13 Bible Verses about Moderation

But the fruit produced by the Holy Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. There can be no law against [practicing] these things.

For God's unearned favor has appeared, bringing salvation to all people [i.e., in the coming of Christ]. It instructs us to give up ungodly living and worldly desires and to live sensible, righteous and godly lives in this present age,

"Again, you have heard what was said to people in time's past [Lev. 19:12], 'You must not go back on your oaths, but [rather] fulfill the oaths you take to the Lord.' But I say to you, do not take any oath, [saying] 'by heaven,' for it is God's throne; nor 'by earth,' for it is the footstool for His feet; nor 'by Jerusalem,' for it is the city of the great King [i.e., God].read more.
You should not take an oath, [saying] 'by my head,' for you cannot make a single hair white or black. But you should just say 'yes' [when you mean] yes, and 'no' [when you mean] no. Whatever you say beyond these [i.e., enforcing them by oaths] is of the evil one [i.e., the devil].

Your speech should always be favorable, seasoned with salt [i.e., interesting and appropriate], so that you may know how to properly answer each person [you talk with].

And do not get drunk on wine, which results in ruined lives, but be filled with the Holy Spirit.

So then, we should not be [spiritually] asleep, like the rest [i.e., the unsaved world], but we should be alert and sober [i.e., in control of our senses]. For people sleep at night, and get drunk at night [i.e., generally speaking]. But, since we belong to the daytime [i.e., are enlightened], we should be sober. We should put on the "flack jacket" of faith and love, and for a helmet, the hope of being saved.

Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of [only] one wife, sober-minded [Note: When this word, used here figuratively, is used in its literal sense, it means to abstain from intoxicating drinks], sensible, respectable, hospitable, capable of teaching. [He must] not be a drunkard or a fighter, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not wanting to get money by questionable [or, dishonest] means.

As God's manager [of the church], an overseer must be free from just blame, not a drunkard, not a fighter [and] not in love with money. [He must be] hospitable, someone who loves what is good, sensible, upright, devout and self-controlled.

Older men should be sober-minded [See note at I Tim. 3:2], dignified [i.e., respectable], sensible, sound in the faith [or, "in their faith"], in their love and in their perseverance. Older women, likewise, should be reverent in their behavior, not slanderers, not addicted to much wine, teachers of what is good. Then they can train the young women to love their husbands, to love their children,read more.
to be sensible, [morally] pure, [good] homemakers, kind [and] in subjection to their own husbands, so that God's message will not be spoken against. In the same way, you should exhort the younger men to be sensible. In everything [you do], you should show that you are a [proper] example of doing good deeds. In your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that the person who opposes [us] will have to be ashamed for not having anything bad to say about us.

"It is too bad for you hypocritical experts in the law of Moses and [you] Pharisees! For you give a tenth of your mint, dill and cumin [i.e., small garden herbs used for seasoning or fragrance], and [yet] neglect the heavier responsibilities required by the law, [such as] justice, mercy and faith. You should have done these ["lighter"] things and not neglected to do the other ["heavier"] things [as well]. You blind leaders, who strain out a [tiny] gnat [i.e., from your drinking water] and [yet] swallow a [whole] camel. "It is too bad for you hypocritical experts in the law of Moses and [you] Pharisees! For you [carefully] wash the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they [i.e., such evil people] are full of greed and uncontrolled desire.read more.
You blind Pharisees! First wash the inside of the cup and dish, so [then] the outside will be clean also.

So, what is the conclusion, brothers? When you people assemble together, each one of you has a psalm [to sing], or a lesson [to teach], or a [supernatural] revelation [to give], or a language [to speak supernaturally], or an interpretation [of that language]. Everything that is done should be for the building up [of the church]. If any person speaks in a language [supernaturally], there should be [only] two, or at most three people [doing it in one meeting], and they should take turns. And [only] one person should interpret [the language spoken]. But if there is no interpreter present [at the meeting], the person [i.e., with the ability to speak a language supernaturally] should remain quiet in the assembly. [Note: This implies that the speaker would know before he begins speaking whether or not an interpreter is present]. [In that case], he should speak [only] to himself and to God. [See verse 2].read more.
And [only] two or three prophets should speak [in one meeting], and [then] other people should determine the significance [of their messages]. But if something is revealed [supernaturally, at about the same time] to another person sitting nearby, the first one should finish speaking [i.e., before the second one begins]. For all of you [i.e., who have the gifts], can prophesy, one at a time, so that all of you may learn and be encouraged. And the prophets' spirits are [to be] under the prophets' control [i.e., a prophet was to determine if or when he exercised his gift], because God is not a God of disorder but of peace [i.e., harmony]. As is the practice in all of the churches of the saints [i.e., God's holy people],

I know about your deeds, that you are neither [spiritually] cold nor hot. I wish you were [either] cold or hot. But since you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am about to vomit you out of my mouth.

"And write [this] to the angel of the church at Sardis: These are the words of Him who has the seven Spirits of God [i.e., Jesus, who has the Holy Spirit] and the seven stars [i.e., the seven angels of the seven churches. See 1:20]: I know about your deeds, that you have a reputation for being [spiritually] alive, but you are [really] dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains [i.e., those few in the church who were trying to stay faithful], who are about to die. For I have not found [any] of your deeds to be complete before my God.