20 Bible Verses about Idleness

And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle,encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.

The sluggard buries his hand in the dish and will not even bring it back to his mouth.

A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.

The sluggard says, "There is a lion outside! I shall be killed in the streets!"

The sluggard says, "There is a lion in the road! There is a lion in the streets!" As a door turns on its hinges, so does a sluggard on his bed. The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth.read more.
The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly.

Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you.read more.
It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate. For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good. If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.

Besides that, they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not.

One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, "Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons."

And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest.

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

For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate.

How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.

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

The hand of the diligent will rule, while the slothful will be put to forced labor.

The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.

The way of a sluggard is like a hedge of thorns, but the path of the upright is a level highway.

Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep, and an idle person will suffer hunger.