26 Bible Verses about Neglect

And [as to] the Levite who [is] in your {towns}, you shall not neglect him, because there is not a plot of ground for him and an inheritance [along] with you.

{Take care} so that you do not neglect the Levite all [of] your days on your land.

And then I came to learn that the food of the Levites had not been given to them, so that the Levites and the singers, the doers of the work, had gone back each to his field.

So I quarreled with the prefects, and I said, "Why is the house of God forsaken?" And I gathered them and set them at their station.

So he gathered the priests and the Levites and said to them, "Go out to the cities of Judah and gather money from all Israel to strengthen the house of your God sufficiently year by year. Now you yourselves must hasten to the matter." But the Levites did not act with haste.

"A son honors [his] father, and a slave his master; but if I [am] a father, where [is] my honor, and if I [am] a master, where [is] my reverence?" says Yahweh of hosts to you, O priests, {who despise} my name. "But you say, 'How have we despised your name?' [You are] presenting defiled food on my altar! But you ask, 'How have we defiled you?' By saying [that] the table of Yahweh is despised! When you offer a blind [animal] for sacrifice, is that not wrong? And when you offer [the] lame and the one who is ill, is that not wrong? Present it, please, to your governor! Will he be pleased with you? {Will he show you favor}?" says Yahweh of hosts.read more.
So then, {implore the favor of God} so that he will be gracious to us. "{This is what you have done}. {Will he show favor to any of you}?" says Yahweh of hosts. "Who also among you will shut [the temple] doors [so that] you will not kindle fire in vain [on] my altar? I take no pleasure in you," says Yahweh of hosts, "and {I will not accept} an offering from your hand. From the rising of the sun to its setting, my name [is] great among the nations, and in every place incense [is] being presented to my name, and a pure offering. For my name [is] great among the nations," says Yahweh of hosts. "But you [are] profaning it by saying the table of the Lord [is] defiled, and its fruit--its food--is despised! And you say, 'Look! [This is] a weariness,' and you sniff [with disdain] at it," says Yahweh of hosts. "And you bring [the] stolen, the lame, and the one that is sick--[this] you bring as the offering! Should I {accept it} from your hand?" says Yahweh. "Cursed is the one who cheats, who has in his flock a male and vows [it], but [instead] sacrifices a blemished one to the Lord! For I [am] a great king," says Yahweh of hosts, "and my name [is] awesome among the nations."

For our ancestors acted unfaithfully and did evil in the sight of Yahweh our God, and have forsaken him and turned away their faces from the dwelling place of Yahweh. {They have turned their backs} [on it]. They also shut the doors of the portico and extinguished the lamps. And they did not burn incense or offer burnt offerings in the sanctuary to the God of Israel. And the wrath of Yahweh was upon Judah and Jerusalem. And he made them as an abhorrence, as a desolation and an object of scorn, as you see with your own eyes.read more.
Now behold, our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives [are] in captivity on account of this.

For the vineyard of Yahweh of hosts [is] the house of Israel, and the man of Judah [is] the plantation of his delight. [And] he waited for justice, but look! Bloodshed! For righteousness, but look! A cry of distress!

Thus says Yahweh: "For three transgressions of Israel and for four I will not revoke [the punishment], because they sell the righteous for money and the poor for a pair of sandals! Those who trample the heads of the powerless into the dust of the ground and turn aside the way of the destitute, a man and his father {have sexual relations with} the same girl, so that [they] profane my holy name. They stretch themselves out beside every altar on clothing taken in pledge and they drink wine, bought with fines imposed, in the house of their God.

Hear this word, [you] cows of Bashan who [live] on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the powerless, who crush the poor, who say to their husbands, "Bring [something] so that we may drink!" My Lord Yahweh has sworn by his holiness that, "Behold, the days are coming upon you {when they} will take you away with hooks, even the last of you with fishing hooks. And you shall leave through breaches [in the wall], each one in front of her. You will be dragged off toward Harmon," {declares} Yahweh.

[Ah,] you who turn justice into wormwood and hurl righteousness to the ground! The one who made the Pleiades and Orion and who turns deep darkness into the morning and darkens day [into] night, the one who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out on the surface of the earth, Yahweh [is] his name! The one who makes destruction flash upon [the] fierce, {so that} destruction comes upon [the] fortification.read more.
They hate the one who reproves in the gate and they abhor the one who speaks honestly. Therefore, because you trample on [the] poor and you take a grain tax from them, you built houses of dressed stone, but you will not live in them. You built vineyards of delightfulness, but you will not drink their wine. For I know your transgressions [are] many and your sins [are] numerous, [you] foes of [the] righteous, those who take a bribe, and {those who} push aside [the] poor [ones] in the gate! Therefore, whoever has insight will keep silent in that time, for it [is] a time of evil. Seek good and not bad in order that you may live, and so Yahweh, the God of hosts, will be with you, as you have said. Hate evil and love good and establish justice in the gate; perhaps Yahweh, the God of hosts, will be gracious [to] the remnant of Joseph.

