33 Bible Verses about Useless Endeavour

Most Relevant Verses

Ecclesiastes 1:2


“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher.
“Vanity of vanities! All [that is done without God’s guidance] is vanity [futile, meaningless—a wisp of smoke, a vapor that vanishes, merely chasing the wind].”

Ecclesiastes 12:8

“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher. “All [that is done without God’s guidance] is vanity (futility).”

Ecclesiastes 3:19

For the [earthly] fate of the sons of men and the fate of animals is the same. As one dies, so dies the other; indeed, they all have the same breath and there is no preeminence or advantage for man [in and of himself] over an animal, for all is vanity.

Ecclesiastes 11:8

Yes, if a man should live many years, let him rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness, for they will be many. All that is to come will be futility.

Ecclesiastes 1:14

I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity, a futile grasping and chasing after the wind.

Ecclesiastes 1:17

And I set my mind to know [practical] wisdom and to discern [the character of] madness and folly [in which men seem to find satisfaction]; I realized that this too is a futile grasping and chasing after the wind.

Ecclesiastes 2:11

Then I considered all which my hands had done and labored to do, and behold, all was vanity and chasing after the wind and there was no profit (nothing of lasting value) under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 2:17

So I hated life, for the work which had been done under the sun caused me only great sorrow; because all is futility and chasing after the wind.

Ecclesiastes 2:26

For to the person who pleases Him God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner He gives the work of gathering and collecting so that he may give to one who pleases God. This too is vanity and chasing after the wind.

Ecclesiastes 4:4

I have seen that every [effort in] labor and every skill in work comes from man’s rivalry with his neighbor. This too is vanity (futility, false pride) and chasing after the wind.

Ecclesiastes 4:16

There is no end to all the people; to all who were before them. Yet those who come later will not be happy with him. Surely this also is vanity (emptiness) and chasing after the wind.

Ecclesiastes 6:9

What the eyes see [enjoying what is available] is better than [craving] what the soul desires. This too is futility and chasing after the wind.

Ecclesiastes 2:1

I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure and gratification; so enjoy yourself and have a good time.” But behold, this too was vanity (futility, meaninglessness).

Ecclesiastes 2:15

Then I said to myself, “As it happens to the fool, so death will also happen to me. What use is it then for me to be extremely wise?” Then I said in my heart, “This too is vanity (meaningless).”

Ecclesiastes 2:19

And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have control over all the fruit of my labor for which I have labored by acting wisely under the sun. This too is vanity (futility, self-conceit).

Ecclesiastes 2:21

For there is a man who has labored with wisdom and knowledge and skill, yet gives his legacy to one who has not labored for it. This too is vanity and a great evil.

Ecclesiastes 2:23

For all his days his work is painful and sorrowful; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is vanity (worthless).

Ecclesiastes 4:8

There was a certain man—without a dependent, having neither a child nor a brother, yet there was no end to all his labor. Indeed, his eyes were not satisfied with riches and he never asked, “For whom do I labor and deprive myself of pleasure?” This too is vanity (a wisp of smoke, self-conceit); yes, it is a painful effort and an unhappy task.

Ecclesiastes 6:2

a man to whom God has given riches and wealth and honor, so that he lacks nothing of all that he desires, yet God has not given him the power or capacity to enjoy them [all those things which are gifts from God], but a stranger [in whom he has no interest succeeds him and] enjoys them. This is vanity and it is a [cause of] great distress.

Ecclesiastes 7:6


For like the crackling of [burning] thorn bushes under a pot,
So is the laughter of the fool;
And this too is vanity (futility).

Ecclesiastes 8:10

So then, I have seen the wicked buried, those who used to go in and out of the holy place [but did not thereby escape their doom], and they are [praised in spite of their evil and] soon forgotten in the city where they did such things. This too is futility (vanity, emptiness).

Ecclesiastes 8:14

There is a meaningless and futile thing which is done on the earth: that is, there are righteous men whose gain is as though they were evil, and evil men whose gain is as though they were righteous. I say that this too is futility (meaningless, vain).

Ecclesiastes 4:7

Then I looked again at vanity under the sun [in one of its peculiar forms].

Romans 8:20

For the creation was subjected to frustration and futility, not willingly [because of some intentional fault on its part], but by the will of Him who subjected it, in hope

2 Kings 17:15

They rejected His statutes and His covenant which He made with their fathers, as well as His warnings that he gave them. And they followed vanity [that is, false gods, idols] and became vain (empty-headed). They followed the [pagan practices of the] nations which surrounded them, although the Lord had commanded that they were not to do as they did.

Proverbs 12:11


He who tills his land will have plenty of bread,
But he who follows worthless things lacks common sense and good judgment.

Psalm 78:33


Therefore He consumed their days like a breath [in emptiness and futility]
And their years in sudden terror.

Job 7:3


So am I allotted months of futility and suffering,
And [long] nights of trouble and misery are appointed to me.

Job 15:31


“Let him not trust in vanity (emptiness, futility) and be led astray;
For emptiness will be his reward [for such living].

1 Peter 1:18

For you know that you were not redeemed from your useless [spiritually unproductive] way of life inherited [by tradition] from your forefathers with perishable things like silver and gold,

Matthew 8:12

while the sons and heirs of the kingdom [the descendants of Abraham who will not recognize Me as Messiah] will be thrown out into the outer darkness; in that place [which is farthest removed from the kingdom] there will be weeping [in sorrow and pain] and grinding of teeth [in distress and anger].”

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