53 Bible Verses about Self Control

A fool uttereth all his mind; but a wise man keepeth it back.

Proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel: to know wisdom and instruction; to discern the words of understanding; to receive the instruction of wisdom, righteousness and judgment, and equity;read more.
to give prudence to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion. He that is wise will hear, and will increase learning; and the intelligent will gain wise counsels:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, fidelity, meekness, self-control: against such things there is no law.

For the grace of God which carries with it salvation for all men has appeared, teaching us that, having denied impiety and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, and justly, and piously in the present course of things,

The overseer then must be irreproachable, husband of one wife, sober, discreet, decorous, hospitable, apt to teach;

but hospitable, a lover of goodness, discreet, just, pious, temperate,

that the elder men be sober, grave, discreet, sound in faith, in love, in patience;

But for this very reason also, using therewith all diligence, in your faith have also virtue, in virtue knowledge, in knowledge temperance, in temperance endurance, in endurance godliness, in godliness brotherly love, in brotherly love love:read more.
for these things existing and abounding in you make you to be neither idle nor unfruitful as regards the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ; for he with whom these things are not present is blind, short-sighted, and has forgotten the purging of his former sins.

I therefore thus run, as not uncertainly; so I combat, as not beating the air. But I buffet my body, and lead it captive, lest after having preached to others I should be myself rejected.

But if any one think that he behaves unseemly to his virginity, if he be beyond the flower of his age, and so it must be, let him do what he will, he does not sin: let them marry. But he who stands firm in his heart, having no need, but has authority over his own will, and has judged this in his heart to keep his own virginity, he does well. So that he that marries himself does well; and he that does not marry does better.

For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication; that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honour, (not in passionate desire, even as the nations who know not God,)read more.
not overstepping the rights of and wronging his brother in the matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all these things, even as we also told you before, and have fully testified. For God has not called us to uncleanness, but in sanctification.

Wherefore, having girded up the loins of your mind, be sober and hope with perfect stedfastness in the grace which will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

So then do not let us sleep as the rest do, but let us watch and be sober; for they that sleep sleep by night, and they that drink drink by night; but we being of the day, let us be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as helmet the hope of salvation;

But the end of all things is drawn nigh: be sober therefore, and be watchful unto prayers;

Be vigilant, watch. Your adversary the devil as a roaring lion walks about seeking whom he may devour.

Set a watch, O Jehovah, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.

So that, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;

Thou hast proved my heart, thou hast visited me by night; thou hast tried me, thou hast found nothing: my thought goeth not beyond my word.

The heart of the wise maketh his mouth intelligent, and upon his lips increaseth learning.

Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.

Be not many teachers, my brethren, knowing that we shall receive greater judgment. For we all often offend. If any one offend not in word, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body too. Behold, we put the bits in the mouths of the horses, that they may obey us, and we turn round their whole bodies.read more.
Behold also the ships, which are so great, and driven by violent winds, are turned about by a very small rudder, wherever the pleasure of the helmsman will. Thus also the tongue is a little member, and boasts great things. See how little a fire, how large a wood it kindles! and the tongue is fire, the world of unrighteousness; the tongue is set in our members, the defiler of the whole body, and which sets fire to the course of nature, and is set on fire of hell. For every species both of beasts and of birds, both of creeping things and of sea animals, is tamed and has been tamed by the human species; but the tongue can no one among men tame; it is an unsettled evil, full of death-bringing poison. Therewith bless we the Lord and Father, and therewith curse we men made after the likeness of God. Out of the same mouth goes forth blessing and cursing. It is not right, my brethren, that these things should be thus. Does the fountain, out of the same opening, pour forth sweet and bitter? Can, my brethren, a fig produce olives, or a vine figs? Neither can salt water make sweet water.

But I say unto you, not to resist evil; but whoever shall strike thee on thy right cheek, turn to him also the other; and to him that would go to law with thee and take thy body coat, leave him thy cloak also.

But to you that hear I say, Love your enemies; do good to those that hate you; bless those that curse you; pray for those who use you despitefully. To him that smites thee on the cheek, offer also the other; and from him that would take away thy garment, forbid not thy body-coat also.

Servants, be subject with all fear to your masters, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the ill-tempered. For this is acceptable, if one, for conscience sake towards God, endure griefs, suffering unjustly. For what glory is it, if sinning and being buffeted ye shall bear it? but if, doing good and suffering, ye shall bear it, this is acceptable with God.read more.
For to this have ye been called; for Christ also has suffered for you, leaving you a model that ye should follow in his steps: who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth; who, when reviled, reviled not again; when suffering, threatened not; but gave himself over into the hands of him who judges righteously;

And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes on Joseph, and said, Lie with me! But he refused, and said to his master's wife, Behold, my master takes cognizance of nothing with me: what is in the house, and all that he has, he has given into my hand. There is none greater in this house than I; neither has he withheld anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife; and how should I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?read more.
And it came to pass as she spoke to Joseph day by day and he hearkened not to her, to lie with her and to be with her, that on a certain day he went into the house to do his business, and there was none of the men of the house there in the house. Then she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me! But he left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran out.

And it came to pass when Saul had returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi. And Saul took three thousand men, chosen out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats. And he came to the sheepfolds by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet; and David and his men were abiding in the recesses of the cave.read more.
And David's men said to him, Behold the day of which Jehovah said to thee, Behold, I will give thine enemy into thy hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good to thee. And David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe secretly. And it came to pass afterwards that David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt. And he said to his men, Jehovah forbid that I should do this thing to my master, Jehovah's anointed, to stretch forth my hand against him, for he is the anointed of Jehovah. And David checked his men with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. And Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.