His watchmen [are] blind, none of them know. They [are] all dumb dogs; they are unable to bark, panting, lying down, loving to slumber. And the dogs {have a greedy appetite}; they {are never satisfied}. And they are [the] shepherds! They do not have understanding. They all turn to their [own] way, each one for his [own] gain, {every one of them}. "Come, let me take wine, and let us carouse [with] intoxicating drink, and tomorrow will be like today, {very great indeed}."

And the word of Yahweh {came} to me, {saying}, "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and you must say to them, to the shepherds, 'Thus says the Lord Yahweh: "Woe [to] the shepherds of Israel who were feeding themselves! Must not the shepherds feed the flock? The fat you eat, and you clothe [yourself] [with] the wool; the well-nourished [animals] you slaughter, [but] you do not feed the flock.read more.
The weak you [have] not strengthened, and the sick you [have] not healed, and {with respect to} the hurt you have not bound [them up], and you [have] not brought back the scattered, and you [have] not sought the lost, but [rather] you ruled over them with force and with ruthlessness. And they were scattered {without} a shepherd, and they were as food for all the animals of the field [when] they were scattered. My flock went astray upon all of the mountains and on every high hill, and [so] upon all the surface of the world my flock were scattered, and {there was no one seeking them}, and {there was no one searching for them}."

Alas [for] those being at ease in Zion, and those who feel secure on Mount Samaria, the notables of the best of the nations! The house of Israel resorts to them. Cross over [to] Calneh and see, and go from there [to] Hamath Rabbah and go down [to] Gath of the Philistines. [Are] you better than these kingdoms, or is their territory greater than your territory? You that put off the day of disaster and bring near a reign of violence!read more.
[Alas for] those who lie on beds of ivory and lounge on their couches, and those eating young rams from [the] sheep and goats, and bull-calves from the middle of [the] animal stall. [Alas for those] who sing to the tune of the harp; like David they improvise on instruments of music. [Alas for those] who drink from sprinkling bowls of wine and anoint themselves with the best of olive oils and are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph. Therefore, they shall now go into exile at the head of the exiles and the feast of lounging shall pass away.

And it shall be [that] at that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the men {whose senses are dulled from drinking}, who say in their hearts, 'Yahweh will not do good, nor will he do evil.' Then their wealth shall be as plunder, and their homes as desolation. And they shall build their houses and not inhabit them, and they shall plant vineyards and not drink their wine."

Women [who are] at ease, rise up; hear my voice! Carefree daughters, listen [to] my word! {In a year} you will tremble, carefree ones, for [the] vintage will come to an end; [the] harvest will not come. Tremble, [you who are] at ease; tremble, carefree ones; strip, and strip yourself, and gird yourself on [your] loins,read more.
mourning over breasts, over fields of delight, over [the] fruitful vine, over the soil of my people. It goes up [in] thorns [and] briers, indeed over all of [the] houses of joy [in the] jubilant city. For [the] palace will be forsaken, [the] {crowded city} deserted; [the] hill and [the] watchtower will become a cave forever, [the] joy of wild asses, a pasture {for} flocks. Until a spirit is poured out on us from on high, and [the] wilderness becomes fruitful field, and [the] fruitful field is reckoned as the forest.

Do not neglect the gift [that is] in you, that was granted to you through prophecy with the laying on of hands by the council of elders.

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees--hypocrites!--because you pay a tenth of mint and dill and cumin, and neglect the more important [matters] of the law--justice and mercy and faithfulness! It was necessary to do these [things] {while not neglecting those}.

"But woe to you, Pharisees, because you pay a tenth of mint and rue and every garden herb, and neglect justice and love for God! But it was necessary to do these [things] without neglecting those things also.

