29 Bible Verses about Futility

and yet you know not what will take place to-morrow. For what is your life? Is it not, indeed, a vapor, that appears for a little while, and then vanishes away?

For the sun rises with its burning heat, and withers the grass, and its flower falls, and the beauty of its form perishes. So, also, shall the rich man fade away in his ways.

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God; for it is written: He takes the wise in their own craftiness. And again: The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.

because, when they knew God, they did not glorify him as God, nor were they thankful; but they became perverse in their reasonings, and their wicked heart was darkened;

This I say, therefore, and appeal to you solemnly in the Lord, that you no longer walk as the other Gentiles walk, in the error of their minds, darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart;

He has done mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in the understanding of their hearts. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the lowly.

For before these days Theudas arose, declaring himself to be some great one; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves; and he was slain; and all, as many as believed him, were scattered and brought to naught. After this man, Judas the Galilean arose, in the days of the enrollment, and drew over many people after him; and he was destroyed, and all, as many as believed him, were scattered. And now I say to you, keep away from these men, and let them alone; for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to an end;

If, then, you have died with Christ from the elements of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you submit to ordinances? Touch not, taste not, handle not, (all of which are for the destruction of those who use them,) according to the commandments and teachings of men;read more.
and these have a show of wisdom in will-worship and affected humility and neglect of the body, and in no regard for the gratification of the flesh.

This people draws near to me with their mouth, and honors me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain, do they worship me, teaching precepts, the commandments of men.

He answered and said to them: "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. In vain do they worship me, teaching precepts, the commandments of men.

And I, brethren, was not able to speak to you, as to spiritual men, but as to those who are carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk, not with meat; for you were not then able to bear it; indeed, not even now are you able; for you are yet carnal. For, since envy and strife and divisions are among you, are you not carnal, and do you not walk as men?

If any one among you seems to be religious, and bridles not his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is vain.

But foolish questions and genealogies and strifes and contentions about the law, avoid; for they are unprofitable and vain.

Let no one deceive you with vain words: for on account of these things, the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

Let no one gain his purpose in depriving you of the palm by an affected humility and worship of angels, prying into things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

which things some not having aimed at, have turned aside to idle disputation,

Put them in mind of these things, charging them before the Lord that they dispute not about words to no profit, which disputes end in the overthrow of the hearers.

For by speaking boastful words of folly, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, and through lasciviousness, those who had really escaped from those who live in error.

I am the vine, you are the branches. He that abides in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; for apart from me you can do nothing.

If any man builds on this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble, each man's work shall be made manifest; for the day shall make it manifest, for it is revealed with fire: and the fire shall try each man's work, what sort it is. If any man's work abide, which he builds on this, he shall receive a reward;read more.
if any man's work be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved, yet so, as through fire.

For we have had the good news preached to us, even as they had: but the word preached did not profit them, for it was not mixed with faith in those who heard it.

And every one that hears these words of mine, and does them not, shall be likened to a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand. And the rain descended, and the torrents came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell: and great was its fall.

When any one hears the word of the kingdom, and understands it not, the wicked one comes and catches away that which was sown in his heart. This is he that received seed by the way side. He that received seed on the stony places is he that hears the word, and immediately receives it with joy. Yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while; and when affliction or persecution arises on account of the word, he immediately takes offense.read more.
He that received seed among the thorns, is he that hears the word; and the cares of this age, and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if any one is a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like a man that looks at his natural face in a mirror: for he looks at himself, and goes away, and immediately forgets what sort of person he is.

But will you know, vain man, that faith without works is dead?

and do not participate in the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather even reprove them;

because you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver or gold, from your vain mode of life received by tradition from your fathers,

If, therefore, any one will cleanse him self from these strifes about words, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, highly useful to the master, prepared for every good work.