49 Bible Verses about Waste

And not many days later the younger son gathered everything together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent everything, there arose a great famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.read more.
And he would gladly have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.

There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spends it up.

Whosoever loves wisdom rejoices his father: but he that keeps company with harlots wastes his substance.

And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, who had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods.

Come now, you rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver is rusted; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as if it were fire. You have heaped treasure together for the last days.read more.
Behold, the hire of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, cries: and the cries of them who have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of hosts. You have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; you have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter. You have condemned and killed the just; and he does not resist you.

For the time past of our life will suffice us to have done the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in licentiousness, lusts, excess of wine, reveling, carousing, and abominable idolatries: In which they think it strange that you run not with them to the same excess of dissipation, speaking evil of you: Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the living and the dead.

Hear me now therefore, O you children, and depart not from the words of my mouth. Remove your way far from her, and come not near the door of her house: Lest you give your honor unto others, and your years unto the merciless:read more.
Lest strangers be filled with your wealth; and your labors go to the house of a foreigner; And you mourn at the last, when your flesh and your body are consumed, And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof; And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined my ear to them that instructed me! I was almost in utter ruin in the midst of the congregation and assembly.

When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.

They that regard vain idols forsake their own mercy.

Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walks in darkness knows not where he goes. While you have light, believe in the light, that you may be the children of light. These things spoke Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.

We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that you receive not the grace of God in vain.

But now, after you have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn you again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage? You observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid for you, lest I have bestowed upon you labor in vain.

For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful expectation of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:read more.
Of how much worse punishment, suppose you, shall he be thought worthy, who has trodden under foot the Son of God, and has counted the blood of the covenant, with which he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and has done insult unto the Spirit of grace?

For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

For the kingdom of heaven is as a man traveling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his own ability; and immediately took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made five other talents.read more.
And likewise he that had received two, he also gained another two. But he that had received one went and dug in the earth, and hid his lord's money. After a long time the lord of those servants came, and settled accounts with them. And so he that had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, Lord, you delivered unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, you good and faithful servant: you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things: enter into the joy of your lord. He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, you delivered unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things: enter into the joy of your lord. Then he who had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew you that you are a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not spread: And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the earth: lo, there you have what is yours. His lord answered and said unto him, You wicked and slothful servant, you knew that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not spread: You ought therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received my own with interest. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him who has ten talents. For unto everyone that has shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that has not shall be taken away even that which he has. And cast the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And he called his ten servants, and delivered to them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.read more.
And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. Then came the first, saying, Lord, your pound has gained ten pounds. And he said unto him, Well done, good servant: because you have been faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities. And the second came, saying, Lord, your pound has gained five pounds. And he said likewise to him, Be also over five cities. And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is your pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin: For I feared you, because you are a severe man: you take up what you laid not down, and reap what you did not sow. And he said unto him, Out of your own mouth will I judge you, you wicked servant. You knew that I was a severe man, taking up what I laid not down, and reaping what I did not sow: Why then gave not you my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required my own with interest? And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that has ten pounds. (And they said unto him, Lord, he has ten pounds.) For I say unto you, That unto everyone who has shall be given; and from him that has not, even what he has shall be taken away from him. But those my enemies, who would not that I should reign over them, bring here, and slay them before me.

Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night comes, when no man can work.

As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

Walk in wisdom toward them that are outsiders, redeeming the time.

Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and tear you.

He that reproves a scoffer gets for himself shame: and he that rebukes a wicked man gets himself injury.

Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of your words.

But the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

And Jacob boiled pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint: And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray you, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom. And Jacob said, Sell me this day your birthright.read more.
And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point of death: and what profit shall this birthright be to me? And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he swore unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.

Lest there be any immoral, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright.

And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, Come up this once, for he has showed me all his heart. Then the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and brought money in their hand. And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him. And she said, The Philistines be upon you, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he knew not that the LORD was departed from him.read more.
But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of bronze; and he did grind in the prison house.

And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armorbearer.

And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son: Also he told them to teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher. The beauty of Israel is slain upon your high places: how are the mighty fallen!read more.
Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph. You mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain, upon you, nor fields of offerings: for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil. From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty. Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions. You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel. How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, you were slain in your high places. I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant have you been unto me: your love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women. How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!

Then Judas, who had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see you to that. And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.

Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, There came unto him a woman having an alabaster flask of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat to eat. But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste?read more.
For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor. When Jesus knew it, he said unto them, Why trouble you the woman? for she has worked a good work unto me. For you have the poor always with you; but me you have not always. For in that she has poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial. Verily I say unto you, Wherever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, which this woman has done, be told for a memorial of her.

And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at table, there came a woman having an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard very precious; and she broke the flask, and poured it on his head. And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her.read more.
And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble you her? she has wrought a good work for me. For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you will you may do them good: but me you have not always. She has done what she could: she has come beforehand to anoint my body for burying. Verily I say unto you, Wherever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she has done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.

Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odor of the ointment.read more.
Then said one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, who would betray him, Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bore what was put therein. Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burial has she kept this. For the poor always you have with you; but me you have not always.

And he, like a rotten thing, consumes, as a garment that is moth-eaten.

His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen; and his bones that were not seen now stick out.

When I kept silence, my bones grew old through my groaning all the day long.

They that are slain with the sword are better than they that are slain with hunger: for these pine away, stricken through for lack of the fruits of the field.

For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

Behold, I will command, says the LORD, and cause them to return to this city; and they shall fight against it, and take it, and burn it with fire: and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation without an inhabitant.

And I will make your cities waste, and bring your sanctuaries unto desolation, and I will not smell the aroma of your sweet odors. And I will bring the land into desolation: and your enemies who dwell therein shall be astonished at it. And I will scatter you among the nations, and will draw out a sword after you: and your land shall be desolate, and your cities waste.

Then the priest shall charge the woman to take an oath of cursing, and the priest shall say unto the woman, The LORD make you a curse and an oath among your people, when the LORD does make your thigh to rot, and your belly to swell;

The LORD shall strike you with a consumption, and with a fever, and with an inflammation, and with fiery heat, and with the sword, and with blight, and with mildew; and they shall pursue you until you perish.

And that the whole land thereof is brimstone, and salt, and burning, that it is not sown, nor does it bear, nor any grass grows therein, like the overthrow of Sodom, and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim, which the LORD overthrew in his anger, and in his wrath:

They shall be wasted with hunger, and devoured with burning heat, and with bitter destruction: I will also send the teeth of animals upon them, with the poison of serpents of the dust.

Many times did he deliver them; but they provoked him with their counsel, and were brought low for their iniquity.

Behold, the LORD makes the earth empty, and makes it waste, and turns it upside down, and scatters abroad its inhabitants.

That they may lack bread and water, and be dismayed one with another, and waste away for their iniquity.

Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke: among the tribes of Israel have I made known that which shall surely be.