Reproach is a word that carries weight in Scripture. It refers to disgrace, shame, or scorn brought on by sin, disobedience, or public humiliation. In the Bible, reproach is often used to describe the consequences of unfaithfulness, but also God’s power to remove shame and restore honor. Whether you’re struggling with guilt, facing mockery, or seeking restoration, these Bible verses about reproach offer encouragement, correction, and hope.
In this post, we’ll look at 50 powerful scriptures that deal with reproach, including its causes, effects, and how God deals with it. We’ll also examine examples of reproach in the Bible to help you gain a deeper understanding of this topic.
What Is Reproach in the Bible?
Reproach in the Bible refers to shame, disgrace, or scorn often brought on by sin, failure, or disobedience to God. It can come from people mocking or condemning someone, or it can be a personal burden of guilt or shame. But Scripture also reveals that God removes reproach when we repent and trust Him. His mercy brings restoration.
Examples of Reproach in the Bible
Understanding examples of reproach in the Bible helps clarify how deeply it affects individuals and nations and how God intervenes.
- Hannah (1 Samuel 1): Hannah was barren and ridiculed by Peninnah. Her inability to conceive was seen as a reproach. After prayer, God gave her a son, Samuel, removing her shame.
- Israel in Egypt (Joshua 5:9): God declared that He had rolled away the “reproach of Egypt” when the Israelites entered the Promised Land and renewed their covenant through circumcision.
- Jesus Christ (Hebrews 13:13): Jesus bore the greatest reproach; mockery, false accusations, crucifixion for the sake of our redemption. His willingness to endure such shame set the ultimate example.
- Elizabeth (Luke 1:25): Elizabeth described her childlessness as a reproach. When she conceived John the Baptist, she praised God for removing it.
These examples highlight that reproach may stem from barrenness, slavery, sin, or righteous suffering. In every case, God offers healing, dignity, and restoration.
How to Overcome Reproach
If you are dealing with guilt, shame, or public disgrace, here are biblical ways to overcome reproach:
- Confess and repent: God is faithful to forgive (1 John 1:9).
- Trust in God’s promises: He removes shame and covers us with honor (Isaiah 61:7).
- Live righteously: Walk in obedience, so no legitimate reproach can cling to you.
- Endure persecution patiently: When reproach comes because of your faith, remember you are blessed (1 Peter 4:14).
- Pray for restoration: Ask God to take away the burden of reproach, just like David and Hannah did.
Bible Verses About Reproach
Here are 50 Bible verses about reproach divided into old and new testament to guide, correct, and comfort your heart:
Old Testament Verses on Reproach
- Psalm 22:5 – “They cried to You and were saved; in You they trusted and were not put to shame.”
- Psalm 31:1 – “In You, O Lord, I take refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in Your righteousness.”
- Psalm 34:5 – “Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.”
- Psalm 119:6 – “Then I shall not be put to shame when I consider all Your commandments.”
- Isaiah 50:7 – “Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore, I have set my face like a flint, and I know I will not be put to shame.”
- Isaiah 54:4 – “Do not be afraid; you will not be put to shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated.”
- Joel 2:26-27 – “You will have plenty to eat… and never again will My people be shamed.”
- Zephaniah 3:19 – “I will deal with all who oppressed you; I will rescue the lame and gather the outcast. I will give them praise and honor in every land where they have suffered shame.”
- Proverbs 13:5 – “The righteous hate what is false, but the wicked make themselves a stench and bring shame on themselves.”
- Micah 7:8-10 – “Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light.”
- Psalm 25:2-3 – “I trust in You; do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me.”
- Psalm 71:1 – “In You, Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame.”
- Psalm 69:6 – “Lord, the Lord Almighty, may those who hope in You not be disgraced because of me.”
- Psalm 119:31 – “I hold fast to Your statutes, Lord; do not let me be put to shame.”
- Isaiah 41:11 – “All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced.”
- Jeremiah 17:18 – “Let my persecutors be put to shame, but keep me from shame; let them be terrified, but keep me from terror.”
- Psalm 35:4 – “May those who seek my life be disgraced and put to shame.”
- Psalm 40:14 – “May all who seek to take my life be put to shame and confusion.”
- Psalm 70:2 – “May those who want to take my life be put to shame and confusion.”
- Psalm 83:17 – “Cover their faces with shame, Lord, so that they will seek Your name.”
- Psalm 44:7 – “But You have saved us from our enemies and put to shame those who hate us.”
- Psalm 109:28 – “They may curse, but You will bless; when they attack, they will be put to shame, but Your servant will rejoice.”
- Psalm 127:5 – “Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court.”
- Proverbs 3:35 – “The wise inherit honor, but fools get only shame.”
- Isaiah 45:17 – “But Israel will be saved by the Lord with an everlasting salvation; you will never be put to shame or disgraced, to ages everlasting.”
New Testament Verses on Reproach
- Romans 10:11 – “Anyone who believes in Him will never be put to shame.”
- Romans 5:5 – “Hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit.”
- 1 Peter 2:6 – “For in Scripture it says: ‘See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in Him will never be put to shame.”
- Hebrews 13:13 – “Let us, then, go to Him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace He bore.”
- 2 Timothy 1:8 – “So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me His prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God.”
- 1 Peter 4:14 – “If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.”
- Luke 6:22 – “Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil because of the Son of Man.”
- Matthew 5:11 – “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.”
- Mark 8:38 – “If anyone is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when He comes in His Father’s glory.”
- Acts 5:41 – “The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.”
- Hebrews 11:26 – “He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt.”
- Hebrews 12:2 – “For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
- 1 Corinthians 1:27-28 – “God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.”
- 1 Corinthians 4:10 – “We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored!”
- 2 Corinthians 12:10 – “For Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
- Philippians 1:29 – “For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for Him.”
- Colossians 1:24 – “Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions.”
- 1 Peter 3:16 – “Keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.”
- 1 Peter 5:5 – “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”
- 2 Thessalonians 1:4-5 – “We boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right.”
- Revelation 3:8 – “I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept My word and have not denied My name.”
- 1 John 2:28 – “And now, dear children, continue in Him, so that when He appears we may be confident and unashamed before Him at His coming.”
- 2 Timothy 2:15 – “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”
- Titus 2:8 – “And soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.”
- Revelation 21:4 – “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
Conclusion
Reproach can be heavy but God offers healing. Through repentance, faith, and perseverance, the burden of shame can be lifted. Whether it’s the shame of past sin or persecution for righteousness, the Lord is able to restore your honor.
Let these Bible verses about reproach remind you that shame is not the final word. God brings restoration, double honor, and peace.
If this collection blessed you, share it with someone who may be carrying the weight of reproach today.
Read also: 50 Warfare Prayer Against Shame and Disgrace