And David and Abishai came to the people by night, and behold, Saul lay sleeping within the wagon-defence, and his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Abner and the people lay round about him. And Abishai said to David, God has delivered thine enemy into thy hand this day; and now let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear, even to the ground once, and I will not do it the second time. And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not; for who can stretch forth his hand against Jehovah's anointed, and be guiltless?read more.
And David said, As Jehovah liveth, Jehovah will surely smite him; either his day shall come to die, or he shall descend into battle and perish. Jehovah forbid that I should stretch forth my hand against Jehovah's anointed! But now take, I pray thee, the spear that is at his head, and the cruse of water, and let us go. And David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul's head; and they went away, and no man saw it, and none knew it, and none awaked, for they were all asleep; for a deep sleep from Jehovah had fallen upon them.

And Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head. And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, for Jehovah has said to him, Curse David! Who shall then say, Why dost thou so?

I made a covenant with mine eyes; and how should I fix my regard upon a maid?

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, but he opened not his mouth; he was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and was as a sheep dumb before her shearers, and he opened not his mouth.

But he was silent, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and says to him, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?

Then the soldiers of the governor, having taken Jesus with them to the praetorium, gathered against him the whole band, and having taken off his garment, put on him a scarlet cloak; and having woven a crown out of thorns, they put it on his head, and a reed in his right hand; and, bowing the knee before him, they mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!read more.
And having spit upon him, they took the reed and beat him on his head.

and labour, working with our own hands. Railed at, we bless; persecuted, we suffer it; insulted, we entreat: we are become as the offscouring of the world, the refuse of all, until now.

Know ye not that they who run in the race-course run all, but one receives the prize? Thus run in order that ye may obtain. But every one that contends for a prize is temperate in all things: they then indeed that they may receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible. I therefore thus run, as not uncertainly; so I combat, as not beating the air.read more.
But I buffet my body, and lead it captive, lest after having preached to others I should be myself rejected.

A fool's mouth is destruction to him, and his lips are a snare to his soul.

Thus saith Jehovah to this people: Even so have they loved to wander, they have not refrained their feet; and Jehovah hath no delight in them: now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins.

And it came to pass the next day that an evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house, but David played with his hand, as on other days; and the spear was in Saul's hand. And Saul cast the spear, and thought, I will smite David and the wall. But David turned away from him twice.

And David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go, I pray thee, to thy brother Amnon's house, and dress him food. And Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house; and he had lain down. And she took flour and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes. And she took the pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, Put every man out from me. And they went out every man from him.read more.
And Amnon said to Tamar, Bring the dish into the chamber, that I may eat of thy hand. And Tamar took the cakes that she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother. And she presented them to him to eat; and he took hold of her, and said to her, Come, lie with me, my sister. And she said to him, No, my brother, do not humble me; for no such thing is done in Israel: do not this infamy. And I, whither shall I carry my reproach? and thou wouldest be as one of the infamous in Israel. And now, I pray thee, speak to the king; for he will not withhold me from thee. But he would not hearken to her voice, and was stronger than she, and humbled her and lay with her.

And they moved him to wrath at the waters of Meribah, and it went ill with Moses on their account; For they provoked his spirit, so that he spoke unadvisedly with his lips.

My son, if thou hast become surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand for a stranger, thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth. Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, since thou hast come into the hand of thy friend: go, humble thyself, and be urgent with thy friend.

Where there is no vision the people cast off restraint; but happy is he that keepeth the law.

And as he reasoned concerning righteousness, and temperance, and the judgment about to come, Felix, being filled with fear, answered, Go for the present, and when I get an opportunity I will send for thee;

Wherefore God gave them up also in the lusts of their hearts to uncleanness, to dishonour their bodies between themselves: who changed the truth of God into falsehood, and honoured and served the creature more than him who had created it, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this reason God gave them up to vile lusts; for both their females changed the natural use into that contrary to nature;read more.
and in like manner the males also, leaving the natural use of the female, were inflamed in their lust towards one another; males with males working shame, and receiving in themselves the recompense of their error which was fit. And according as they did not think good to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up to a reprobate mind to practise unseemly things; being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, malice; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil dispositions; whisperers, back-biters, hateful to God, insolent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, void of understanding, faithless, without natural affection, unmerciful;

Defraud not one another, unless, it may be, by consent for a time, that ye may devote yourselves to prayer, and again be together, that Satan tempt you not because of your incontinency.

But if they have not control over themselves, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn.

(which have indeed an appearance of wisdom in voluntary worship, and humility, and harsh treatment of the body, not in a certain honour,) to the satisfaction of the flesh.

But these, as natural animals without reason, made to be caught and destroyed, speaking injuriously in things they are ignorant of, shall also perish in their own corruption, receiving the reward of unrighteousness; accounting ephemeral indulgence pleasure; spots and blemishes, rioting in their own deceits, feasting with you; having eyes full of adultery, and that cease not from sin, alluring unestablished souls; having a heart practised in covetousness, children of curse;

He that guardeth his mouth keepeth his soul; destruction shall be to him that openeth wide his lips.

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body to obey its lusts.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, fidelity,

He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.

He that overcomes shall inherit these things, and I will be to him God, and he shall be to me son.

And spirits of prophets are subject to prophets.