20 Bible Verses about Idleness

And our desire is that you will keep control over those whose lives are not well ordered, giving comfort to the feeble-hearted, supporting those with little strength, and putting up with much from all.

The hater of work puts his hand deep into the basin, and will not even take it to his mouth again.

He who is slow in his work becomes poor, but the hand of the ready worker gets in wealth.

The hater of work says, There is a lion outside: I will be put to death in the streets.

The hater of work says, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets. A door is turned on its pillar, and the hater of work on his bed. The hater of work puts his hand deep into the basin: lifting it again to his mouth is a weariness to him.read more.
The hater of work seems to himself wiser than seven men who are able to give an answer with good sense.

Now we give you orders, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from all those whose behaviour is not well ordered and in harmony with the teaching which they had from us. For you yourselves are used to taking us as your example, because our life among you was ruled by order, And we did not take food from any man for nothing, but were working hard night and day not to be a trouble to any of you:read more.
Not because we have not the right, but to make ourselves an example to you, so that you might do the same. For even when we were with you we gave you orders, saying, If any man does no work, let him not have food. For it has come to our ears that there are some among you whose behaviour is uncontrolled, who do no work at all, but are over-interested in the business of others. Now to such we give orders and make request in the Lord Jesus, that, working quietly, they get their living. And you, my brothers, do not get tired of well-doing. And if any man does not give attention to what we have said in this letter, take note of that man, and keep away from him, so that he may be shamed. Have no feeling of hate for him, but take him in hand seriously as a brother.

And they get into the way of doing no work, going about from house to house; and not only doing no work, but talking foolishly, being over-interested in the business of others, saying things which they have no right to say.

One of their prophets has said, The men of Crete are ever false, evil beasts, lovers of food, hating work.

And it is our desire that you may all keep the same high purpose in certain hope to the end: So that you may not be slow in heart, but may take as your example those to whom God has given their heritage, because of their faith and their long waiting.

Go to the ant, you hater of work; give thought to her ways and be wise: Having no chief, overseer, or ruler, She gets her meat in the summer, storing up food at the time of the grain-cutting.

She gives attention to the ways of her family, she does not take her food without working for it.

For you yourselves are used to taking us as your example, because our life among you was ruled by order, And we did not take food from any man for nothing, but were working hard night and day not to be a trouble to any of you: Not because we have not the right, but to make ourselves an example to you, so that you might do the same.

How long will you be sleeping, O hater of work? when will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little rest, a little folding of the hands in sleep: Then loss will come on you like an outlaw, and your need like an armed man

Like acid drink to the teeth and as smoke to the eyes, so is the hater of work to those who send him.

The hand of the ready worker will have authority, but he who is slow in his work will be put to forced work.

The hater of work does not get his desires, but the soul of the hard workers will be made fat.

Thorns are round the way of the hater of work; but the road of the hard worker becomes a highway.

Hate of work sends deep sleep on a man: and he who has no industry will go without food.