20 Bible Verses about Idleness

And we urge you, brothers and sisters, admonish the undisciplined, comfort the discouraged, help the weak, be patient toward all.

The sluggard plunges his hand in the dish, and he will not even bring it back to his mouth!

The one who is lazy becomes poor, but the one who works diligently becomes wealthy.

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

The sluggard says, "There is a lion in the road! A lion in the streets!" Like a door that turns on its hinges, so a sluggard turns on his bed. The sluggard plunges his hand in the dish; he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.read more.
The sluggard is wiser in his own estimation than seven people who respond with good sense.

But we command you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from any brother who lives an undisciplined life and not according to the tradition they received from us. For you know yourselves how you must imitate us, because we did not behave without discipline among you, and we did not eat anyone's food without paying. Instead, in toil and drudgery we worked night and day in order not to burden any of you.read more.
It was not because we do not have that right, but to give ourselves as an example for you to imitate. For even when we were with you, we used to give you this command: "If anyone is not willing to work, neither should he eat." For we hear that some among you are living an undisciplined life, not doing their own work but meddling in the work of others. Now such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to work quietly and so provide their own food to eat. But you, brothers and sisters, do not grow weary in doing what is right. But if anyone does not obey our message through this letter, take note of him and do not associate closely with him, so that he may be ashamed. Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

And besides that, going around from house to house they learn to be lazy, and they are not only lazy, but also gossips and busybodies, talking about things they should not.

A certain one of them, in fact, one of their own prophets, said, "Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons."

But we passionately want each of you to demonstrate the same eagerness for the fulfillment of your hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and perseverance inherit the promises.

Go to the ant, you sluggard; observe its ways and be wise! It has no commander, overseer, or ruler, yet it prepares its food in the summer; it gathers at the harvest what it will eat.

She watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.

For you know yourselves how you must imitate us, because we did not behave without discipline among you, and we did not eat anyone's food without paying. Instead, in toil and drudgery we worked night and day in order not to burden any of you. It was not because we do not have that right, but to give ourselves as an example for you to imitate.

How long, you sluggard, will you lie there? When will you rise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to relax, and your poverty will come like a robber, and your need like an armed man.

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

The diligent person will rule, but the slothful will become a slave.

The appetite of the sluggard craves but gets nothing, but the desire of the diligent will be abundantly satisfied.

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

Laziness brings on a deep sleep, and the idle person will go hungry.