What Does the Bible Say About Alcohol Abuse?

Proverbs 23:29-35 ESV / 82 helpful votes

Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaining? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? Those who tarry long over wine; those who go to try mixed wine. Do not look at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly. In the end it bites like a serpent and stings like an adder. Your eyes will see strange things, and your heart utter perverse things. ...

1 Peter 5:8 ESV / 76 helpful votes

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Ephesians 5:18 ESV / 75 helpful votes

And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,

Proverbs 20:1 ESV / 58 helpful votes

Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.

1 Corinthians 6:10 ESV / 51 helpful votes

Nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

Galatians 5:21 ESV / 41 helpful votes

Envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Isaiah 5:22 ESV / 40 helpful votes

Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine, and valiant men in mixing strong drink,

Isaiah 5:11 ESV / 38 helpful votes

Woe to those who rise early in the morning, that they may run after strong drink, who tarry late into the evening as wine inflames them!

1 Corinthians 3:17 ESV / 36 helpful votes

If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.

1 Corinthians 5:11 ESV / 27 helpful votes

But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one.

Romans 13:13 ESV / 27 helpful votes

Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ESV / 23 helpful votes

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

Romans 14:21 ESV / 22 helpful votes

It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble.

Luke 21:34 ESV / 22 helpful votes

“But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap.

Proverbs 21:17 ESV / 22 helpful votes

Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man; he who loves wine and oil will not be rich.

Titus 2:3 ESV / 21 helpful votes

Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good,

Isaiah 28:7 ESV / 18 helpful votes

These also reel with wine and stagger with strong drink; the priest and the prophet reel with strong drink, they are swallowed by wine, they stagger with strong drink, they reel in vision, they stumble in giving judgment.

Isaiah 28:1 ESV / 18 helpful votes

Ah, the proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim, and the fading flower of its glorious beauty, which is on the head of the rich valley of those overcome with wine!

1 Timothy 3:8 ESV / 17 helpful votes

Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 ESV / 17 helpful votes

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

Proverbs 11:17 ESV / 16 helpful votes

A man who is kind benefits himself, but a cruel man hurts himself.

1 Timothy 5:23 ESV / 15 helpful votes

(No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.)

Romans 12:2 ESV / 14 helpful votes

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Luke 7:34 ESV / 14 helpful votes

The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’

Numbers 6:1-27 ESV / 13 helpful votes

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When either a man or a woman makes a special vow, the vow of a Nazirite, to separate himself to the Lord, he shall separate himself from wine and strong drink. He shall drink no vinegar made from wine or strong drink and shall not drink any juice of grapes or eat grapes, fresh or dried. All the days of his separation he shall eat nothing that is produced by the grapevine, not even the seeds or the skins. “All the days of his vow of separation, no razor shall touch his head. Until the time is completed for which he separates himself to the Lord, he shall be holy. He shall let the locks of hair of his head grow long. ...

Romans 14:1-23 ESV / 12 helpful votes

As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. ...

Judges 13:7 ESV / 12 helpful votes

But he said to me, ‘Behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. So then drink no wine or strong drink, and eat nothing unclean, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb to the day of his death.’”

Genesis 9:21 ESV / 11 helpful votes

He drank of the wine and became drunk and lay uncovered in his tent.

Proverbs 31:4 ESV / 10 helpful votes

It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to take strong drink,

Numbers 6:3 ESV / 10 helpful votes

He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink. He shall drink no vinegar made from wine or strong drink and shall not drink any juice of grapes or eat grapes, fresh or dried.

Luke 1:15 ESV / 9 helpful votes

For he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.

Matthew 11:19 ESV / 8 helpful votes

The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.”

Hosea 4:11 ESV / 8 helpful votes

Whoredom, wine, and new wine, which take away the understanding.

Matthew 26:27 ESV / 7 helpful votes

And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you,

Amos 2:8-16 ESV / 7 helpful votes

They lay themselves down beside every altar on garments taken in pledge, and in the house of their God they drink the wine of those who have been fined. “Yet it was I who destroyed the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of the cedars and who was as strong as the oaks; I destroyed his fruit above and his roots beneath. Also it was I who brought you up out of the land of Egypt and led you forty years in the wilderness, to possess the land of the Amorite. And I raised up some of your sons for prophets, and some of your young men for Nazirites. Is it not indeed so, O people of Israel?” declares the Lord. “But you made the Nazirites drink wine, and commanded the prophets, saying, ‘You shall not prophesy.’ ...

Proverbs 31:1-31 ESV / 7 helpful votes

The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him: What are you doing, my son? What are you doing, son of my womb? What are you doing, son of my vows? Do not give your strength to women, your ways to those who destroy kings. It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to take strong drink, lest they drink and forget what has been decreed and pervert the rights of all the afflicted. ...

Luke 7:33 ESV / 6 helpful votes

For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’

Luke 10:34 ESV / 5 helpful votes

He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him.

Daniel 1:8 ESV / 5 helpful votes

But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself.

Jeremiah 23:9 ESV / 5 helpful votes

Concerning the prophets: My heart is broken within me; all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man, like a man overcome by wine, because of the Lord and because of his holy words.

40 Bible Verses about Alcohol Abuse

Proverbs 23:29-35 ESV / 82 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Peter 5:8 ESV / 76 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Ephesians 5:18 ESV / 75 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 20:1 ESV / 58 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Corinthians 6:10 ESV / 51 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Galatians 5:21 ESV / 41 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Isaiah 5:22 ESV / 40 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Isaiah 5:11 ESV / 38 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Corinthians 3:17 ESV / 36 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Corinthians 5:11 ESV / 27 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Romans 13:13 ESV / 27 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ESV / 23 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Romans 14:21 ESV / 22 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Luke 21:34 ESV / 22 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 21:17 ESV / 22 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Titus 2:3 ESV / 21 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Isaiah 28:7 ESV / 18 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Isaiah 28:1 ESV / 18 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Timothy 3:8 ESV / 17 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 ESV / 17 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 11:17 ESV / 16 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Timothy 5:23 ESV / 15 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Romans 12:2 ESV / 14 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Luke 7:34 ESV / 14 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Numbers 6:1-27 ESV / 13 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Romans 14:1-23 ESV / 12 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Judges 13:7 ESV / 12 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Genesis 9:21 ESV / 11 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 31:4 ESV / 10 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Numbers 6:3 ESV / 10 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Luke 1:15 ESV / 9 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 11:19 ESV / 8 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Hosea 4:11 ESV / 8 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 26:27 ESV / 7 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Amos 2:8-16 ESV / 7 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 31:1-31 ESV / 7 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Luke 7:33 ESV / 6 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Luke 10:34 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Daniel 1:8 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Jeremiah 23:9 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

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