29 Bible Verses about Futility

though ye know nothing of what shall be to-morrow. For what is your life? It is but a vapour which appeareth for a little while, and then vanishes away.

For the sun arose with fervour, and burnt up the grass, and the flower of it fell off, and the beauty of its appearance was lost: just so the rich man in his course of life shall wither away.

For the wisdom of this world is folly in the sight of God. For it is written, "He entangleth the wise in their own craftiness." And again, "The Lord knoweth the reasonings of the wise, that they are futile."

because though they knew [there was] a God, they glorified him not as God, nor gave him thanks, but became triflers in their disputations, and their stupid heart was darkened.

This then I urge and testify in the Lord, that ye walk no more as the other Gentiles walk in the vanity of their mind, darkened in understanding; alienated from the life of God through the ignorance which is in them; through the blindness of their hearts:

He hath displayed strength from his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath cast down potentates from the throne, and hath exalted the lowly.

For before these days arose Theudas, saying that he himself was a singular personage: to whom a number of men, about four hundred, attached themselves: who was taken off; and as many as obeyed him, were dispersed, and came to nothing. And after him arose Judas the Galilean, in the days of the enrolment, and drew away a multitude of the populace after him: he also perished, and all, as many as obeyed him, were dispersed. And as to the matters now before you, I say unto you, Abstain from these men, and leave them to themselves: for if this design or this work be of men, it will come to nothing:

If then ye have been dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye dogmatically taught, eat not, nor talk, nor touch, (all which things tend to corruption by abuse) according to the injunctions and doctrines of men?read more.
Which things indeed hold forth an appearance of wisdom in will-worship, and humility, and bodily mortification, [though] not of any value, [but] a gratification to the flesh.

This people draweth nigh to me with their mouths, and honoureth me with the lips, but their heart is far distant from me. But in vain do they worship me, teaching doctrines the commandments of men.

Then he answering said to them, Well did Isaiah prophesy concerning you hypocrites, as it is written, "This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Now vainly do they worship me, while teaching doctrines the commandments of men."

AND I, brethren, have been unable to speak to you as unto spiritual men, but as to carnal, even as to babes in Christ. And I have given you milk to drink, and not meat: for hitherto ye have not been capable of it, yea, even to the present moment ye are not capable of it. For ye are still carnal: for since there are among you envy, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as [other] men?

If any man thinks he is a religious character among you, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.

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

Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things, the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience.

Let no man juggle you out of your prize, voluntary in [his] humility and the worship of angels, intruding into things which he never saw, vainly puffed up by his carnal imagination;

from which some, having swerved, have turned aside to vain babbling;

Put them in mind of these things, adjuring them before the Lord not to quarrel about words of no use, but tending to the perversion of the audience.

Uttering pompous discourses of inanity, ensnaring by the lusts of the flesh, by lascivious impurities, those who had truly escaped from such as live in a course of delusion.

I am the vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, this person beareth much fruit: because without me ye can do nothing.

But if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, timbers, hay, stubble; every man's work shall be made manifest: for that day shall declare it, for it shall be laid open by fire; and the fire shall prove every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work which he hath built abide [the trial], he shall receive a reward.read more.
If any man's work be burnt up, he shall suffer loss: but himself shall be saved; yet so as through the fire.

For we are hearing the same gospel preached as they did; but the word heard did not profit them, not being incorporated by faith with those who heard it.

And every man who is hearing these sayings of mine, and doth not practise them, he will resemble the foolish man, who built his house upon the sand: and the rain descended, and the rivers rushed, and the winds blew, and set against that house, and it fell; and the fall of it was great.

When any person heareth the word of the kingdom, and doth not understand it, the wicked one cometh, and snatcheth away what was sown on his heart: such is he who is the sown by the road-side. But the sown on the rocky soil, is he who having heard the word, and instantly with joy receiving it, hath not really root in himself, but is merely temporary: and when tribulation or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately he is stumbled.read more.
But the sown among the thorns, is he who heareth the word, and the anxiety about this world and the deceitfulness of riches, choketh the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves by false reasoning. For if any man be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like a man that looks at his natural face in a glass; for he beheld himself, and went away, and immediately forgot what sort of person he was.

But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

And have no society with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather rebuke them.

knowing that ye have not been redeemed out of your vain manner of life, derived traditionally from your fathers, by the corruptible things, silver and gold,

If therefore a man preserve himself pure from these things, he shall be a vessel for honour, sanctified and highly useful to the master, ready for every good work.