For [it is] like a man going on a journey. He summoned his own slaves and handed over his property to them. And to one he gave five talents, and to another two, and to another one, to each one according to his own ability, and he went on a journey immediately. The one who had received the five talents went out [and] traded with them and gained five more.read more.
In the same way the one [who had] the two gained two more. But the one who had received the one went away [and] dug up the ground and hid his master's money. Now after a long time, the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. And the one who had received the five talents came up [and] brought five more talents, saying, 'Master, you handed over to me five talents. See, I have gained five more talents!' His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few [things]; I will put you [in charge] over many [things]. Enter into the joy of your master!' And the one [who had] the two talents also came up [and] said, 'Master, you handed over to me two talents. See, I have gained two talents more!' And the one who had received the one talent came up also [and] said, 'Master, [because I] knew you, that you are a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering from where you did not scatter [seed]. And [because I] was afraid, I went away [and] hid your talent in the ground. See, you have [what is] yours!' But his master answered [and] said to him, 'Evil and lazy slave! You knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather from where I did not scatter [seed]. Then you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and [when I] returned I would have gotten back [what was] mine with interest! Therefore take the talent from him and give [it] to the one who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has, [more] will be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. And throw the worthless slave into the outer darkness--in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!'

Therefore he said, "A certain nobleman traveled to a distant country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return. And summoning ten of his own slaves, he gave them ten minas and said to them, 'Do business {until I come back}.' But his citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, 'We do not want this man to be king over us!'read more.
And it happened that when he returned [after] receiving the kingdom, he ordered these slaves to whom he had given the money to be summoned to him, so that he could know what they had gained by trading. So the first arrived, saying, 'Sir, your mina has made ten minas more!' And he said to him, 'Well done, good slave! Because you have been faithful in a very small thing, {have authority} over ten cities.' And the second came, saying, 'Sir, your mina has made five minas.' So he said to this one also, 'And you be over five cities.' And another came, saying, 'Sir, behold your mina, which I had put away for safekeeping in a piece of cloth. For I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man--you withdraw what you did not deposit, and you reap what you did not sow!' He said to him, '{By your own words} I will judge you, wicked slave! You knew that I am a severe man, withdrawing what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow. And why did you not give my money to the bank, and I, [when I] returned, would have collected it with interest?' And to the bystanders he said, 'Take away from him the mina and give [it] to the one who has the ten minas!' And they said to him, 'Sir, he has ten minas.' 'I tell you that to everyone who has, [more] will be given. But from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.

"{You must be prepared for action} and [your] lamps burning. And you, [be] like people who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that [when he] comes back and knocks, they can open [the door] for him immediately. Blessed [are] those slaves whom the master will find on the alert [when he] returns! Truly I say to you that he will dress himself for service and have them recline at the table and will come by [and] serve them.read more.
Even if he should come back in the second or in the third watch of the night and find [them] like this, blessed are they! But understand this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. You also must be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not think [he will come]." And Peter said, "Lord, are you telling this parable for us, or also for everyone?" And the Lord said, "Who then is the faithful wise manager whom the master will put in charge over his servants to give [them] [their] food allowance at the right time? Blessed [is] that slave whom his master will find so doing [when he] comes back. Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. But if that slave should say {to himself}, 'My master is taking a long time to return,' and he begins to beat the male slaves and the female slaves and to eat and drink and get drunk, the master of that slave will come on a day that he does not expect and at an hour that he does not know, and will cut him in two and assign his place with the unbelievers. And that slave who knew the will of his master and did not prepare or do according to his will {will be given a severe beating}. But the one who did not know and did [things] deserving blows {will be given a light beating}. And from everyone to whom much has been given, much will be demanded, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will ask him [for] even more.

Because of this, [it is] all the more necessary [that] we pay attention to the [things] we have heard, lest we drift away. For if the word spoken through angels was binding and every transgression and act of disobedience received a just penalty, how will we escape [if we] neglect so great a salvation which had [its] beginning [when it] was spoken through the Lord [and] was confirmed to us by those who heard,read more.
[while] God was testifying at the same time by signs and wonders and various miracles and distributions of the Holy Spirit according to his will.

not abandoning {our meeting together}, as [is] the habit of some, but encouraging [each other], and by so much more as you see the day drawing near.

Look! This was the iniquity of Sodom, your sister: Pride, abundance of food, and {prosperous ease} was to her and to her daughters, and {she did not sustain the needy and the poor}.

Now in these days, [as] the disciples were increasing [in number], a complaint arose by the {Greek-speaking Jews} against the {Hebraic Jews} because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution [of food]. So the twelve summoned the community of disciples [and] said, "It is not desirable [that] we neglect the word of God to serve tables. So, brothers, select from among you seven men {of good reputation}, full of the Spirit and wisdom, whom we will put in charge of this need.read more.
But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word."