19 Bible Verses about Procrastination

Most Relevant Verses

Proverbs 6:2

If you have been snared with the words of your mouth,
Have been caught with the words of your mouth,

Proverbs 6:4

Give no sleep to your eyes,
Nor slumber to your eyelids;

Ecclesiastes 11:3-4

If the clouds are full, they pour out rain upon the earth; and whether a tree falls toward the south or toward the north, wherever the tree falls, there it lies. He who watches the wind will not sow and he who looks at the clouds will not reap.

Proverbs 6:6-8

Go to the ant, O sluggard,
Observe her ways and be wise,
Which, having no chief,
Officer or ruler,
Prepares her food in the summer
And gathers her provision in the harvest.

Exodus 22:29

“You shall not delay the offering from your harvest and your vintage. The firstborn of your sons you shall give to Me.

Deuteronomy 23:21

“When you make a vow to the Lord your God, you shall not delay to pay it, for it would be sin in you, and the Lord your God will surely require it of you.

Proverbs 15:19

The way of the lazy is as a hedge of thorns,
But the path of the upright is a highway.

Proverbs 22:13

The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside;
I will be killed in the streets!”

Proverbs 26:13-15

The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road!
A lion is in the open square!”
As the door turns on its hinges,
So does the sluggard on his bed.
The sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
He is weary of bringing it to his mouth again.

Ecclesiastes 5:4

When you make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for He takes no delight in fools. Pay what you vow!

Matthew 8:21-22

Another of the disciples said to Him, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.” But Jesus *said to him, “Follow Me, and allow the dead to bury their own dead.”

Matthew 25:1-12

“Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them,read more.
but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the prudent, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the prudent answered, ‘No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. Later the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’

Luke 9:59-62

And He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.” But He said to him, “Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.” Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say good-bye to those at home.”read more.
But Jesus said to him, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Matthew 19:16-22

And someone came to Him and said, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?” And He said to him, “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” Then he *said to Him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not commit murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness;read more.
Honor your father and mother; and You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The young man *said to Him, “All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?” Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property.

2 Corinthians 8:10-14

I give my opinion in this matter, for this is to your advantage, who were the first to begin a year ago not only to do this, but also to desire to do it. But now finish doing it also, so that just as there was the readiness to desire it, so there may be also the completion of it by your ability. For if the readiness is present, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have.read more.
For this is not for the ease of others and for your affliction, but by way of equality— at this present time your abundance being a supply for their need, so that their abundance also may become a supply for your need, that there may be equality;

Jeremiah 13:16

Give glory to the Lord your God,
Before He brings darkness
And before your feet stumble
On the dusky mountains,
And while you are hoping for light
He makes it into deep darkness,
And turns it into gloom.

From Thematic Bible


Procrastination » To be avoided in » Performance of vows

Ecclesiastes 5:4

When you make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for He takes no delight in fools. Pay what you vow!

Deuteronomy 23:21

When you make a vow to the Lord your God, you shall not delay to pay it, for it would be sin in you, and the Lord your God will surely require it of you.

Procrastination » Danger of, illustrated

Matthew 5:25

Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way, so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.

Luke 13:25

Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, ‘Lord, open up to us!’ then He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from.’

Procrastination » Saints avoid

Psalm 119:60

I hastened and did not delay
To keep Your commandments.

Procrastination » Causes of » Family cares

Luke 9:61

Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say good-bye to those at home.”

Procrastination » Motives for avoiding » The present the accepted time

Procrastination » Motives for avoiding » The present the best time

Procrastination » To be avoided in » Glorifying God

Jeremiah 13:16

Give glory to the Lord your God,
Before He brings darkness
And before your feet stumble
On the dusky mountains,
And while you are hoping for light
He makes it into deep darkness,
And turns it into gloom.

Procrastination » Motives for avoiding » The uncertainty of life

Procrastination » Causes of » Worldly entanglements

Genesis 19:16

But he hesitated. So the men seized his hand and the hand of his wife and the hands of his two daughters, for the compassion of the Lord was upon him; and they brought him out, and put him outside the city.

Procrastination » Exemplified

Genesis 19:16

But he hesitated. So the men seized his hand and the hand of his wife and the hands of his two daughters, for the compassion of the Lord was upon him; and they brought him out, and put him outside the city.

Procrastination » To be avoided in » Keeping God's commandments

Psalm 119:60

I hastened and did not delay
To keep Your commandments.

Procrastination » To be avoided in » Making offerings to God

Exodus 22:29

You shall not delay the offering from your harvest and your vintage. The firstborn of your sons you shall give to Me.

Procrastination » To be avoided in » Hearkening to God

Psalm 95:7-8

For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand Today, if you would hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, As in the day of Massah in the wilderness,

Procrastination » Instances of » Elisha

1 Kings 19:20-21

He left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, "Please let me kiss my father and my mother, then I will follow you." And he said to him, "Go back again, for what have I done to you?" So he returned from following him, and took the pair of oxen and sacrificed them and boiled their flesh with the implements of the oxen, and gave it to the people and they ate. Then he arose and followed Elijah and ministered to him.

Procrastination » Condemned by Christ

Luke 9:59-62

And He said to another, "Follow Me." But he said, "Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father." But He said to him, "Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God." Another also said, "I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say good-bye to those at home." read more.
But Jesus said to him, "No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."

Procrastination » To be avoided in » Seeking God

Procrastination » Exemplified » Felix

Procrastination » Causes of » Personal convenience

Procrastination » Causes of » Unbelief

Acts 17:32

Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some began to sneer, but others said, “We shall hear you again concerning this.”

Procrastination » Instances of » Pharaoh

Exodus 8:10

Then he said, “Tomorrow.” So he said, “May it be according to your word, that you may know that there is no one like the Lord our God.

Procrastination » Instances of » Esther

Esther 5:8

if I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and do what I request, may the king and Haman come to the banquet which I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do as the king says.”

Salvation » Neglect of » Procrastination

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