19 Bible Verses about Procrastination
Most Relevant Verses
[if] you are snared by the sayings of your mouth, [if] you are caught by the sayings of your mouth,
When the clouds are full, they empty rain on the earth. Whether a tree falls to the south or whether it falls to the north, the place where the tree falls--there it will be. Whoever watches the wind will not sow; whoever watches the clouds will not reap.
Go to the ant, lazy! Consider its ways and be wise. It has no chief, officer, or ruler. In the summer, it prepares its food; in the harvest, it gathers its sustenance.
" 'You will not delay the fullness of your harvest and the juice from your press; you will give me the firstborn of your sons.
"{When you make a vow} to Yahweh your God, you shall not postpone {fulfillment of it}, [for] certainly Yahweh your God shall require it from you and [if postponed] {you will incur guilt}.
The way of the lazy is like a hedge of thorns, but the path of the upright [is] a highway.
A lazy person says "A lion in the street! In the middle of the highway, I shall be killed!"
A lazy person says "A lion [is] in the road! A lion among the streets!" The door turns on its hinge, and a lazy person on his bed. A lazy person buries his hands in the dish; he is [too] tired to return it to his mouth.
When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it, for {he takes no pleasure} in fools. Fulfill what you vow!
And another of the disciples said to him, "Lord, allow me first to go and bury my father." But Jesus said to him, "Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead!"
"Then the kingdom of heaven may be compared to ten virgins who took their lamps [and] went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were foolish and five [were] wise. For [when] the foolish ones took their lamps, they did not take olive oil with them.read more.
But the wise ones took olive oil in flasks with their lamps. And [when] the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. But in the middle of the night there was a shout, 'Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!' Then all those virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish ones said to the wise ones, 'Give us [some] of your olive oil, because our lamps are going out!' But the wise ones answered saying, "Certainly there will never be enough for us and for you! Go instead to those who sell [olive oil] and buy [some] for yourselves.' But [while] they had gone away to buy [it] the bridegroom arrived, and those who were ready went inside with him to the wedding celebration, and the door was shut. And later the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, lord, open [the door] for us!' But he answered [and] said, 'Truly I say to you, I do not know you!'
And he said to another, "Follow me!" But he said, "Lord, first allow me to go [and] bury my father." But he said to him, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead! But you go [and] proclaim the kingdom of God." And another [person] also said, "I will follow you, Lord, but first allow me to say farewell to those in my house."read more.
But Jesus said, "No one who puts [his] hand on the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God!"
And behold, someone came up to him [and] said, "Teacher, what good [thing] must I do so that I will have eternal life?" And he said to him, "Why are you asking me about [what is] good? There is one [who is] good. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments!" He said to him, "Which [ones]?" And Jesus said, "Do not commit murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony,read more.
honor your father and your mother, and love your neighbor as yourself." The young man said to him, "All these I have observed. What do I still lack?" Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give [the proceeds] to the poor--and you will have treasure in heaven--and come, follow me." But [when] the young man heard the statement, he went away sorrowful, because he was one who had many possessions.
And I am giving an opinion in this [matter], because this is profitable for you who not only began previously, a year ago, to do [something], but also to want [to do it]. So now also complete the doing [of it], in order that just as [you have] the eagerness to want [to do it], thus also [you may] complete [it] from [what you] have. For if the eagerness is present {according to what one has}, [it is] acceptable not {according to what one does not have}.read more.
For [this is] not that for others [there may be] relief, [and] for you difficult circumstances, but [as a matter] of equality. At the present time your abundance [will be] for their need, in order that their abundance may also be for your need, so that there may be equality,
A man who is reproved, being stubborn of neck-- suddenly he will be broken, and there will not be healing.
Now [because we] are fellow workers, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain.
Give glory to Yahweh your God {before} he brings darkness, and {before} your feet stumble on the mountains at twilight. And you will hope for light, but he makes it as gloom, he makes [it] as thick darkness.
From Thematic Bible
Procrastination » To be avoided in » Performance of vows
When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it, for {he takes no pleasure} in fools. Fulfill what you vow!
