8 Bible Verses about Idleness

We beg you, brothers, continue to warn the shirkers, to cheer the faint-hearted, to hold up the weak, and to be patient with everybody.

Now we charge you, brothers, on the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ, to hold yourselves aloof from any brother who is living as a shirker instead of following the teachings you received from us. You know yourselves how you ought to follow my example; for I was not a shirker when I was with you; I did not eat any man's bread without paying for it, but with toil and hard labor I worked night and day, in order not to be a burden to any of you.read more.
Not that I have no right to be supported, but to make myself an example for you to follow. For when I was with you, I gave you this direction, "If a person refuses to work, he must not be allowed to eat." But we are informed that some among you are living as shirkers, mere busybodies, instead of busy at work. Now on the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ we charge and exhort such persons to do their own work with quiet and eat their own bread. But you, brothers, must never grow tired of doing right. If anyone refuses to obey what we have said in this letter, mark that person and stop having anything to do with him, so that he will feel ashamed of it. You must not regard him as an enemy but warn him as a brother.

Besides, as they get the habit of gadding about from house to house, they learn to be idle, and not only idle but gossips and busybodies, talking of things they ought not to mention.

One of them, a prophet of their own countrymen, has said, "Cretans are always liars, wicked brutes, lazy bellies."

And we desire each one of you to continue to show the same earnestness to the very end, that you may enjoy your hope to the fullest, so that you may not grow careless, but may follow the example of those who through their faith and patient endurance are now possessors of the blessings promised.

You know yourselves how you ought to follow my example; for I was not a shirker when I was with you; I did not eat any man's bread without paying for it, but with toil and hard labor I worked night and day, in order not to be a burden to any of you. Not that I have no right to be supported, but to make myself an example for you to follow.