Idleness and Sloth
26 passages listed in Nave’s Topical Bible and Torrey’s New Topical Textbook. Verse text: Berean Standard Bible; links open in your translation.
18 sections
- Accompanied by Conceit
- Akin to Extravagance
- Athenians
- Effects of, Afford Instruction to Others
- False Excuses For
- Forbidden
- Illustrated
- Lead to Bondage
- Lead to Disappointment
- Lead to Hunger
- Lead to Poverty
- Lead to Ruin
- Lead to Tattling and Meddling
- Lead to Want
- Produce Apathy
- Remonstrance Against
- Thessalonians
- Watchmen
Accompanied by Conceit
- Proverbs 26:16 The slacker is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer discreetly.
Akin to Extravagance
- Proverbs 18:9 Whoever is slothful in his work is brother to him who destroys.
Athenians
- Acts 17:21 Now all the Athenians and foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing more than hearing and articulating new ideas.
Effects of, Afford Instruction to Others
- Proverbs 24:30–32 I went past the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of a man lacking judgment. …
False Excuses For
- Proverbs 20:4 The slacker does not plow in season; at harvest time he looks, but nothing is there.
- Proverbs 22:13 The slacker says, “There is a lion outside! I will be slain in the streets!”
Forbidden
- Romans 12:11 Do not let your zeal subside; keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.
- Hebrews 6:12 Then you will not be sluggish, but will imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.
Illustrated
- Proverbs 26:14 As a door turns on its hinges, so the slacker turns on his bed.
- Matthew 25:18 But the servant who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money.
- Matthew 25:26 ‘You wicked, lazy servant!’ replied his master. ‘You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed.
Lead to Bondage
- Proverbs 12:24 The hand of the diligent will rule, but laziness ends in forced labor.
Lead to Disappointment
- Proverbs 13:4 The slacker craves yet has nothing, but the soul of the diligent is fully satisfied.
- Proverbs 21:25 The craving of the slacker kills him because his hands refuse to work.
Lead to Hunger
- Proverbs 19:15 Laziness brings on deep sleep, and an idle soul will suffer hunger.
- Proverbs 20:13 Do not love sleep, or you will grow poor; open your eyes, and you will have plenty of food.
Lead to Poverty
- Proverbs 10:4 Idle hands make one poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.
- Proverbs 20:13 Do not love sleep, or you will grow poor; open your eyes, and you will have plenty of food.
Lead to Ruin
- Proverbs 24:30–31 I went past the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of a man lacking judgment. …
- Ecclesiastes 10:18 Through laziness the roof caves in, and in the hands of the idle, the house leaks.
Lead to Tattling and Meddling
- 1 Timothy 5:13 At the same time they will also learn to be idle, going from house to house and being not only idle, but also gossips and busybodies, discussing things they should not mention.
Lead to Want
- Proverbs 20:4 The slacker does not plow in season; at harvest time he looks, but nothing is there.
- Proverbs 24:34 and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit.
Produce Apathy
- Proverbs 12:27 A lazy man does not roast his game, but a diligent man prizes his possession.
- Proverbs 26:15 The slacker buries his hand in the dish; it wearies him to bring it back to his mouth.
Remonstrance Against
- Proverbs 6:6 Walk in the manner of the ant, O slacker; observe its ways and become wise.
- Proverbs 6:9 How long will you lie there, O slacker? When will you get up from your sleep?
Thessalonians
- 2 Thessalonians 3:11 For we hear that some of you are leading undisciplined lives, accomplishing nothing, but being busybodies.
Watchmen
- Isaiah 56:10 Israel’s watchmen are blind, they are all oblivious; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they are dreamers lying around, loving to slumber.
Related topics
IdlenessSlothfulnessDiligence in Temporal Matters, Leads to ProsperityVineyards of the Slothful Man Neglected and Laid Waste
Topics: Nave’s Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey’s New Topical Textbook (1897), public domain, via the Berean Bible topical index.