26 Bible Verses about Abandoning Things

A time to search and a time to give up as lost;
A time to keep and a time to throw away.

“Now, therefore, fear the Lord and serve Him in sincerity and in truth; remove the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the [Euphrates] River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord.

“Now then, remove the foreign gods which are among you, and incline your hearts toward the Lord, the God of Israel.”

So they removed the foreign gods from among them and served the Lord; and He could bear the misery of Israel no longer.

She caught Joseph by his [outer] robe, saying, “Lie with me!” But he left his robe in her hand and ran, and got outside [the house].

When she saw that he had left his robe in her hand and had run outside,

When he heard me screaming, he left his robe with me and ran outside [the house].”

then as soon as I raised my voice and screamed, he left his robe with me and ran outside [the house].”

Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped up and came to Jesus.

They went after them to the Jordan, and all the road was entirely littered with clothing and equipment which the Arameans (Syrians) had thrown away when they hurriedly fled. And the messengers returned and told the king.

On the next day, as we were being violently tossed about by the storm [and taking on water], they began to jettison the cargo;

and on the third day they threw the ship’s tackle (spare lines, blocks, miscellaneous equipment) overboard with their own hands [to further reduce the weight].

After they had eaten enough, they began to lighten the ship by throwing the wheat [from Egypt] overboard into the sea.

Alien tyrants of the nations have cut it down and left it; its foliage has fallen on the mountains and in all the valleys and its branches have been broken in all the ravines of the land. And all the nations of the earth have come from under its shade and have left it.

Therefore, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord God. Thus says the Lord God to the mountains and to the hills, to the ravines and to the valleys, to the desolate ruins and to the deserted cities which have become prey and a mockery to the rest of the nations which surround you,

leave your offering there at the altar and go. First make peace with your brother, and then come and present your offering.

But pulling free of the linen sheet, he escaped [from them] naked.

“What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them gets lost, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountain and go in search of the one that is lost?

“What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one which is lost, [searching] until he finds it?

So they cut the cables and severed the anchors and left them in the sea while at the same time unlashing the ropes of the rudders; and after hoisting the foresail to the wind, they headed steadily for the beach.

The Philistines abandoned their [pagan] idols there, so David and his men took them away [to be burned].

The Philistines abandoned their gods (idols) there; so David gave a command and they were burned in a fire [as the Law of Moses required].

Then the woman left her water jar, and went into the city and began telling the people,

For he sees that even wise men die;
The fool and the stupid alike perish
And leave their wealth to others.

And you will, through your own fault, let go of your [grip on your] inheritance
That I gave you;
And I will make you serve your enemies
In a land which you do not know;
For you have kindled a fire in My anger
Which will burn forever.

‘Will the snow of [Mount] Lebanon melt and vanish from its rocks [which tower above Israel]?
Will the cold, rushing waters of foreign lands [that flow down from the distant land] be dried up?