53 Bible Verses about Self Control

A fool bringeth out all his mind, And the wise till afterwards restraineth it.

Proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel: For knowing wisdom and instruction, For understanding sayings of intelligence, For receiving the instruction of wisdom, Righteousness, judgment, and uprightness,read more.
For giving to simple ones -- prudence, To a youth -- knowledge and discretion. (The wise doth hear and increaseth learning, And the intelligent doth obtain counsels.)

And the fruit of the Spirit is: Love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law;

For the saving grace of God was manifested to all men, teaching us, that denying the impiety and the worldly desires, soberly and righteously and piously we may live in the present age,

it behoveth, therefore, the overseer to be blameless, of one wife a husband, vigilant, sober, decent, a friend of strangers, apt to teach,

but a lover of strangers, a lover of good men, sober-minded, righteous, kind, self-controlled,

aged men to be temperate, grave, sober, sound in the faith, in the love, in the endurance;

And this same also -- all diligence having brought in besides, superadd in your faith the worthiness, and in the worthiness the knowledge, and in the knowledge the temperance, and in the temperance the endurance, and in the endurance the piety, and in the piety the brotherly kindness, and in the brotherly kindness the love;read more.
for these things being to you and abounding, do make you neither inert nor unfruitful in regard to the acknowledging of our Lord Jesus Christ, for he with whom these things are not present is blind, dim-sighted, having become forgetful of the cleansing of his old sins;

I, therefore, thus run, not as uncertainly, thus I fight, as not beating air; but I chastise my body, and bring it into servitude, lest by any means, having preached to others -- I myself may become disapproved.

and if any one doth think it to be unseemly to his virgin, if she may be beyond the bloom of age, and it ought so to be, what he willeth let him do; he doth not sin -- let him marry. And he who hath stood stedfast in the heart -- not having necessity -- and hath authority over his own will, and this he hath determined in his heart -- to keep his own virgin -- doth well; so that both he who is giving in marriage doth well, and he who is not giving in marriage doth better.

for this is the will of God -- your sanctification; that ye abstain from the whoredom, that each of you know his own vessel to possess in sanctification and honour, not in the affection of desire, as also the nations that were not knowing God,read more.
that no one go beyond and defraud in the matter his brother, because an avenger is the Lord of all these, as also we spake before to you and testified, for God did not call us on uncleanness, but in sanctification;

Wherefore having girded up the loins of your mind, being sober, hope perfectly upon the grace that is being brought to you in the revelation of Jesus Christ,

so, then, we may not sleep as also the others, but watch and be sober, for those sleeping, by night do sleep, and those making themselves drunk, by night are drunken, and we, being of the day -- let us be sober, putting on a breastplate of faith and love, and an helmet -- a hope of salvation,

And of all things the end hath come nigh; be sober-minded, then, and watch unto the prayers,

Be sober, vigilant, because your opponent the devil, as a roaring lion, doth walk about, seeking whom he may swallow up,

Set, O Jehovah, a watch for my mouth, Watch Thou over the door of my lips.

So then, my brethren beloved, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger,

Thou hast proved my heart, Thou hast inspected by night, Thou hast tried me, Thou findest nothing; My thoughts pass not over my mouth.

The heart of the wise causeth his mouth to act wisely, And by his lips he increaseth learning,

Whoso is keeping his mouth and his tongue, Is keeping from adversities his soul.

Many teachers become not, my brethren, having known that greater judgment we shall receive, for we all make many stumbles; if any one in word doth not stumble, this one is a perfect man, able to bridle also the whole body; lo, the bits we put into the mouths of the horses for their obeying us, and their whole body we turn about;read more.
lo, also the ships, being so great, and by fierce winds being driven, are led about by a very small helm, whithersoever the impulse of the helmsman doth counsel, so also the tongue is a little member, and doth boast greatly; lo, a little fire how much wood it doth kindle! and the tongue is a fire, the world of the unrighteousness, so the tongue is set in our members, which is spotting our whole body, and is setting on fire the course of nature, and is set on fire by the gehenna. For every nature, both of beasts and of fowls, both of creeping things and things of the sea, is subdued, and hath been subdued, by the human nature, and the tongue no one of men is able to subdue, it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison, with it we do bless the God and Father, and with it we do curse the men made according to the similitude of God; out of the same mouth doth come forth blessing and cursing; it doth not need, my brethren, these things so to happen; doth the fountain out of the same opening pour forth the sweet and the bitter? is a fig-tree able, my brethren, olives to make? or a vine figs? so no fountain salt and sweet water is able to make.

but I -- I say to you, not to resist the evil, but whoever shall slap thee on thy right cheek, turn to him also the other; and whoever is willing to take thee to law, and thy coat to take -- suffer to him also the cloak.

'But I say to you who are hearing, Love your enemies, do good to those hating you, bless those cursing you, and pray for those accusing you falsely; and to him smiting thee upon the cheek, give also the other, and from him taking away from thee the mantle, also the coat thou mayest not keep back.

The domestics! be subjecting yourselves in all fear to the masters, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the cross; for this is gracious, if because of conscience toward God any one doth endure sorrows, suffering unrighteously; for what renown is it, if sinning and being buffeted, ye do endure it? but if, doing good and suffering for it, ye do endure, this is gracious with God,read more.
for to this ye were called, because Christ also did suffer for you, leaving to you an example, that ye may follow his steps, who did not commit sin, nor was guile found in his mouth, who being reviled -- was not reviling again, suffering -- was not threatening, and was committing himself to Him who is judging righteously,

And it cometh to pass after these things, that his lord's wife lifteth up her eyes unto Joseph, and saith, 'Lie with me;' and he refuseth, and saith unto his lord's wife, 'Lo, my lord hath not known what is with me in the house, and all that he hath he hath given into my hand; none is greater in this house than I, and he hath not withheld from me anything, except thee, because thou art his wife; and how shall I do this great evil? -- then have I sinned against God.'read more.
And it cometh to pass at her speaking unto Joseph day by day, that he hath not hearkened unto her, to lie near her, to be with her; and it cometh to pass about this day, that he goeth into the house to do his work, and there is none of the men of the house there in the house, and she catcheth him by his garment, saying, 'Lie with me;' and he leaveth his garment in her hand, and fleeth, and goeth without.

And it cometh to pass when Saul hath turned back from after the Philistines, that they declare to him, saying, 'Lo, David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.' And Saul taketh three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and goeth to seek David and his men, on the front of the rocks of the wild goats, and he cometh in unto folds of the flock, on the way, and there is a cave, and Saul goeth in to cover his feet; and David and his men in the sides of the cave are abiding.read more.
And the men of David say unto him, 'Lo, the day of which Jehovah said unto thee, Lo, I am giving thine enemy into thy hand, and thou hast done to him as it is good in thine eyes;' and David riseth and cutteth off the skirt of the upper robe which is on Saul -- gently. And it cometh to pass afterwards that the heart of David smiteth him, because that he hath cut off the skirt which is on Saul, and he saith to his men, 'Far be it from me, by Jehovah; I do not do this thing to my lord -- to the anointed of Jehovah -- to put forth my hand against him, for the anointed of Jehovah he is.' And David subdueth his men by words, and hath not permitted them to rise against Saul; and Saul hath risen from the cave, and goeth on the way;

And David cometh -- and Abishai -- unto the people by night, and lo, Saul is lying sleeping in the path, and his spear struck into the earth at his pillow, and abner and the people are lying round about him. And Abishai saith unto David, 'God hath shut up to-day thine enemy into thy hand; and, now, let me smite him, I pray thee, with a spear, even into the earth at once -- and I do repeat it to him.' And David saith unto Abishai, 'Destroy him not; for who hath put forth his hand against the anointed of Jehovah, and been acquitted?'read more.
And David saith, 'Jehovah liveth; except Jehovah doth smite him, or his day come that he hath died, or into battle he go down, and hath been consumed -- far be it from me, by Jehovah, from putting forth my hand against the anointed of Jehovah; and, now, take, I pray thee, the spear which is at his pillow, and the cruse of water, and we go away.' And David taketh the spear, and the cruse of water at the pillow of Saul, and they go away, and there is none seeing, and there is none knowing, and there is none awaking, for all of them are sleeping, for a deep sleep from Jehovah hath fallen upon them.

And Abishai son of Zeruiah saith unto the king, 'Why doth this dead dog revile my lord the king? let me pass over, I pray thee, and I turn aside his head.' And the king saith, 'What -- to me and to you, O sons of Zeruiah? for -- let him revile; even because Jehovah hath said to him, Revile David; and who saith, Wherefore hast Thou done so?'

A covenant I made for mine eyes, And what -- do I attend to a virgin?

It hath been exacted, and he hath answered, And he openeth not his mouth, As a lamb to the slaughter he is brought, And as a sheep before its shearers is dumb, And he openeth not his mouth.

and he was keeping silent, and did not answer anything. Again the chief priest was questioning him, and saith to him, 'Art thou the Christ -- the Son of the Blessed?'

then the soldiers of the governor having taken Jesus to the Praetorium, did gather to him all the band; and having unclothed him, they put around him a crimson cloak, and having plaited him a crown out of thorns they put it on his head, and a reed in his right hand, and having kneeled before him, they were mocking him, saying, 'Hail, the king of the Jews.'read more.
And having spit on him, they took the reed, and were smiting on his head;

and labour, working with our own hands; being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer; being spoken evil of, we entreat; as filth of the world we did become -- of all things an offscouring -- till now.

have ye not known that those running in a race -- all indeed run, but one doth receive the prize? so run ye, that ye may obtain; and every one who is striving, is in all things temperate; these, indeed, then, that a corruptible crown they may receive, but we an incorruptible; I, therefore, thus run, not as uncertainly, thus I fight, as not beating air;read more.
but I chastise my body, and bring it into servitude, lest by any means, having preached to others -- I myself may become disapproved.

The mouth of a fool is ruin to him, And his lips are the snare of his soul.

Thus said Jehovah concerning this people: Well they have loved to wander, Their feet they have not restrained, And Jehovah hath not accepted them, Now doth He remember their iniquity, And inspect their sin.

And it cometh to pass, on the morrow, that the spirit of sadness from God prospereth over Saul, and he prophesieth in the midst of the house, and David is playing with his hand, as day by day, and the javelin is in the hand of Saul, and Saul casteth the javelin, and saith, 'I smite through David, even through the wall;' and David turneth round out of his presence twice.

And David sendeth unto Tamar, to the house, saying, 'Go, I pray thee, to the house of Amnon thy brother, and make for him food.' And Tamar goeth to the house of Amnon her brother, and he is lying down, and she taketh the dough, and kneadeth, and maketh cakes before his eyes, and cooketh the cakes, and taketh the frying-pan, and poureth out before him, and he refuseth to eat, and Amnon saith, 'Take ye out every one from me;' and they go out every one from him.read more.
And Amnon saith unto Tamar, 'Bring the food into the inner chamber, and I eat from thy hand;' and Tamar taketh the cakes that she hath made, and bringeth in to Amnon her brother, into the inner chamber, and she bringeth nigh unto him to eat, and he layeth hold on her, and saith to her, 'Come, lie with me, my sister.' And she saith to him, 'Nay, my brother, do not humble me, for it is not done so in Israel; do not this folly. And I -- whither do I cause my reproach to go? and thou -- thou art as one of the fools in Israel; and now, speak, I pray thee, unto the king; for he doth not withhold me from thee.' And he hath not been willing to hearken to her voice, and is stronger than she, and humbleth her, and lieth with her.

And they cause wrath by the waters of Meribah, And it is evil to Moses for their sakes, For they have provoked his spirit, And he speaketh wrongfully with his lips.

My son! if thou hast been surety for thy friend, Hast stricken for a stranger thy hand, Hast been snared with sayings of thy mouth, Hast been captured with sayings of thy mouth, Do this now, my son, and be delivered, For thou hast come into the hand of thy friend. Go, trample on thyself, and strengthen thy friend,

Without a Vision is a people made naked, And whoso is keeping the law, O his happiness!

and he reasoning concerning righteousness, and temperance, and the judgment that is about to be, Felix, having become afraid, answered, 'For the present be going, and having got time, I will call for thee;'

Wherefore also God did give them up, in the desires of their hearts, to uncleanness, to dishonour their bodies among themselves; who did change the truth of God into a falsehood, and did honour and serve the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed to the ages. Amen. Because of this did God give them up to dishonourable affections, for even their females did change the natural use into that against nature;read more.
and in like manner also the males having left the natural use of the female, did burn in their longing toward one another; males with males working shame, and the recompense of their error that was fit, in themselves receiving. And, according as they did not approve of having God in knowledge, God gave them up to a disapproved mind, to do the things not seemly; having been filled with all unrighteousness, whoredom, wickedness, covetousness, malice; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil dispositions; whisperers, evil-speakers, God-haters, insulting, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, unintelligent, faithless, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful;

Defraud not one another, except by consent for a time, that ye may be free for fasting and prayer, and again may come together, that the Adversary may not tempt you because of your incontinence;

and if they have not continence -- let them marry, for it is better to marry than to burn;

which are, indeed, having a matter of wisdom in will-worship, and humble-mindedness, and neglecting of body -- not in any honour, unto a satisfying of the flesh.

and these, as irrational natural beasts, made to be caught and destroyed -- in what things they are ignorant of, speaking evil -- in their destruction shall be destroyed, about to receive a reward of unrighteousness, pleasures counting the luxury in the day, spots and blemishes, luxuriating in their deceits, feasting with you, having eyes full of adultery, and unable to cease from sin, enticing unstable souls, having an heart exercised in covetousnesses, children of a curse,

Whoso is keeping his mouth, is keeping his soul, Whoso is opening wide his lips -- ruin to him!

Let not then the sin reign in your mortal body, to obey it in its desires;

And the fruit of the Spirit is: Love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith,

Better is the slow to anger than the mighty, And the ruler over his spirit than he who is taking a city.

he who is overcoming shall inherit all things, and I will be to him -- a God, and he shall be to me -- the son,

and the spiritual gift of prophets to prophets are subject,