23 Bible Verses about Excuses

Most Relevant Verses

Genesis 3:12-13

And the man said, The woman, whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate. And the LORD God said to the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I ate.

Exodus 32:22-24

And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people that they are set on mischief. For they said to me, Make us gods which shall go before us: for as for this Moses, the man that brought us out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him. And I said to them, Whoever hath any gold, let them break it off: So they gave it to me: then I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf.

1 Samuel 13:11-12

And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines assembled at Michmash; Therefore said I, the Philistines will now come down upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to the LORD; I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt-offering.

1 Samuel 15:20-21

And Saul said to Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice to the LORD thy God in Gilgal.

Exodus 4:10

And Moses said to the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoke to thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.

Judges 6:15

And he said to him, O my Lord, by what means shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.

Proverbs 22:13

The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.

Proverbs 26:13

The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets.

Matthew 25:14-30

For the kingdom of heaven is as a man traveling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered to them his goods. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and forthwith took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents, went and traded with the same, and gained other five talents.read more.
And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one, went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. And he that had received five talents, came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst to me five talents: behold, I have gained besides them five talents more. His lord said to him, Well done thou good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. He also that had received two talents came, and said, Lord, thou deliveredst to me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents besides them. His lord said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Then he who had received the one talent came, and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strewed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast what is thine. His lord answered and said to him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not strewed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received my own with interest. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it to him who hath ten talents. For to every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into utter darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Luke 19:12-27

He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said to them, Occupy till I come. But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.read more.
And it came to pass, that when he had returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called to him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. And he said to him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities. And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin: For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up what thou layedst not down, and reapest what thou didst not sow. And he saith to him, Out of thy own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest me to be an austere man, taking up what I laid not down, and reaping what I did not sow: Why then gavest thou not my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required my own with interest? And he said to them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds. (And they said to him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.) For I say to you, That to every one who hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even what he hath shall be taken away from him. But those my enemies, who would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.

Matthew 25:41-45

Then will he say also to them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was hungry, and ye gave me no food: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.read more.
Then will they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to thee? Then will he answer them, saying, Verily I say to you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

Luke 14:16-24

Then said he to him, A certain man made a great supper, and invited many: And sent his servant at supper-time, to say to them that were invited, Come, for all things are now ready. And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said to him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.read more.
And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have married a wife: and therefore I cannot come. So that servant came, and showed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry, said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. And the lord said to the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. For I say to you, that none of those men who were invited, shall taste my supper.

Matthew 22:2-3

The kingdom of heaven is like to a certain king, who made a marriage for his son, And sent his servants to call them that were invited to the wedding: and they would not come.

Luke 9:59-62

And he said to another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Jesus said to him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God. And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.read more.
And Jesus said to him, No man having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

John 9:41

Jesus said to them, If ye were blind, ye would have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

John 15:22

If I had not come and spoken to them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin.

Romans 2:1

Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whoever thou art, that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest, doest the same things.

Romans 3:19-23

Now we know that whatever things the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law, there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being testified by the law and the prophets;read more.
Even the righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ to all, and upon all them that believe; for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

From Thematic Bible


Excuses » Seven excuses offered for the neglect of duty » Personal incompetency

Exodus 4:1

And Moses answered and said, But behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken to my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared to thee.

Exodus 4:10

And Moses said to the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoke to thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.

Excuses » Seven excuses offered for the neglect of duty » For sin, not accepted

Romans 2:1

Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whoever thou art, that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest, doest the same things.

John 15:22

If I had not come and spoken to them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin.

Excuses » Seven excuses offered for the neglect of duty » Pressure of business

Luke 14:18-19

And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said to him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.

Excuses » Seven excuses offered for the neglect of duty » The hardness of the master

Matthew 25:24-25

Then he who had received the one talent came, and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strewed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast what is thine.

Excuses » Seven excuses offered for the neglect of duty » No need discovered

Matthew 25:44-45

Then will they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to thee? Then will he answer them, saying, Verily I say to you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

Excuses » Seven excuses offered for the neglect of duty » Difficulties of the undertaking

Proverbs 22:13

The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.

Excuses » Seven excuses offered for the neglect of duty » Personal weakness (jeremiah)

Jeremiah 1:6-7

Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child. But the LORD said to me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatever I command thee thou shalt speak.

Excuses » To justify wrongdoing » King saul for usurping the function of the priest

1 Samuel 13:12

Therefore said I, the Philistines will now come down upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to the LORD; I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt-offering.

Excuses » To justify wrongdoing » Also for keeping the forbidden spoil

1 Samuel 15:21

But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice to the LORD thy God in Gilgal.

Excuses » To justify wrongdoing » By adam for eating the forbidden fruit

Excuses » To justify wrongdoing » Aaron for making the golden calf

Exodus 32:24

And I said to them, Whoever hath any gold, let them break it off: So they gave it to me: then I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf.

Excuses » Seven excuses offered for the neglect of duty » Lack of social position (gideon)

Judges 6:15

And he said to him, O my Lord, by what means shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.

Excuses » To justify wrongdoing » Sin absolutely inexcusable

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Theasaurus: Excuses