100 Bible Verses about Moderation

1 Corinthians 6:12 ESV / 150 helpful votes

“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything.

Proverbs 25:27 ESV / 113 helpful votes

It is not good to eat much honey, nor is it glorious to seek one's own glory.

1 Corinthians 9:25 ESV / 104 helpful votes

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

Philippians 4:5 ESV / 89 helpful votes

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

Galatians 5:13 ESV / 80 helpful votes

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

Ephesians 5:18 ESV / 79 helpful votes

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

Proverbs 25:16 ESV / 77 helpful votes

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

Titus 2:7 ESV / 74 helpful votes

Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity,

Proverbs 20:1 ESV / 69 helpful votes

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

1 Peter 5:8 ESV / 56 helpful votes

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

1 Timothy 5:23 ESV / 55 helpful votes

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

Proverbs 23:20-21 ESV / 46 helpful votes

Be not among drunkards or among gluttonous eaters of meat, for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and slumber will clothe them with rags.

Titus 2:3 ESV / 40 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,

Colossians 2:20-23 ESV / 35 helpful votes

If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

1 Timothy 3:8 ESV / 30 helpful votes

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

Romans 14:21 ESV / 30 helpful votes

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

Psalm 104:15 ESV / 29 helpful votes

And wine to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face shine and bread to strengthen man's heart.

1 Timothy 6:10 ESV / 28 helpful votes

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

Ephesians 5:18-20 ESV / 28 helpful votes

And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Galatians 5:21 ESV / 25 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.

Matthew 7:12 ESV / 25 helpful votes

“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

1 Corinthians 5:11 ESV / 21 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.

Psalm 150:1-6 ESV / 20 helpful votes

Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness! Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals! ...

Ephesians 5:1 ESV / 18 helpful votes

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.

1 Corinthians 8:9 ESV / 17 helpful votes

But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.

Luke 7:34 ESV / 17 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!’

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ESV / 16 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.

Proverbs 23:29-35 ESV / 16 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. ...

Habakkuk 2:15 ESV / 15 helpful votes

“Woe to him who makes his neighbors drink— you pour out your wrath and make them drunk, in order to gaze at their nakedness!

Psalm 104:14-15 ESV / 15 helpful votes

You cause the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth and wine to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face shine and bread to strengthen man's heart.

Luke 1:37 ESV / 14 helpful votes

For nothing will be impossible with God.”

Proverbs 23:21 ESV / 13 helpful votes

For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and slumber will clothe them with rags.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 ESV / 12 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.

Hosea 4:11 ESV / 12 helpful votes

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

Proverbs 31:4-5 ESV / 12 helpful votes

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.

Proverbs 25:28 ESV / 12 helpful votes

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

Proverbs 23:31 ESV / 12 helpful votes

Do not look at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly.

Revelation 1:1-20 ESV / 11 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 ...

2 Peter 1:5-6 ESV / 11 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,

Titus 2:6 ESV / 11 helpful votes

Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled.

Romans 12:2 ESV / 11 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.

Proverbs 23:31-32 ESV / 11 helpful votes

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.

2 Timothy 1:7 ESV / 10 helpful votes

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

Philippians 4:8 ESV / 10 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.

1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV / 10 helpful votes

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

Isaiah 5:11 ESV / 10 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!

Titus 1:8 ESV / 9 helpful votes

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

Ephesians 3:20 ESV / 9 helpful votes

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,

Galatians 5:23 ESV / 9 helpful votes

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

Galatians 5:22-23 ESV / 9 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.

Galatians 2:20 ESV / 9 helpful votes

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

John 10:10 ESV / 9 helpful votes

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

Psalm 23:1 ESV / 9 helpful votes

A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Numbers 6:2-3 ESV / 9 helpful votes

“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.

Genesis 1:1 ESV / 9 helpful votes

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

Colossians 1:1-29 ESV / 8 helpful votes

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, ...

Philippians 4:13 ESV / 8 helpful votes

I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Galatians 6:7 ESV / 8 helpful votes

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.

Galatians 5:17 ESV / 8 helpful votes

For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.

Luke 7:1-50 ESV / 8 helpful votes

After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. Now a centurion had a servant who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him. When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant. And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy to have you do this for him, for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue.” ...

Proverbs 31:4 ESV / 8 helpful votes

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

Proverbs 16:32 ESV / 8 helpful votes

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

1 Peter 5:7 ESV / 7 helpful votes

Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

Colossians 3:5 ESV / 7 helpful votes

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

Philippians 4:6 ESV / 7 helpful votes

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Philippians 3:19 ESV / 7 helpful votes

Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.

Galatians 5:22 ESV / 7 helpful votes

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

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 ESV / 7 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.

Romans 12:1-3 ESV / 7 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. For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.

Romans 8:18 ESV / 7 helpful votes

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

Romans 5:8 ESV / 7 helpful votes

But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Matthew 5:13-16 ESV / 7 helpful votes

“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Matthew 4:4 ESV / 7 helpful votes

But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Isaiah 5:22 ESV / 7 helpful votes

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

Proverbs 31:6-7 ESV / 7 helpful votes

Give strong drink to the one who is perishing, and wine to those in bitter distress; let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more.

Proverbs 21:17 ESV / 7 helpful votes

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

Psalm 23:4 ESV / 7 helpful votes

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

1 John 4:8 ESV / 6 helpful votes

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

Colossians 3:23 ESV / 6 helpful votes

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,

Colossians 3:1-25 ESV / 6 helpful votes

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. ...

Philippians 3:18-19 ESV / 6 helpful votes

For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.

Romans 14:22-23 ESV / 6 helpful votes

The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.

Romans 13:13 ESV / 6 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.

Romans 12:19 ESV / 6 helpful votes

Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

Romans 12:1 ESV / 6 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.

Ecclesiastes 3:7-8 ESV / 6 helpful votes

A time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

2 Kings 4:43-44 ESV / 6 helpful votes

But his servant said, “How can I set this before a hundred men?” So he repeated, “Give them to the men, that they may eat, for thus says the Lord, ‘They shall eat and have some left.’” So he set it before them. And they ate and had some left, according to the word of the Lord.

Revelation 3:20 ESV / 5 helpful votes

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

2 Timothy 3:1-5 ESV / 5 helpful votes

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.

Romans 8:31 ESV / 5 helpful votes

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Acts 2:38 ESV / 5 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.

John 3:16 ESV / 5 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.

Proverbs 22:6 ESV / 5 helpful votes

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

James 2:26 ESV / 4 helpful votes

For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

Hebrews 11:1 ESV / 4 helpful votes

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Titus 2:11-12 ESV / 4 helpful votes

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,

Titus 2:1-3 ESV / 4 helpful votes

But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good,

Colossians 4:1-18 ESV / 4 helpful votes

Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven. Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. ...

Colossians 2:1-23 ESV / 4 helpful votes

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ. ...

Romans 1:16 ESV / 4 helpful votes

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

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