66 Bible Verses about Watchfulness, Of Believers

Be sober, and watch. For your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

Keep thine heart with all diligence, for thereupon hangeth life.

"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

Take heed, ye unwise among the people: O ye fools, when will ye understand?

O give ear unto nurture, be wise, and refuse it not. Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, and giving attendance at the posts of my doors.

And Jesus answered, and said unto them, "Take heed that no man deceive you; For many shall come in my name saying, 'I am Christ': and shall deceive many.

And he charged them, saying, "Take heed, and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod."

I beseech you, brethren: mark them which cause division, and give occasions of evil contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, and be strong.

Watch and pray, that ye fall not into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."

Watch ye, and pray, lest ye enter into temptation: the spirit is ready, but the flesh is weak."

Take heed unto yourselves diligently as pertaining unto your souls, for ye saw no manner of image the day when the LORD spake unto you in Horeb out of the fire;

That the LORD may make good his promise which he hath promised me, saying, 'If thy children shall take heed to their ways, that they walk before me in truth, with all their hearts and with all their souls; then thou shalt never be without one sitting on the seat of Israel.'

Wherefore he said unto them, "Take heed, and beware of covetousness. For no man's life standeth in the abundance of the things which he possesseth."

Then said he to the disciples, "It cannot be avoided, but that offenses will come. Nevertheless, woe be to him through whom they come. It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were cast into the sea, rather than that he should offend one of these little ones. Take heed to yourselves: if thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.

Wherefore, let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall.

Brethren, if any man be fallen by chance into any fault, ye which are spiritual, help to amend him, in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

Take heed to thyself therefore only and keep thy soul diligently, that thou forget not the things which thine eyes have seen, and that they depart not out of thine heart, all the days of thine life: but teach them thy sons, and thy son's sons.

But in any wise take exceeding good heed that ye do the commandment and law which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you: which is, that ye love the LORD your God, and walk in his ways and keep his commandments, and cleave unto him, and serve him with all your hearts and all your souls."

And see that thou keep the appointment of the LORD thy God, that thou walk in his ways and keep his commandments, ordinances, laws and testimonies, even as it is written in the law of Moses: that thou mayest understand all that thou oughtest to do, and all that thou shouldest meddle with.

Wherefore we ought to give the more heed to the things which we have heard, lest we perish.

See that ye despise not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not which refused him that spake on earth; Much more shall we not escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:

We have also a right sure word of prophecy, whereunto if ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, ye do well; until the day dawn and the day star arise in your hearts.

Nevertheless, we made our prayer unto our God, and set watchmen upon the wall day and night over against them.

and I said unto them, "Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun be hot; and while they are yet standing in the watch, the doors shall be shut and barred." And there were certain citizens of Jerusalem appointed to be watchmen every one in his watch, and about his house.

{To the Chanter, for praising, a Psalm of David} I said, "I will take heed to my ways, that I offend not in my tongue. I will keep my mouth as it were with a bridle, while the ungodly is in my sight."

Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth, and keep the door of my lips.

He that keepeth his mouth, keepeth his life; but whoso speaketh unadvised, findeth harm.

Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue; the same keepeth his soul from troubles.

If any man among you seem devout, and refrain not his tongue: but deceive his own heart, this man's devotion is in vain.

even so the tongue is little member and boasteth great things. Behold how great a thing a little fire kindleth, and the tongue is fire, and a world of wickedness. So is the tongue set among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth afire all that we have of nature, and is itself set afire, even of hell. All the natures of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and things of the sea, are meeked and tamed of the nature of man.read more.
But the tongue can no man tame. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

If any man long after life, and loveth to see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips, that they speak not guile:

Mine eyes are ever looking unto the LORD; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.

My strength will I ascribe unto thee; for thou art the God of my refuge.

{A song of the stairs} Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens. Behold, even as the eyes of servants look unto the hands of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hands of her mistress, even so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until he have mercy upon us.

I look for the LORD; my soul doth wait for him, and in his word is my trust. My soul fleeth unto the LORD before the morning watch, I say, before the morning watch.

Moreover the voice cried thus, "Go up unto the hill, O Zion, thou that bringest good tidings; lift up thy voice with power, O thou preacher Jerusalem. Lift it up without fear, and say unto the cities of Judah, 'Behold, your God!'

Nevertheless, I will look up unto the LORD; I will patiently abide God my saviour: my God shall hear me.

And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon. And the same man was just and feared God, and longed for the consolation of Israel, and the holy ghost was in him.

Continue in prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving, praying also for us, that God open unto us the door of utterance, that we may speak the mystery of Christ - wherefore I am in bonds -

Take heed: watch, and pray, for ye know not when the time is:

Watch therefore continually and pray, that ye may obtain grace to fly all this that shall come. And that ye may stand before the son of man."

and pray always with all manner prayer and supplication - and that in the spirit - and watch thereunto with all instance and supplication for all saints,

The end of all things is at hand. Be ye therefore discreet, and sober, that ye may be apt to prayers.

Wake, therefore, because ye know not what hour your master will come. Of this be sure, that if the good man of the house knew what hour the thief would come: he would surely watch, and not suffer his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready, for in the hour ye think least on, in the same ye think he would not: will the son of man come.

Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went to meet the bridegroom: five of them were foolish, and five were wise. The foolish took their lamps, but took none oil with them.read more.
But the wise took oil with them in their vessels with their lamps also. While the bridegroom tarried, all slumbered and slept. And even at midnight, there was a cry made, 'Behold, the bridegroom cometh, go out against him.' Then all those virgins arose, and prepared their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us of your oil, for our lamps go out.' But the wise answered, saying, 'Not so, lest there be not enough for us and you, but go rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.' And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came: and they that were ready, went in with him to the wedding, and the gate was shut up. Afterwards came also the other virgins, saying, 'Master, master open to us.' But he answered, and said, 'Verily I say unto you: I know you not.' Look that ye watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor yet the hour, when the son of man shall come.

But of the day and the hour, knoweth no man: No, not the angels which are in heaven: neither the son himself, save the father only. Take heed: watch, and pray, for ye know not when the time is: As a man which is gone into a strange country and hath left his house, and given authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.read more.
Watch, therefore, for ye know not when the master of the house will come: whether at even, or at midnight; whether at the cock crowing, or in the dawning: lest if he come suddenly, he should find you sleeping. And that I say unto you, I say unto all men: Watch."

Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning, and ye yourselves, like unto men that wait for their master when he will return from a wedding: that as soon as he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him. Happy are those servants, which their Lord, when he cometh, shall find waking; Verily I say unto you, he will gird himself about, and make them sit down to meat, and walk by them, and minister unto them.read more.
And if he come in the second watch, yea, if he come in the third watch, and shall find them so, happy are those servants. This shall ye understand, that if the good man of the house knew what hour the thief would have come, he would surely have watched: and not suffer his house to be broken up. Be ye prepared therefore, for the son of man will come at a hour when ye think not."

Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass: but my words shall not pass. Take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be overcome with surfeiting and drunkenness, and cares of this world: and that, that day come on you unawares.read more.
For as a snare shall it come on all them that sit on the face of the earth. Watch therefore continually and pray, that ye may obtain grace to fly all this that shall come. And that ye may stand before the son of man."

But ye brethren are not in darkness, that that day should come on you as it were a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, neither of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep as do others: but let us watch and be sober.read more.
For they that sleep, sleep in the night: and they that be drunken, are drunken in the night. But let us which are of the day be sober, armed with the breast plate of faith and love, and with hope of salvation as a helmet.

"Behold I come as a thief. Happy is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments; Lest he be found naked, and men see his filthiness."

but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts. Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, and that with meekness and fear:

Take heed therefore that ye walk circumspectly - not as fools, but as wise - redeeming the time: for the days are evil.

Walk wisely to them that are without, and redeem the time. Let your speech be always well favoured and be powdered with salt, that ye may know how to answer every man.

Then went Jesus with them into a place, which is called Gethsemane, and said unto the disciples, "Sit ye here while I go and pray yonder." And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to wax sorrowful and to be in agony. Then said Jesus unto them, "My soul is heavy even unto the death. Tarry ye here: and watch with me."read more.
And he went away a little apart, and fell flat on his face, and prayed, saying, "O my father, if it possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt." And he came unto the disciples, and found them asleep, and said to Peter, "What, could ye not watch with me one hour?

While we have, therefore, time; let us do good unto all men, and specially, unto them which are of the household of faith.

Warn them, that they submit themselves to rule and power, to obey the officers, that they be ready unto all good works,

The ungodly watcheth the righteous, and seeketh occasion to slay him.

Wherefore Saul looked sourly upon David from that day forward.

Then Saul sent messengers unto David's house, to watch him and to slay him in the morning. But Michal his wife told it him saying, "If thou save not thyself this night, tomorrow thou art a dead man."

He sitteth lurking in the thievish corners of the streets, and privily in his lurking dens doth he murder the innocent; his eyes are set against the poor.

For why? I heard so many derisions and blasphemies, yea even of my own companions, and such as were conversant with me: which went about, to make me afraid, saying, "Upon him; let us go upon him, to fear him, and make him hold his tongue: that we may overcome him, and be avenged of him."

And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.

and they watched him, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath day, that they might accuse him.

But their layings wait was known of Saul. And they watched at the gates day and night to kill him.

Be awake, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die. For I have not found thy works perfect before God. Remember, therefore, how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If you shalt not watch, I will come on you as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.