25 Bible Verses about Waste

a little while after the younger son turn'd all he had into money, and travell'd into a foreign country, where he squander'd away his fortune in luxurious living. when he had spent all, there happen'd to be a severe famine in that country; and he was reduced to want, which forc'd him to make his application to one of the inhabitants there, who sent him to his farm to look after his swine.read more.
for he would have been contented to have liv'd upon the carruways, with which they usually fed the swine: but nobody would supply him.

Jesus said likewise to his disciples, a certain rich man had an information against his steward, for making havock of his estate.

As for you that are rich: weep, and lament the miserys that are falling upon you. your wealth is wasted, your wardrobe is devour'd by the worm, and your gold and silver by rust: that rust shall convict you: that rust shall corrode your flesh like a caustic, which you have treasur'd up against the last days.read more.
hark! what a noise there is of hire, of which you cheated the labourers, who gather'd in your harvest! the cries of the reapers have reach'd even the Lord of the celestial militia. you have liv'd on the earth in voluptuousness and luxury: you have indulg'd your selves as in a day of sacrifice: you have condemn'd the just, you have put him to death, though he did not oppose you.

for the time past of your lives may suffice, to have liv'd in conformity to the Gentile customs, in impurity, licentiousness, sottishness, in dissolute festivals, and the criminal rites of idolaters. As they think it strange, that you don't concur in the same profusion of luxury, they traduce you. but they will be call'd to account by him, who is ready to judge both the living and the dead.

when they were filled, he said to his disciples, gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. they gathered them therefore, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley-loaves, which remained after they all had been eating.

Jesus answer'd them, yet a little while is the light with you: walk while ye have the light, lest darkness surprize you: for he that walketh in darkness, does not know whither he goes. while ye have the light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. after having said these things, Jesus retir'd, and conceal'd himself from them.

Invested then with such a commission, I beseech you let not the offers of divine favour be made to you in vain.

or rather that you are favoured by him, how can ye turn again to the weak and beggarly elements of the law, to which you desire again to be in bondage? observing as you do, the days, the moons, the feasts and years. you make me apprehensive, that the labour I have bestowed upon you will be all in vain.

for if we wilfully apostatize, after having received the knowledge of the truth, it is as a sin for which there is no sacrifice appointed. and nothing is to be expected but that dreadful judgment, and fiery indignation, which shall devour all such adversaries. He that by two or three witnesses was convicted of violating Moses's law, was put to death without mercy.read more.
don't you think then that he deserves a much greater punishment, who hath despised the son of God, and counted the blood of the covenant wherewith be was sanctified, to have been justly shed, thereby offering an indignity to the spirit of grace?

for it had been better for them, not to have made any profession of the gospel, than after they have embraced it, to abandon the holy injunction, that was delivered to them.

So it was when a man was going to travel into a foreign country, he called his servants, and delivered to them his stock: to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to every man according to his respective ability, and then set out on his journey. now he that had received five talents, immediately employed them in trade, and gain'd five talents more.read more.
so he that had received two, gained likewise other two. but he that had received one, went to dig a hole in the ground, and hid his lord's money. after a long time the lord of those servants came, and reckoned with them. accordingly he that had received five talents, came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, you delivered to me five talents: besides those, there's five talents more, which I have gain'd. his lord said to him, well done, thou art an honest faithful servant; thou hast been faithful in a small trust, I will give thee a much larger trust; go in and partake of thy master's diversions. he also that had received two talents, came and said, Lord, you delivered to me two talents: here are two other talents which I have gain'd besides them. his lord said to him, well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful in a small trust, I will give thee a much larger trust: go in and partake of your master's joy. then came he who had received the one talent, and said, Lord, I knew that you were a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered: fear made me hide the talent under ground: but there you have what is your own. his lord answered and said unto him, thou vile slothful wretch, you knew that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not scatter'd: should not you then have lodged my money at the banker's, and so at my return I should have received my own with interest. here, take the talent from him, and give it to him that has the ten. for he that makes use of what he has, shall have more; but if he makes no improvement thereof, it shall be taken from him. take then that worthless fellow, turn him out in the dark, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

