Bible Verses About Laziness

“The slacker craves yet has nothing, but the soul of the diligent is fully satisfied.”

“Whoever is slothful in his work is brother to him who destroys.”

“I went past the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of a man lacking judgment. Thorns had grown up everywhere, thistles had covered the ground, and the stone wall was broken down. I observed and took it to heart; I looked and received instruction: A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit.”

“The slacker does not plow in season; at harvest time he looks, but nothing is there.”

“Laziness brings on deep sleep, and an idle soul will suffer hunger.”

“Do not love sleep, or you will grow poor; open your eyes, and you will have plenty of food.”

“There is profit in all labor, but mere talk leads only to poverty.”

“But Jesus answered them, “To this very day My Father is at His work, and I too am working.”

“The slacker says, “A lion is in the road! A fierce lion roams the public square!” As a door turns on its hinges, so the slacker turns on his bed. The slacker buries his hand in the dish; it wearies him to bring it back to his mouth. The slacker is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer discreetly.”

“Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves.”

“For we hear that some of you are leading undisciplined lives, accomplishing nothing, but being busybodies. We command and urge such people by our Lord Jesus Christ to begin working quietly to earn their own living.”

“Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, for in Sheol, where you are going, there is no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.”

“And do not neglect to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”

“Do not let your zeal subside; keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.”

“He who gathers in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.”

“Make every effort to present yourself approved to God, an unashamed workman who accurately handles the word of truth.”

“A lazy man does not roast his game, but a diligent man prizes his possession.”

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way as to take the prize. Everyone who competes in the games trains with strict discipline. They do it for a crown that is perishable, but we do it for a crown that is imperishable. Therefore I do not run aimlessly; I do not fight like I am beating the air. No, I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.”

“Then you will not be sluggish, but will imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.”

“He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing good with his own hands, that he may have something to share with the one in need.”

“And whatever you do, in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”

“Through laziness the roof caves in, and in the hands of the idle, the house leaks.”

“Whoever is faithful with very little will also be faithful with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.”

“The way of the slacker is like a hedge of thorns, but the path of the upright is a highway.”

‘You wicked, lazy servant!’ replied his master. ‘You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed. Then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received it back with interest. Therefore take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. But the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. And throw that worthless servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

“But someone will say, “You have faith and I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.”

“Idle hands make one poor, but diligent hands bring wealth. He who gathers in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.”

“Walk in the manner of the ant, O slacker; observe its ways and become wise. Without a commander, without an overseer or ruler, it prepares its provisions in summer; it gathers its food at harvest. How long will you lie there, O slacker? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit.”

“The one who works his land will have plenty of food, but whoever chases fantasies lacks judgment.”

“The slacker buries his hand in the dish; he will not even bring it back to his mouth.”

“Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.”

“The slacker says, “There is a lion outside! I will be slain in the streets!”

“Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will be stationed in the presence of kings; he will not stand before obscure men.”

“For anyone who hears the word but does not carry it out is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror, and after observing himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom, and continues to do so — not being a forgetful hearer, but an effective doer — he will be blessed in what he does.”

“While it is daytime, we must do the works of Him who sent Me. Night is coming, when no one can work.”

“The plans of the diligent bring plenty, as surely as haste leads to poverty.”

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness!’

“The slacker buries his hand in the dish; it wearies him to bring it back to his mouth.”

“The slacker is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer discreetly.”

“Cursed is the one who is remiss in doing the work of the LORD, and cursed is he who withholds his sword from bloodshed.”

“You are slackers!” Pharaoh replied. “Slackers! That is why you keep saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.’

“And we urge you, brothers, to admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, and be patient with everyone.”

“Finally, the servant who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Master, I knew that you are a hard man, reaping where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what belongs to you.’ ‘You wicked, lazy servant!’ replied his master. ‘You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed. Then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received it back with interest. Therefore take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. But the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. And throw that worthless servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

“For God is not unjust. He will not forget your work and the love you have shown for His name as you have ministered to the saints and continue to do so. We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. Then you will not be sluggish, but will imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.”

“He who loves pleasure will become poor; the one who loves wine and oil will never be rich.”

“And you are indeed showing this love to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to excel more and more and to aspire to live quietly, to attend to your own matters, and to work with your own hands, as we instructed you. Then you will behave properly toward outsiders, without being dependent on anyone.”

“So teach us to number our days, that we may present a heart of wisdom.”

“For I am afraid that when I come, I may not find you as I wish, and you may not find me as you wish. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, rage, rivalry, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder.”

“Your words were found, and I ate them. Your words became my joy and my heart’s delight. For I bear Your name, O LORD God of Hosts.”

“Do not be idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.”