What Does the Bible Say About Insanity?

“The LORD shall smite thee with madness, and blindness, and astonishment of heart:”

“And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard. scrabbled: or, made marks”

“Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad: wherefore then have ye brought him to me? is mad: or, playeth the mad man”

“Have I need of mad men, that ye have brought this fellow to play the mad man in my presence? shall this fellow come into my house?”

“A Prayer of Moses the man of God. Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. A Prayer: or, A Prayer, being a Psalm of Moses in: Heb. in generation and generation”

“He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.”

“As a mad man who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death, firebrands: Heb. flames, or, sparks”

“This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.”

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”

“And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.”

“The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws.”

“And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation:”

“In that day, saith the LORD, I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness: and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the people with blindness.”

“And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.”

“Judge not, that ye be not judged.”

“Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.”

“And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself. friends: or, kinsmen”

“Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.”

“And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him?”

“And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad .”

“But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness.”

“For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.”

“Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,”