a nobleman, said he, was going to travel to a foreign country, in order to have his kingdom confirm'd to him at his return. and he called ten of his servants, to whom he deliver'd ten pounds: improve that, said he, till I return. but he being hated by the citizens, after he was gone, they sent a deputation to court, to make this protest, "we will not have him for our king."read more.
upon his return, being confirm'd king, he order'd the servants, he had trusted with the money, to appear, and inform him, what improvement each of them had made. the first came and said, Lord, your one pound has gained ten more. he answer'd, honest servant, that's well: since your industry has made so much of so little, I give you the government of ten cities. then the second came, and said, Lord, your pound has produc'd five more. his master replied, you shall be governor of five cities. but another came and said, Lord, here's your money, which I laid up safe in a napkin. for I was in fear of you, knowing you to be a hard master, who exact what you never gave, and reap where you have never sown. wicked slave, said he, from your own mouth will I convict thee. "you knew I was a hard master, exacting what I never gave, and reaping where I never sowed: " why then did you not lodge my money in the bank, that on my return I might have drawn it out with interest? then he said to his attendants, take the one pound from him, and give it him, that gain'd ten. but they objected, Lord, he has already ten pounds: I tell you, said he, that to every one who improves, more shall be given: and he that makes no improvement, shall be stript of what he has. as for those enemies of mine, who would not have me for their king, bring them here, and slay them in my presence.

weighing the circumstances of the season, because the times are dangerous.

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

therefore as we have opportunity, let us do good offices to all men, especially to the family of believers.

Be prudent in your conduct to those, who are not christians: and make the best of of every opportunity.

Give not that which is holy to the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest these trample them under foot, and those turn upon you and tear you.

but the animal man does not receive the effusions of the spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him; neither can he understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

let there be no licentious or profane person, such as Esau, "who sold his birth-right, for a single mess."

At the same time, Judas who had betrayed him, finding that he was condemned, repented, and carried back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and senators, saying, I have sinned in betraying the blood of the innocent: and they said, what is it to us? you must look to that. then throwing down the pieces of silver in the temple, he departed, and went and hanged himself.

Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon who had been a leper, there came to him a woman with an alabaster-box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, while he was at table. one of his disciples seeing this, with indignation said, to what purpose is this waste?read more.
for this could have been sold for a great price, which might have been given to the poor. Jesus perceiving this, said to them, why do you trouble the woman? for what she has done is out of regard to me. ye have the poor always with you, but me ye have not always. for her pouring this ointment on my body, is preparative to my burial. I declare unto you, in whatever quarter of the world, this part of the gospel-history shall be related, what this woman has now done shall be there mentioned to her praise.

now being at Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, while he was at table, there came a woman with a viol full of the perfume of spikenard, which was very costly; and she opened the viol, and poured it upon his head. but some had a secret indignation, and said, why must the perfume be so wasted? for we could have sold it for above two hundred denarys, and given them to the poor: and they inveighed against her.read more.
but Jesus said, let her alone, why do you disquiet her? it is commendable, what she has done out of respect to me. the poor you have always with you, and you may relieve them whenever you please: but me you will not always have. she has done what she could: she has perfum'd my body previously to my burial. I declare unto you, in whatever quarter of the world this part of the gospel-history shall be related, this action of hers shall be mention'd to her praise.

Six days before the passover Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, who had been dead, and raised to life again. there a supper was provided for him; Martha was in waiting: but Lazarus was one of the guests that sat at table with him. but Mary taking a pound of the oil of spikenard which was very costly, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped them with her hair: so that the house was filled with the odour of the perfume.read more.
whereupon one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, who was to betray him, said, why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, to be given to the poor? this he said, not out of any concern for the poor; but because being purse-bearer he used to pilfer what was in bank. then said Jesus, let her alone: against the day of my burial hath she kept this. the poor you will always have with you; but me you will not always have.

for which cause I am not discouraged, but tho' my body decays, yet my mind is daily renewed.