20 Bible Verses about Idleness

And we encourage you, brothers, admonish the unruly, strengthen the weak-spirited, help the infirmed, be patient toward all.

The sluggard buries his hand in the dish, and will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.

He who works with a slack hand becomes poor, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.

The sluggard says, There is a lion outside. I shall be slain in the streets.

The sluggard says, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets. The door turns upon its hinges, so does the sluggard upon his bed. The sluggard buries his hand in the dish. It wearies him to bring it again to his mouth.read more.
The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men who can render a reason.

Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, for you to withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition, which they received from us. For ye yourselves know how it is necessary to imitate us. Because we did not act disorderly among you, nor did we eat bread gratis from any man, but in labor and toil, working night and day in order not to burden any of you.read more.
Not because we have no right, but that we might give ourselves an example to you, in order to imitate us. For even when we were with you we commanded you this, that if any man will not work, neither let him eat. For we hear of some who walk among you disorderly, not working at all, but being busybodies. Now to such men we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that, working with quietness, they should eat their own bread. But ye, brothers, do not become weary doing good. And if any man does not obey our word by this letter, note that man, and do not associate with him, so that he may be ashamed. And yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

And also at the same time they learn to be idle, roving the houses, and not only idle, but also babbling and meddlesome, speaking things that they ought not.

A certain man of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy bellies.

And we earnestly desire each of you to show the same diligence toward the full assurance of the hope until the end, so that ye may not become lazy, but imitators of those who, through faith and longsuffering, inherit the promises.

Go to the ant, thou sluggard. Consider her ways, and be wise. Which, having no chief, overseer, or ruler, provides her bread in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.

She looks well to the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.

For ye yourselves know how it is necessary to imitate us. Because we did not act disorderly among you, nor did we eat bread gratis from any man, but in labor and toil, working night and day in order not to burden any of you. Not because we have no right, but that we might give ourselves an example to you, in order to imitate us.

How long will thou sleep, O sluggard? When will thou arise out of thy sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep, so thy poverty shall come as a robber, and thy want as an armed man.

As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to those who send him.

The hand of the diligent shall bear rule, but the slothful shall be put under task work.

The soul of the sluggard desires, and has nothing, but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.

The way of the sluggard is as a hedge of thorns, but the path of the upright is made a highway.

Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep, and the idle soul shall suffer hunger.