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A woman clutches her young child during a war

The world is full of suffering, but is God behind it?

What Does the Bible Say?

Does God cause suffering?

What would you say?

  • Yes

  • No

  • Maybe

What the Bible says

“It is unthinkable for the true God to act wickedly, for the Almighty to do wrong!” (Job 34:10) God never brings about the evil and suffering we see in the world.

What else can we learn from the Bible?

  • Satan the Devil, “the ruler of the world,” is the main cause of suffering.John 14:30.

  • Suffering and evil also often result from the bad choices people make.James 1:14, 15.

Will suffering ever end?

Some people believe that humans can eliminate suffering through their combined efforts, while others see little hope of world conditions changing for the better so drastically. What do you think?

What the Bible says

God will eliminate suffering. “Death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore.”Revelation 21:3, 4.

What else can we learn from the Bible?

  • God will use Jesus to undo the suffering caused by the Devil.1 John 3:8.

  • Good people will live in peace on earth forever.Psalm 37:9-11, 29.

To learn why God allows suffering, see chapter 11 of this book, What Does the Bible Really Teach?, published by Jehovah’s Witnesses

Also available at www.jw.org