100 Bible Verses about Temperance

Galatians 5:23 ESV / 179 helpful votes

Gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

1 Corinthians 9:27 ESV / 141 helpful votes

But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

Titus 2:12 ESV / 136 helpful votes

Training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,

2 Peter 1:6 ESV / 109 helpful votes

And knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness,

Proverbs 25:16 ESV / 96 helpful votes

If you have found honey, eat only enough for you, lest you have your fill of it and vomit it.

Galatians 5:22-25 ESV / 95 helpful votes

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.

Romans 12:1-2 ESV / 84 helpful votes

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 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.

1 Corinthians 9:25 ESV / 80 helpful votes

Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.

Romans 13:14 ESV / 76 helpful votes

But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

1 Peter 5:8 ESV / 74 helpful votes

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

1 John 4:1-21 ESV / 51 helpful votes

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. ...

Titus 1:8 ESV / 50 helpful votes

But hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined.

Proverbs 23:1-3 ESV / 49 helpful votes

When you sit down to eat with a ruler, observe carefully what is before you, and put a knife to your throat if you are given to appetite. Do not desire his delicacies, for they are deceptive food.

Galatians 5:16 ESV / 43 helpful votes

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

Philippians 4:13 ESV / 42 helpful votes

I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Titus 2:2 ESV / 40 helpful votes

Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness.

Galatians 5:22-23 ESV / 39 helpful votes

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

1 Corinthians 3:16-17 ESV / 39 helpful votes

Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.

Romans 5:3-6 ESV / 39 helpful votes

Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.

Ephesians 5:18 ESV / 35 helpful votes

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

2 Peter 1:5 ESV / 34 helpful votes

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge,

Galatians 5:22 ESV / 34 helpful votes

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

1 Timothy 3:3 ESV / 31 helpful votes

Not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 ESV / 31 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. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Proverbs 25:28 ESV / 31 helpful votes

A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.

2 Timothy 1:7 ESV / 30 helpful votes

For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

1 Timothy 3:2 ESV / 29 helpful votes

Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,

Philippians 4:5 ESV / 29 helpful votes

Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand;

Titus 2:3 ESV / 28 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,

Titus 1:7 ESV / 28 helpful votes

For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain,

1 Thessalonians 5:21 ESV / 26 helpful votes

But test everything; hold fast what is good.

Acts 24:25 ESV / 25 helpful votes

And as he reasoned about righteousness and self-control and the coming judgment, Felix was alarmed and said, “Go away for the present. When I get an opportunity I will summon you.”

Daniel 1:12-16 ESV / 25 helpful votes

“Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the king's food be observed by you, and deal with your servants according to what you see.” So he listened to them in this matter, and tested them for ten days. At the end of ten days it was seen that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the king's food. So the steward took away their food and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables.

1 Timothy 3:8 ESV / 22 helpful votes

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

1 Thessalonians 5:6-8 ESV / 22 helpful votes

So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.

Philippians 3:20-21 ESV / 20 helpful votes

But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

Galatians 6:7-8 ESV / 19 helpful votes

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

John 15:1-8 ESV / 19 helpful votes

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. ...

Proverbs 16:32 ESV / 18 helpful votes

Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.

2 Peter 1:5-6 ESV / 17 helpful votes

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness,

John 8:32 ESV / 17 helpful votes

And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Daniel 1:8 ESV / 17 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.

1 Timothy 4:12 ESV / 16 helpful votes

Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.

Esther 1:8 ESV / 16 helpful votes

And drinking was according to this edict: “There is no compulsion.” For the king had given orders to all the staff of his palace to do as each man desired.

1 Corinthians 7:9 ESV / 15 helpful votes

But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV / 14 helpful votes

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

1 Peter 1:13 ESV / 13 helpful votes

Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

2 Timothy 4:5 ESV / 13 helpful votes

As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 ESV / 13 helpful votes

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

John 14:6 ESV / 13 helpful votes

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Esther 1:7 ESV / 13 helpful votes

Drinks were served in golden vessels, vessels of different kinds, and the royal wine was lavished according to the bounty of the king.

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. ...

Romans 1:1-32 ESV / 12 helpful votes

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, ...

Acts 2:1-47 ESV / 12 helpful votes

When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. ...

John 15:13 ESV / 12 helpful votes

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV / 11 helpful votes

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

John 3:16 ESV / 11 helpful votes

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

1 John 4:1 ESV / 10 helpful votes

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.

Ephesians 5:11 ESV / 10 helpful votes

Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.

2 Corinthians 6:14 ESV / 10 helpful votes

Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?

Romans 12:1 ESV / 10 helpful votes

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

Proverbs 12:28 ESV / 10 helpful votes

In the path of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death.

2 John 1:9-11 ESV / 9 helpful votes

Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.

1 Peter 4:10 ESV / 9 helpful votes

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace:

Romans 10:9-13 ESV / 9 helpful votes

Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Acts 2:38 ESV / 9 helpful votes

And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

1 John 4:8 ESV / 8 helpful votes

Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

2 Timothy 3:3 ESV / 8 helpful votes

Heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good,

1 Timothy 3:11 ESV / 8 helpful votes

Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things.

1 Timothy 3:8-9 ESV / 8 helpful votes

Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.

1 Corinthians 15:51-57 ESV / 8 helpful votes

Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” ...

1 Corinthians 15:16-23 ESV / 8 helpful votes

For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. ...

Proverbs 14:12 ESV / 8 helpful votes

There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.

1 Samuel 13:12 ESV / 8 helpful votes

I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the Lord.’ So I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering.”

Revelation 1:1-20 ESV / 7 helpful votes

The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood ...

1 Peter 2:24 ESV / 7 helpful votes

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

1 Thessalonians 5:6 ESV / 7 helpful votes

So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.

Colossians 2:17 ESV / 7 helpful votes

These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.

Philippians 4:8 ESV / 7 helpful votes

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Galatians 5:19-25 ESV / 7 helpful votes

Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 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. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. ...

Galatians 4:5 ESV / 7 helpful votes

To redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.

1 Corinthians 7:5 ESV / 7 helpful votes

Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

Romans 12:2 ESV / 7 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.

Romans 5:3-5 ESV / 7 helpful votes

Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

John 20:26 ESV / 7 helpful votes

Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”

John 16:33 ESV / 7 helpful votes

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

John 10:10 ESV / 7 helpful votes

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

Luke 1:37 ESV / 7 helpful votes

For nothing will be impossible with God.”

Mark 16:16 ESV / 7 helpful votes

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Matthew 26:29 ESV / 7 helpful votes

I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.”

Daniel 12:1-13 ESV / 7 helpful votes

“At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.” Then I, Daniel, looked, and behold, two others stood, one on this bank of the stream and one on that bank of the stream. ...

Genesis 43:31 ESV / 7 helpful votes

Then he washed his face and came out. And controlling himself he said, “Serve the food.”

1 Corinthians 15:26 ESV / 6 helpful votes

The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

Romans 13:1-5 ESV / 6 helpful votes

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience.

1 Timothy 1:8 ESV / 5 helpful votes

Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully,

Ephesians 1:19-23 ESV / 5 helpful votes

And what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Galatians 4:4 ESV / 5 helpful votes

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law,

2 Corinthians 8:9 ESV / 5 helpful votes

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.

Romans 3:23 ESV / 5 helpful votes

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

John 11:1-57 ESV / 5 helpful votes

Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. ...

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