What Does the Bible Say About Laziness? 15+ Verses on Diligence and Work

"Go to the ant, you sluggard. Consider her ways, and be wise; which having no chief, overseer, or ruler, provides her bread in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest."

"How long will you sleep, sluggard? When will you arise out of your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: so your poverty will come as a robber, and your scarcity as an armed man."

"The soul of the sluggard desires, and has nothing, but the desire of the diligent shall be fully satisfied."

"He becomes poor who works with a lazy hand, but the hand of the diligent brings wealth."

"The hands of the diligent ones shall rule, but laziness ends in slave labor."

"The sluggard will not plow by reason of the winter; therefore he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing."

"Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep. The idle soul shall suffer hunger."

"One who is slack in his work is brother to him who is a master of destruction."

"The desire of the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labor."

"As the door turns on its hinges, so does the sluggard on his bed."

"For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: “If anyone will not work, don’t let him eat.”"

"And whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord, and not for men,"

"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work, nor plan, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, where you are going."

"not lagging in diligence; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;"

"that you won’t be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and perseverance inherited the promises."

"In all hard work there is profit, but the talk of the lips leads only to poverty."

"But if anyone doesn’t provide for his own, and especially his own household, he has denied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever."

"By slothfulness the roof sinks in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaks."