8 Bible Verses about Idleness

We beg you, brothers, warn the idlers, cheer up the despondent, keep hold of the weak, be patient with everybody.

We charge you, brothers, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from any brother who lives in idleness, instead of following the teaching you received from us. For you know yourselves what you must do to follow my example, for I was not idle when I was with you; I did not eat anybody's bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor I worked night and day, in order not to be a burden to any of you.read more.
Not that I had not a right to my support, but to give you in my own conduct an example to imitate. When I was with you, I gave you this rule: "If anyone refuses to work, give him nothing to eat!" For we hear that some of you are living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work. Now with the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ we charge and exhort such people to keep quiet and do their work and earn their own living. But you, brothers, must not get tired of doing right. If anyone refuses to obey what we have said in this letter, mark the man and do not have anything to do with him, to make him feel ashamed. Do not look upon him as an enemy but warn him as a brother.

Besides, as they go about from house to house they learn to be idle, and not only idle but gossips and busybodies, and talk of things they ought not to mention.

It was a Cretan, a prophet of their own, who said, "Cretans are always liars, savage brutes, lazy gluttons,"

But we want each of you to exhibit this same earnestness to the very end with regard to your confidence in your hope, so that you may never grow careless, but may learn to follow the example of those who through their faith and endurance are the possessors of God's promises.

For you know yourselves what you must do to follow my example, for I was not idle when I was with you; I did not eat anybody's bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor I worked night and day, in order not to be a burden to any of you. Not that I had not a right to my support, but to give you in my own conduct an example to imitate.