malice
Malice is a sinful attitude of ill will, spite, or desire to harm another person. Scripture treats it as part of the old way of life believers must put away.
At a Glance
Malice is a sinful attitude of ill will, spite, or desire to harm another person. Scripture treats it as part of the old way of life believers must put away.
Description
Malice in the Bible is a morally corrupt disposition of the heart that includes ill will, spite, resentment, or a desire to harm others. It may show itself openly through slander, cruelty, and revenge, or more subtly through bitterness and hostile motives. Scripture consistently condemns malice as sin and contrasts it with the character God calls His people to display, such as love, compassion, gentleness, and forgiveness. In the New Testament especially, Christians are exhorted to put away malice as part of abandoning the old life and to pursue conduct shaped by Christlike love and purity.