUCTION TO THE TREATISE THAT ...
//christianbookshelf.org/chrysostom/on the priesthood/

Of the Duties of Justice.
... respecting yourself, and to your own person that which you judge respecting another,
and you will understand that you act as unjustly if you injure another as ...
/.../lactantius/the divine institutes/chap lx of the duties of.htm

Injure (16 Occurrences)
...Injure (16 Occurrences). ... (See NAS). Acts 18:10 I am with you, and no one shall attack
you to injure you; for I have very many people in this city." (WEY DBY). ...
/i/injure.htm - 11k

Gall (17 Occurrences)
... 7. (vt) To fret and wear away by friction; to hurt or break the skin of by rubbing;
to chafe; to injure the surface of by attrition; as, a saddle galls the ...
/g/gall.htm - 17k

Wills (12 Occurrences)
... Revelation 11:5 and if any one wills to injure them, fire goes out of their
mouth, and devours their enemies. And if any one wills ...
/w/wills.htm - 9k

Forbidden (20 Occurrences)
... (WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV). Revelation 9:4 And they were forbidden to
injure the herbage of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree. ...
/f/forbidden.htm - 12k

Malice (24 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) Enmity of heart; malevolence; ill will; a spirit delighting in harm or
misfortune to another; a disposition to injure another; a malignant design of ...
/m/malice.htm - 15k

Mouths (86 Occurrences)
... Revelation 11:5 And if any one seeks to injure them--fire comes from their mouths
and devours their enemies; and if any one seeks to injure them, he will in ...
/m/mouths.htm - 32k

Malign (6 Occurrences)
... 3. (a.) Unfavorable; unpropitious; pernicious; tending to injure; as, a malign
aspect of planets. 4. (a.) Malignant; as, a malign ulcer. ...
/m/malign.htm - 8k

Prejudice (2 Occurrences)
... 5. (n.) To obstruct or injure by prejudices, or by previous bias of the mind; hence,
generally, to hurt; to damage; to injure; to impair; as, to prejudice a ...
/p/prejudice.htm - 8k

Burn (206 Occurrences)
... 2. (vt) To injure by fire or heat; to change destructively some property or properties
of, by undue exposure to fire or heat; to scorch; to scald; to blister ...
/b/burn.htm - 43k

Beings (42 Occurrences)
... Revelation 9:4 And they were forbidden to injure the herbage of the earth,
or any green thing, or any tree. They were only to injure...
/b/beings.htm - 18k

What does the Bible mean when it says not to touch God's anointed? | GotQuestions.org

When is it necessary to rebuke another believer? | GotQuestions.org

What does the Bible say about self-harm / self-mutilation / cutting? | GotQuestions.org

Injure: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus