36 Bible Verses about Vanity

Because my people have forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused themselves to stumble in their ways, in the ancient paths, to walk in paths, in a way not trodden;

Man is like unto vanity; his days are as a shadow that passes away.

O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, turn away from profane voices and vain things and arguments in the vain name of science,

But avoid profane and vain wordiness, for it will develop into ungodliness.

Counsel these things, charging them before the Lord. Strive not in words that profit nothing, but rather subvert the hearers.

from which some, having swerved, have turned aside unto vanity of words,

I have hated those that regard lying vanities; but I wait in the LORD.

But they shall become altogether carnal and foolish. The stock is a doctrine of vanities.

Because my people have forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused themselves to stumble in their ways, in the ancient paths, to walk in paths, in a way not trodden;

And they rejected his statutes and his covenant that he made with their fathers and his testimonies which he testified against them, and they followed vanity and became vain and went after the Gentiles that were round about them, concerning whom the LORD had charged them, that they should not do like them.

Those that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and that which is most precious to them is useful for nothing; and they are their own witnesses that they do not see, nor understand; therefore, they shall be ashamed. Who has formed God? And who cast a graven image that is profitable for nothing?

For so it was that the sons of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, who had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods and walked in the statutes of the Gentiles, whom the LORD had cast out from before the sons of Israel, and in the statutes of the kings of Israel, which they had made. And the sons of Israel had secretly done those things that were not right against the LORD their God, building themselves high places in all their cities, from the towers of the watchmen to the fenced cities. read more.
And they had set themselves up images and groves in every high hill and under every green tree; and there they burnt incense in all the high places like the Gentiles, whom the LORD had carried away before them, and wrought wicked things to provoke the LORD to anger: serving idols, of which the LORD had said unto them, Ye shall not do this. Yet the LORD testified against Israel and against Judah, by all the prophets and by all the seers, saying, Turn from your evil ways and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers and which I sent to you by the hand of my slaves the prophets. Notwithstanding, they would not hear, but hardened their necks, like to the neck of their fathers, who had never believed in the LORD their God. And they rejected his statutes and his covenant that he made with their fathers and his testimonies which he testified against them, and they followed vanity and became vain and went after the Gentiles that were round about them, concerning whom the LORD had charged them, that they should not do like them. And they left all the commandments of the LORD their God and made themselves molten images, even two calves, and made groves and worshipped all the host of heaven and served Baal; and they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire and used divination and enchantments and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger. Therefore, the LORD was very angry with Israel and removed them out of his sight; there was none left but the tribe of Judah only. But not even Judah kept the commandments of the LORD their God; to the contrary, they walked in the statutes of Israel which they themselves had made. And the LORD rejected all the seed of Israel and afflicted them and delivered them into the hand of spoilers until he had cast them out of his presence. For he rent Israel from the house of David, and they made Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, king; and Jeroboam drove Israel from following the LORD and made them commit a great sin. For the sons of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they did not depart from them until the LORD removed Israel out of his sight, as he had said by all his slaves the prophets. So was Israel carried away out of their own land to Assyria unto this day.

He shall not be established; in vanity he shall err; therefore, he shall be changed into vanity.

Therefore thus hath the LORD said; Ask now among the Gentiles, who has heard such things: the virgin of Israel has done a very horrible thing. Will anyone leave the snow of the rock of the field that flows from Lebanon? or shall they forsake the singular, cold, flowing waters? Because my people have forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused themselves to stumble in their ways, in the ancient paths, to walk in paths, in a way not trodden; read more.
to make their land desolate, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passes thereby shall be astonished and wag his head. I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I will show them the back, and not the face, in the day of their perdition.

O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, turn away from profane voices and vain things and arguments in the vain name of science,

But avoid foolish questions and genealogies and contentions and debates concerning the law, for they are unprofitable and vain.

But avoid profane and vain wordiness, for it will develop into ungodliness.

Counsel these things, charging them before the Lord. Strive not in words that profit nothing, but rather subvert the hearers.

from which some, having swerved, have turned aside unto vanity of words, desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor from where they affirm.

For God gives to the man that is good in his sight wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to the one that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

It is the man who is alone, without a successor, who has neither son nor brother; yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity and sore travail.

His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity.

Each one speaks vanity with his neighbour: they speak with flattering lips and with a double heart.

And if he came to see me, he spoke lies: his heart gathered iniquity to itself, and when he goes out, he tells it.

who (in the Holy Spirit) by the mouth of thy servant David (our father) hast said, Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples imagine vain things?

because having known God, they did not glorify him as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

Why do the Gentiles rage, and the peoples imagine a vain thing?

This I say, therefore, and require in the Lord that from now on ye not walk as the other Gentiles walk in the vanity of their own senses, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their heart, who, after losing all sense of feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness to work all uncleanness with greediness.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and injustice of men, who hold back the truth with injustice; because that which is known of God is manifest to them; for God has showed it unto them. For the invisible things of him, his eternal power and divinity, are clearly understood by the creation of the world and by the things that are made so that there is no excuse; read more.
because having known God, they did not glorify him as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man and of birds and of fourfooted beasts and of serpents.

Give us help from trouble, for vain is the salvation of man.

Ain As for us, our eyes have failed in seeking our vain help; in our watching we have watched for people that cannot save us.

They have sown bread, but shall reap thorns; they had the heritage, but they did not profit; and they shall be ashamed because of your fruits, by the fierce anger of the LORD.

He that sows iniquity shall reap iniquity, and the rod of his anger shall fail.

Turn away my eyes from beholding vanity, and cause me to live in thy way.

Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread of my judgment:

For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.

Be not taken out of the way with diverse and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace, not with foods which have not profited those that have been occupied with them.

For who knows what is good for man in this life, all the days of the life of his vanity which he causes to be as a shadow? for who shall teach the man what shall be after him under the sun?

I loathed life; I do not desire to live for ever; let me alone; for my days are vanity.

Surely man walks in darkness; surely they are disquieted in vain; they heap up riches not knowing who shall gather them.

This I say, therefore, and require in the Lord that from now on ye not walk as the other Gentiles walk in the vanity of their own senses,

Canst thou by searching find out God? Canst thou come unto the perfection of the Almighty? It is higher than the heavens; what canst thou do? It is deeper than Sheol; how canst thou know it? The measure of it is longer than the earth and broader than the sea. read more.
If he cuts off, or shuts up, or gathers together, then who can hinder him? For he knows the vain men; and he sees the iniquity; will he not then understand it? The vain man shall make himself understood, though man is born like a wild ass's colt.

But, O vain man, dost thou desire to know that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar? Dost thou not see how the faith worked together with his works, and the faith was complete by the works?

When thou criest, let thy companions deliver thee; but the wind shall carry them all away; vanity shall take them: but he that waits in me shall have the land by inheritance and shall possess the mountain of my holiness.

Therefore he consumed their days in vanity and their years in tribulation.

who (in the Holy Spirit) by the mouth of thy servant David (our father) hast said, Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples imagine vain things?

because having known God, they did not glorify him as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

Why do the Gentiles rage, and the peoples imagine a vain thing?

But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions as the worldly do, for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

Bring no more vain oblations; the incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot stand them; iniquity and the solemn meeting.

Who is the Almighty that we should serve him? And what profit should we have if we pray unto him?

Ye have said, It is vain to serve God, and what profit is it that we have kept his law and that we walk mournfully before the LORD of the hosts?

Surely the sons of Adam are vanity, and the sons of nobles are a lie; to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity.

When thou with chastening dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his greatness to consume away like a moth; surely every man is vanity. Selah.

And Moses finished speaking all these words to all Israel; and he said unto them, Set your hearts unto all the words which I protest against you today, to command them unto your children and keep and fulfil all the words of this law. For it is not a vain thing for you because it is your life; and through this thing ye shall prolong your days in the land, which ye shall pass the Jordan to inherit.

And again, The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.

That the man who worked with wisdom and with knowledge and with uprightness would have to leave his portion to a man that has not laboured therein. This also is vanity and a great evil.

Then I said in my heart, As it shall happen to the fool, so it shall happen even to me. Why have I worked until now to make myself wiser? Then I said in my heart that this also is vanity.

Who is the Almighty that we should serve him? And what profit should we have if we pray unto him?

Ye have said, It is vain to serve God, and what profit is it that we have kept his law and that we walk mournfully before the LORD of the hosts?

His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity.

Each one speaks vanity with his neighbour: they speak with flattering lips and with a double heart.

And if he came to see me, he spoke lies: his heart gathered iniquity to itself, and when he goes out, he tells it.

When thou criest, let thy companions deliver thee; but the wind shall carry them all away; vanity shall take them: but he that waits in me shall have the land by inheritance and shall possess the mountain of my holiness.

Therefore he consumed their days in vanity and their years in tribulation.

They have sown bread, but shall reap thorns; they had the heritage, but they did not profit; and they shall be ashamed because of your fruits, by the fierce anger of the LORD.

He that sows iniquity shall reap iniquity, and the rod of his anger shall fail.

When thou with chastening dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his greatness to consume away like a moth; surely every man is vanity. Selah.

Schin Grace is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but the woman that fears the LORD shall be praised.

Turn away my eyes from beholding vanity, and cause me to live in thy way.

Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread of my judgment:

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor and though I give my body to be burned and have not charity, it profits me nothing.

Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart and put away evil from thy flesh; for childhood and youth are vanity.

Surely man walks in darkness; surely they are disquieted in vain; they heap up riches not knowing who shall gather them.

This I say, therefore, and require in the Lord that from now on ye not walk as the other Gentiles walk in the vanity of their own senses,

I proposed in my heart to regale my flesh with wine and that my heart would walk in wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, until I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life.

And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them; I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour, and this was my portion of all my labour. At last I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought and on the labour that I had laboured to do; and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.

I said in my heart, Come now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy good things; and, behold, this also is vanity.

Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.

A man to whom God has given riches, wealth, and honour so that he lacks nothing for his soul of all that he desires, yet God does not give him power to eat of it, but the strangers eat it; this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

O LORD, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the time of the affliction; Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the earth and shall say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things in which there is no profit.

For I know with certainty that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the coming glory which shall be manifested in us. For the earnest hope of the creatures waits for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creatures were subjected to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who has subjected them, read more.
with the hope that the same creatures shall be delivered from the slavery of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sons of God.

Surely man walks in darkness; surely they are disquieted in vain; they heap up riches not knowing who shall gather them.

It is vain for you to rise up early, to come home late, to eat the bread of sorrows, because he shall give his beloved sleep.

The riches of vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathers by labour shall increase.

He that tills his land shall be filled with bread, but he that follows after vain persons shall be filled with poverty.

The riches of vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathers by labour shall increase.

He that tills his land shall be satisfied with bread, but he that follows vain persons is void of understanding.

Behold, I am against those that prophesy false dreams, saith the LORD, and did tell them, and caused my people to err by their lies, and by their flattery; yet I did not send them, nor command them; and they did not profit this people at all, said the LORD.

SAMECH. I hate vain thoughts; but I love thy law.

He that sows iniquity shall reap iniquity, and the rod of his anger shall fail.

Treasures of wickedness profit nothing, but righteousness delivers from death.

For speaking arrogant words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from those who converse in error,

thus hath the LORD said, What iniquity have your fathers found in me that they are gone far from me and have walked after vanity and are become vain?

At last I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought and on the labour that I had laboured to do; and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.

Again, I considered all travail and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

knowing that ye have been ransomed from your vain conversation (which you received from your fathers), not with corruptible things like silver and gold,

For the creatures were subjected to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who has subjected them,

Man is like unto vanity; his days are as a shadow that passes away.

When thou with chastening dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his greatness to consume away like a moth; surely every man is vanity. Selah.

He devises iniquity upon his bed; he sets himself in a way that is not good; he does not abhor evil.

I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with hypocrites.

He that has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not taken my name in vain, nor sworn deceitfully.

SAMECH. I hate vain thoughts; but I love thy law.

Behold, thou hast made my days as a handbreadth, and my age is as nothing before thee; verily every man that lives is altogether vanity. Selah.

If anyone among you thinks to be religious and does not bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart, his religion is vain.

My brethren, What shall it profit though someone says that they have faith and do not have works? Shall this type of faith be able to save them?

O LORD, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the time of the affliction; Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the earth and shall say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things in which there is no profit.

The vain man shall make himself understood, though man is born like a wild ass's colt.

For he knows the vain men; and he sees the iniquity; will he not then understand it?

The vain man shall make himself understood, though man is born like a wild ass's colt.

For he knows the vain men; and he sees the iniquity; will he not then understand it?

O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after the lie? Selah.

Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty look upon it.

I will declare thy righteousness, and thy works; for they shall not profit thee.

I made myself great works; I built myself houses; I planted myself vineyards; I made myself gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits; I made myself pools of water, to water with them the forest that brings forth trees; read more.
I got myself slaves and maidens and had sons born in my house; also I had great possessions of cattle and sheep above all that were in Jerusalem before me; I gathered unto myself also silver and gold and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces; I obtained men singers and women singers and all the delights of the sons of men, musical instruments, and those of all sorts. So I was great and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem, and more than that, my wisdom remained with me. And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them; I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour, and this was my portion of all my labour. At last I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought and on the labour that I had laboured to do; and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.

He shall not be established; in vanity he shall err; therefore, he shall be changed into vanity.

For speaking arrogant words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from those who converse in error,

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor and though I give my body to be burned and have not charity, it profits me nothing.

The LORD knows the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.

Man is like unto vanity; his days are as a shadow that passes away.

When thou with chastening dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his greatness to consume away like a moth; surely every man is vanity. Selah.

thus hath the LORD said, What iniquity have your fathers found in me that they are gone far from me and have walked after vanity and are become vain?

He devises iniquity upon his bed; he sets himself in a way that is not good; he does not abhor evil.

The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of those that seek death.

Surely the sons of Adam are vanity, and the sons of nobles are a lie; to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity.

He that loves money shall not be satisfied with money; nor he that loves abundance with increase; this is also vanity.

Behold, ye trust in lying words that cannot profit.

Unto thee it was shown that thou mightest know that the LORD he is God; there is no one else other than he.

I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with hypocrites.

He that has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not taken my name in vain, nor sworn deceitfully.

O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after the lie? Selah.

I said in my heart, Come now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy good things; and, behold, this also is vanity.