Here are 95 Bible verses about idleness from the Old and New Testaments of the Holy Bible (King James Version), sorted from most to least relevant.
1 Timothy 5:13 KJV
And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.
Ecclesiastes 10:18 KJV
By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.
Proverbs 19:15 KJV
Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.
Proverbs 13:4 KJV
The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.
2 Thessalonians 3:10 KJV
For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.
2 Thessalonians 3:11 KJV
For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.
Proverbs 31:27 KJV
She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.
Proverbs 12:24 KJV
The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute.
Proverbs 24:30-34 KJV
I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction. Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.
Ezekiel 16:49 KJV
Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.
Proverbs 20:13 KJV
Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.
Proverbs 18:9 KJV
He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.
Proverbs 20:4 KJV
The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.
Proverbs 10:4 KJV
He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.
Proverbs 14:23 KJV
In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.
Proverbs 21:25 KJV
The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour.
1 Thessalonians 5:14 KJV
Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.
Matthew 12:36 KJV
But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
2 Thessalonians 3:6 KJV
Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.
Proverbs 6:6 KJV
Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:
Matthew 20:6 KJV
And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?
Proverbs 12:27 KJV
The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting: but the substance of a diligent man is precious.
Ephesians 4:28 KJV
Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
Proverbs 26:13-16 KJV
The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets. As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed. The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth. The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason.
Proverbs 23:21 KJV
For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.
Ecclesiastes 4:5 KJV
The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.
Exodus 5:8 KJV
And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish ought thereof: for they be idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God.
Proverbs 15:19 KJV
The way of the slothful man is as an hedge of thorns: but the way of the righteous is made plain.
Proverbs 26:16 KJV
The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason.
Proverbs 22:13 KJV
The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.
1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 KJV
And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.
Acts 17:10-11 KJV
And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
Luke 24:11 KJV
And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.
Proverbs 19:24 KJV
A slothful man hideth his hand in his bosom, and will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.
1 Timothy 5:8 KJV
But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.
Proverbs 21:25-26 KJV
The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour. He coveteth greedily all the day long: but the righteous giveth and spareth not.
Matthew 20:3 KJV
And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
Exodus 5:17 KJV
But he said, Ye are idle, ye are idle: therefore ye say, Let us go and do sacrifice to the LORD.
1 Corinthians 15:58 KJV
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
Proverbs 24:34 KJV
So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.
Proverbs 10:26 KJV
As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to them that send him.
2 Thessalonians 3:10-12 KJV
For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.
Proverbs 10:4-5 KJV
He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich. He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.
Romans 12:11 KJV
Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
Proverbs 26:15 KJV
The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth.
1 Thessalonians 2:9 KJV
For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.
1 Corinthians 5:9 KJV
I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:
Acts 17:21 KJV
(For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)
2 Thessalonians 3:7-9 KJV
For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.
Isaiah 56:10 KJV
His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.
Proverbs 6:9 KJV
How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?
2 Thessalonians 3:12 KJV
Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.
Matthew 10:38 KJV
And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
Proverbs 26:14 KJV
As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed.
Proverbs 24:30-31 KJV
I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.
John 3:16 KJV
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Proverbs 6:10 KJV
Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:
Proverbs 24:30 KJV
I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
Ephesians 5:4 KJV
Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
Acts 20:34-35 KJV
Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me. I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
John 14:27 KJV
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Revelation 1:1 KJV
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:
Proverbs 12:9 KJV
He that is despised, and hath a servant, is better than he that honoureth himself, and lacketh bread.
2 Thessalonians 3:14 KJV
And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.
2 Timothy 1:7 KJV
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Proverbs 10:5 KJV
He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.
1 Timothy 6:20 KJV
O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:
Luke 10:2 KJV
Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.
John 14:6 KJV
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Proverbs 6:9-11 KJV
How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.
James 5:12 KJV
But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.
Proverbs 26:13 KJV
The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets.
Proverbs 28:19 KJV
He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough.
Matthew 25:40 KJV
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Proverbs 24:33 KJV
Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:
1 Peter 4:15 KJV
But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters.
Proverbs 21:5 KJV
The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want.
Philippians 4:13 KJV
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Matthew 25:26 KJV
His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
John 5:17 KJV
But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.
2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Hebrews 13:5 KJV
Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
Romans 8:28 KJV
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Colossians 3:23 KJV
And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
1 John 4:8 KJV
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
Hebrews 6:12 KJV
That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
2 Thessalonians 3:8-9 KJV
Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.
Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Matthew 16:24 KJV
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Ephesians 2:8 KJV
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Matthew 25:18 KJV
But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.
Proverbs 24:30-32 KJV
I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction.
Proverbs 6:6-8 KJV
Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.
Titus 1:12 KJV
One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.
Hebrews 6:11-12 KJV
And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
