What Does the Bible Say About Sportsmanship?

Philippians 2:3 ESV / 108 helpful votes

Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

Proverbs 24:17-18 ESV / 79 helpful votes

Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles, lest the Lord see it and be displeased, and turn away his anger from him.

1 Corinthians 9:24 ESV / 58 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.

1 Corinthians 9:25 ESV / 51 helpful votes

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

Proverbs 25:27 ESV / 37 helpful votes

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

Philippians 2:14 ESV / 29 helpful votes

Do all things without grumbling or questioning,

1 Timothy 4:7-8 ESV / 28 helpful votes

Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

Romans 15:2 ESV / 25 helpful votes

Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.

Colossians 3:23 ESV / 19 helpful votes

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

Proverbs 27:2 ESV / 19 helpful votes

Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.

Romans 12:8-10 ESV / 18 helpful votes

The one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

Galatians 5:23 ESV / 15 helpful votes

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

Romans 12:18 ESV / 13 helpful votes

If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.

2 Timothy 2:5 ESV / 11 helpful votes

An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.

1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV / 11 helpful votes

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

Philippians 4:13 ESV / 8 helpful votes

I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

2 Thessalonians 1:1-12 ESV / 7 helpful votes

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring. This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering— ...

Philippians 3:14 ESV / 7 helpful votes

I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

1 Timothy 2:9-10 ESV / 6 helpful votes

Likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works.

Proverbs 25:16 ESV / 6 helpful votes

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

1 Peter 2:1-25 ESV / 5 helpful votes

So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. ...

Acts 13:1-52 ESV / 5 helpful votes

Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a member of the court of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off. So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John to assist them. ...

1 Timothy 2:1-15 ESV / 4 helpful votes

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, ...

Colossians 1:1-29 ESV / 4 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, ...

Galatians 5:22-23 ESV / 4 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 5:19-21 ESV / 4 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.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 ESV / 4 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.

1 Corinthians 4:7 ESV / 4 helpful votes

For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?

Romans 1:1-32 ESV / 4 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, ...

Matthew 19:26 ESV / 4 helpful votes

But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Ecclesiastes 7:1 ESV / 4 helpful votes

A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of birth.

James 1:1-27 ESV / 3 helpful votes

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings. Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. ...

Philippians 1:1-30 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. ...

Ephesians 1:22-23 ESV / 2 helpful votes

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.

34 Bible Verses about Sportsmanship