"{When you make a vow} to Yahweh your God, you shall not postpone {fulfillment of it}, [for] certainly Yahweh your God shall require it from you and [if postponed] {you will incur guilt}.
Procrastination » Danger of, illustrated
{Settle the case quickly with your accuser} while you are with him on the way, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.
when once the master of the house has gotten up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock [on] the door, saying, 'Lord, open [the door] for us!' And he will answer [and] say to you, 'I do not know where you are from!'
Procrastination » Saints avoid
Procrastination » Causes of » Family cares
And another of the disciples said to him, "Lord, allow me first to go and bury my father."
And another [person] also said, "I will follow you, Lord, but first allow me to say farewell to those in my house."
Procrastination » Motives for avoiding » The present the accepted time
For he says, "At the acceptable time I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you." Behold, now [is] the acceptable time; behold, now [is] the day of salvation!
Procrastination » Motives for avoiding » The present the best time
Remember your Creator in the days of your youth-- before the days of trouble come and the years draw near when you will say, "I find no pleasure in them!"
Procrastination » To be avoided in » Glorifying God
Give glory to Yahweh your God {before} he brings darkness, and {before} your feet stumble on the mountains at twilight. And you will hope for light, but he makes it as gloom, he makes [it] as thick darkness.
Procrastination » Motives for avoiding » The uncertainty of life
Procrastination » Causes of » Worldly entanglements
But [when] he lingered, the men seized him by his hand and his wife's hand, and his two daughters by hand, on account of the mercy of Yahweh upon him. And they brought him out and set him outside of the city.
Procrastination » Exemplified
But [when] he lingered, the men seized him by his hand and his wife's hand, and his two daughters by hand, on account of the mercy of Yahweh upon him. And they brought him out and set him outside of the city.
Procrastination » To be avoided in » Keeping God's commandments
Procrastination » To be avoided in » Making offerings to God
" 'You will not delay the fullness of your harvest and the juice from your press; you will give me the firstborn of your sons.
Procrastination » To be avoided in » Hearkening to God
For he [is] our God, and we [are] the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. {Today} if you will hear his voice: "Do not harden your heart as [at] Meribah, as [in] the day of Massah in the wilderness,
Procrastination » Instances of » Elisha
Then he left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, "Please let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will go after you." Then he said, "Go, return, for what I have done to you?" So he returned from after him, and he took a pair of oxen and slaughtered them, and with the yoke of the oxen he boiled the flesh and gave it to the people and they ate. Then he arose and went after Elijah and served him.
Procrastination » Condemned by Christ
And he said to another, "Follow me!" But he said, "Lord, first allow me to go [and] bury my father." But he said to him, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead! But you go [and] proclaim the kingdom of God." And another [person] also said, "I will follow you, Lord, but first allow me to say farewell to those in my house." read more.
But Jesus said, "No one who puts [his] hand on the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God!"
Procrastination » To be avoided in » Seeking God
Procrastination » Exemplified » Felix
And [while] he was discussing about righteousness and self control and the judgment that is to come, Felix became afraid [and] replied, "Go away for the present, and [when I] have an opportunity, I will summon you."
Procrastination » Causes of » Personal convenience
And [while] he was discussing about righteousness and self control and the judgment that is to come, Felix became afraid [and] replied, "Go away for the present, and [when I] have an opportunity, I will summon you."
Procrastination » Causes of » Unbelief
Now [when they] heard about the resurrection of the dead, [some] scoffed, but [others] said, "We will hear you about this again also."
Procrastination » Instances of » Pharaoh
And he said, "Tomorrow." And he said, "[Let it be] according to your word so that you will know that there is no one like Yahweh our God.
Procrastination » Instances of » Esther
If I have found favor in the eyes of the king, and if it is good to the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I will prepare for them tomorrow, and I will do according to the word of the king.
Salvation » Neglect of » Procrastination
And [while] he was discussing about righteousness and self control and the judgment that is to come, Felix became afraid [and] replied, "Go away for the present, and [when I] have an opportunity, I will summon you."
