27 Bible Verses about Futility

For God ranks this world's wisdom as 'sheer folly.' It is written, He seizes the wise in their craftiness, and again, The Lord knows the reasoning of the wise is futile.

Though they knew God, they have not glorified him as God nor given thanks to him; they have turned to futile speculations till their ignorant minds grew dark.

Now in the Lord I insist and protest that you must give up living like pagans; for their purposes are futile, their intelligence is darkened, they are estranged from the life of God by the ignorance which their dulness of heart has produced in them ??19 men who have recklessly abandoned themselves to sensuality, with a lust for the business of impurity in every shape and form.

He has done a deed of might with his arm, he has scattered the proud with their purposes, princes he has dethroned and the poor he has uplifted,

In days gone by Theudas started up, claiming to be a person of importance; a number of men, about four hundred of them, rallied to him, but he was slain, and all his followers were dispersed and wiped out. After him Judas the Galilean started up at the time of the census, and got people to desert to him; but he perished too, and all his followers were scattered. So I advise you to-day to leave these men to themselves. Let them alone. If this project or enterprise springs from men, it will collapse;

As you died with Christ to the Elemental spirits of the world, why live as if you still belonged to the world? Why submit to rules and regulations like "Hands off this!" "Taste not that!" "Touch not this!" ??22 referring to things that perish by being used? These rules are determined by human precepts and tenets; they get the name of 'wisdom' with their self-imposed devotions, with their fasting, with their rigorous discipline of the body, but they are of no value, they simply pamper the flesh!

This people honours me with their lips, but their heart is far away from me: vain is their worship of me, for the doctrines they teach are but human precepts."

He said to them, "Isaiah made a grand prophecy about you hypocrites ??as it is written, This people honours me with their lips, but their heart is far away from me: vain is their worship of me, for the doctrines they teach are but human precepts.

But I could not discuss things with you, my brothers, as spiritual persons; I had to address you as worldlings, as mere babes in Christ. I fed you with milk, not with solid food. You were not able for solid food, and you are not able even now; you are still worldly. For with jealousy and quarrels in your midst, are you not worldly, are you not behaving like ordinary men?

Whoever considers he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart, his religion is futile.

But avoid foolish controversy, and let genealogies and dissensions and strife over the Law alone, for these are fruitless and futile.

Let no one deceive you with specious arguments; these are the vices that bring down God's anger on the sons of disobedience.

Let no one lay down rules for you as he pleases, with regard to fasting and the cult of angels, presuming on his visions and inflated by his sensuous notions,

Certain individuals have failed here by turning to empty argument;

Remind men of this: adjure them before the Lord not to bandy arguments ??no good comes out of that, it only means the undoing of your audience.

By talking arrogant futilities they beguile with the sensual lure of fleshly passion those who are just escaping from the company of misconduct ??19 promising them freedom, when they are themselves enslaved to corruption (for a man is the slave of whatever overpowers him).

I am the vine, you are the branches. He who remains in me, as I in him, bears rich fruit (because apart from me you can do nothing).

On that foundation anyone may build gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, but in every case the nature of his work will come out; the Day will show what it is, for the Day breaks in fire, and the fire will test the work of each, no matter what that work may be. If the structure raised by any man survives, he will be rewarded;read more.
if a man's work is burnt up, he will be a loser ??and though he will be saved himself, he will be snatched from the very flames.

For we have had the good news as well as they; only, the message they heard was of no use to them, because it did not meet with faith in the hearers.

And everyone who listens to these words of mine and does not act upon them will be like a stupid man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the floods rose, the winds blew and beat upon that house, and down it fell ??with a mighty crash."

When anyone hears the word of the Realm and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart; that is the man who is sown 'on the road.' As for him who is sown 'on stony soil,' that is the man who hears the word and accepts it at once with enthusiasm; he has no root in himself, he does not last, but when the word brings trouble or persecution he is at once repelled.read more.
As for him who is sown 'among thorns,' that is the man who listens to the word, but the worry of the world and the delight of being rich choke the word; so it proves unfruitful.

Act on the Word, instead of merely listening to it and deluding yourselves. For whoever listens and does nothing, is like a man who glances at his natural face in a mirror; he glances at himself, goes off, and at once forgets what he was like.

But will you understand, you senseless fellow, that faith without deeds is dead?

Have nothing to do with the fruitless enterprises of the darkness; rather expose them.

you know it was not by perishable silver or gold that you were ransomed from the futile traditions of your past,

If one will only keep clear of the latter, he will be put to noble use, he will be consecrated and useful to the Owner of the House, he will be set apart for good work of all kinds.