46 Bible Verses about Leisure, And Pastimes

It is but lost labour that ye rise up early, and take no rest, but eat the bread of carefulness; for so he giveth his beloved sleep.

I will lay me down in peace, and take my rest; for it is thou, LORD, only that makest me dwell in safety.

And he was in the stern asleep on a pillow. And they awoke him, and said to him, "Master, carest thou not that we perish?"

And when Herod would have brought him out unto the people, the same night slept Peter between two soldiers, bound with two chains; And the keepers before the door kept the prison.

And then they ate and drank, both he and the men that were with him, and tarried all night and rose up in the morning. And he said, "Let me depart unto my master."

and said, "Lord, if I have found favour in thy sight, go not by thy servant. Let a little water be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree: And I will fetch a morsel of bread, to comfort your hearts withal. And then go your ways, for even therefore are ye come to your servant." And they answered, "Do even so as thou hast said."

Be ye harborous, one to another, and that without grudging.

When Solomon awoke, this was his dream. And he came to Jerusalem and presented himself before the Ark of the covenant of the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and made a feast to all his servants.

Therefore said he unto them, "Go your way, and eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send part unto them also that have not prepared themselves: for this day is holy unto our LORD. Be not ye sorry therefore: for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

And his sons went and made banquets - one day in one house, another day in another - and sent for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.

And when the spirit of God came upon Saul, David took a harp and played with his hand, and so Saul was refreshed, and did amend; and the evil spirit departed from him.

Let our lord therefore command his servants to seek a man that is a cunning player with a harp. And then when the evil spirit sent of God cometh upon thee, that he may play with his hand and thou shalt be eased." And Saul said unto his servants, "Seek me a man that can well play, and bring him to me." Then answered one of his servants and said, "Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that can play upon instruments, and is an active fellow and a man of war and prudent and well made, and the LORD is with him."

And Elisha said, "As sure as the LORD of Hosts liveth - in whose sight I stand - and it were not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor yet see ye." But now bring me a minstrel. And as the minstrel played, the hand of the LORD was upon him.

And Miriam, a prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women came out after her with timbrels in a dance.

Then Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house. And see, his daughter came out against him, with timbrels and dances, which was his only child: so that beside her he had neither son nor daughter.

And it happened as they went, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that women came out of all cities of Israel singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with timbrels, with joy, and with fiddles.

They send forth their children by flocks, and their sons lead the dance.

I will repair thee again, O thou daughter of Israel, that thou mayest be fast and sure. Thou shalt take thy tabrets again, and go forth, with them that lead the dance.

Then they said, "Behold, there is a feast of the LORD yearly in Shiloh which is on the north side of Bethel, and on the east side of the way that goeth from Bethel to Shechem and south from Lebanon." And they commanded the children of Benjamin, saying, "Go and lie in wait in the vineyards. And when ye see that the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in a row, then come ye out of the vineyards, and catch you every man a wife of the daughters of Shiloh, and get you unto the land of Benjamin."

And the daughter of the said Herodias came in and danced, and pleased Herod and them that sat at board also. Then the king said unto the maiden, "Ask of me what thou wilt, and I will give it thee."

And David danced before the LORD with all his might, in a linen ephod gird unto him. And David and all the house of Israel brought the ark of the LORD with shouting and trumpet blowing. And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal Saul's daughter looked through a window and saw King David spring and dance before the LORD, and therefore despised him in her heart.

Let them praise his name in the dance, let them sing praises unto him with tabret and harp.

Praise him in the cymbals and dances; praise him upon the strings and pipe.

For bodily exercise profiteth little: But godliness is good unto all things, as a thing which hath promises of the life that is now, and of the life to come.

Perceive ye not how that they which run in a course, run all, yet but one receiveth the reward? So run that ye may obtain. Every man that proveth masteries abstaineth from all things. And they do it to obtain a corruptible crown: but we to obtain an uncorruptible crown. I therefore so run, not as at an uncertain thing. So fight I, not as one that beateth the air:read more.
but I tame my body and bring it into subjection, lest after that I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

And though a man strive for a mastery, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.

And the LORD God took Adam and put him in the garden of Eden, to dress it and to keep it.

For I will consider thy heavens, even the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars which thou hast ordained.

Thou causest the wells to spring up among the valleys, and the waters to run among the hills, that all the beasts of the field may have drink, and that the wild asses may quench their thirst. Beside them shall the fowls of the air have their habitation, and sing among the branches.read more.
Thou waterest the hills from above; the earth is filled with the fruits of thy works. Thou bringest forth grass for the cattle, and green herbs for the service of men.

And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples said unto him, "Master, see what stones, and what buildings are here?"

While Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was moved in him to see the city given to worshipping of images.

And Solomon wrote three thousand proverbs. And his songs were a thousand and five. And he disputed of trees, even from the Cedar tree that groweth in Lebanon unto the Hyssop that springeth out of the wall. And he disputed of beasts, fowls, worms, and fishes. And there came of all nations to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and from all kings of the earth which had heard of his wisdom.

By hearing, the wise man shall come by more wisdom:

For all the Athenians and strangers which were there gave themselves to nothing else, but either to tell or to hear new tidings.

The cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus when thou comest bring with thee, and the books, but specially the parchment.

And the streets of the city shall be filled with boys and wenches playing in the streets thereof.

"But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children, which sit in the market, and call unto their fellows, and say, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; We have mourned unto you, and ye have not sorrowed.

They are like unto children sitting in the market place, and crying one to another, and saying, 'We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced: We have mourned to you, and ye have not wept.'

For it is sufficient for us that we have spent the time that is past of the life, after the will of the gentiles; walking in wantonness, lusts, drunkenness, in eating, drinking, and in abominable idolatry.

And Noah, being a husbandman, went forth and planted a vineyard, and drank of the wine and was drunk, and lay uncovered in the midst of his tent.

And as soon as he came nigh unto the host and saw the calf and the dancing, his wrath waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hand, and brake them even at the hill foot.

Where is woe? Where is sorrow? Where is strife? Where is brawling? Where are wounds without cause? Where be red eyes? Even among those that be ever at the wine, and seek excess.

Let us walk honestly as it were in the daylight: not in eating and drinking: neither in chambering and wantonness: neither in strife and envying:

neither filthiness, neither foolish talking, neither jestings, which are not comely: but rather giving of thanks.

And when their hearts were merry, they said, "Send for Samson and let him play before us." And they fetched Samson out of the prison house, and he played before them, and they set him between the pillars.

And Abner said to Joab, "Let the young men arise and play before us." And Joab answered, "Be it."