Curious approximately what the Bible says about alcohol? These 60+ Bible Verses About Alcohol offer know-how, steering, and non secular perception to help you recognize this essential subject matter. Whether you’re searching for clarity, encouragement, or a deeper connection with God’s teachings, those scriptures offer valuable instructions on moderation, obligation, and religion.
While the Bible doesn’t explicitly forbid alcohol, it gives clean awareness on its consequences, reminding believers to make choices that honor God and replicate His love. Throughout records, wine has been utilized in celebrations, religious ceremonies, and each day lifestyles, but the Bible additionally warns in opposition to excess and its results.
This article explores key verses that highlight each the blessings and dangers of alcohol, helping you align your choices with biblical standards. Let these powerful scriptures inspire you to are seeking for information, stay with cause, and embody God’s steering in every issue of existence.
Alcohol in the Bible: A Balanced Perspective
The Bible presents a balanced view of alcohol, recognizing its use in celebrations while also warning against its misuse. Throughout scripture, wine is mentioned as a part of feasts and religious ceremonies, yet excessive drinking is cautioned against. Understanding this balance helps believers make wise choices.
Ecclesiastes 9:7 – “Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do.”
Proverbs 20:1 – “Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise.”
Warnings Against Drunkenness in the Bible
Drunkenness is repeatedly condemned in the Bible, as it leads to poor judgment, sinful behavior, and a weakened relationship with God. These verses highlight the dangers of excessive drinking and the consequences it brings.
Ephesians 5:18 – “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.”
Proverbs 23:29-35 – “Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes? Those who linger over wine, who go to sample bowls of mixed wine. Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly! In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper.”
Jesus and Wine: What Does the Bible Say?
Many wonder about Jesus’ view on alcohol, especially since He turned water into wine at a wedding. These verses offer insight into how wine was used in biblical times and its intended purpose.
John 2:1-11 – (Jesus performs His first miracle by turning water into wine at a wedding in Cana.)
1 Timothy 5:23 – “Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.”
How Should Christians Approach Alcohol?
The Bible encourages believers to exercise wisdom and self-control when it comes to alcohol. While drinking in moderation is not explicitly forbidden, causing others to stumble or falling into addiction is discouraged.
Romans 14:21 – “It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.”
1 Corinthians 10:31 – “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
Overcoming Alcohol Addiction with God’s Help
For those struggling with alcohol addiction, scripture provides hope and strength. Turning to God for guidance and seeking His help through prayer can lead to healing and freedom.
Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Isaiah 41:10 – “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Prayer for Strength and Guidance
If you or a loved one is struggling with alcohol, turning to God in prayer can bring peace and direction. Here’s a powerful verse to meditate on:
Psalm 51:10 – “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”
The List of 60+ Bible Verses About Alcohol
Below is a list of 60+ Bible verses that provide wisdom, encouragement, and guidance regarding alcohol:
Proverbs 20:1
Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
Ecclesiastes 9:7
Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.
Ephesians 5:18
And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
Proverbs 23:29-35
Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.
Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.
At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.
Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.
Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast.
They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not:
when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.
John 2:1-11
And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:
And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.
And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.
Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.
His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.
And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.
Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.
And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.
When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was:
(but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,
And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine;
and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.
This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.
1 Timothy 5:23
Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities.
Romans 14:21
It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.
1 Corinthians 10:31
Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Isaiah 41:10
Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God:
I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
Psalm 51:10
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Habakkuk 2:15
Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!
Leviticus 10:9
Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die:
it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations:
Proverbs 31:4-5
It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:
Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.
Isaiah 5:22
Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink:
Galatians 5:21
Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like:
of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past,
that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Luke 7:33-34
For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil.
The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber,
a friend of publicans and sinners!
1 Peter 5:8
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
Deuteronomy 14:26
And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after,
for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul desireth:
and thou shalt eat there before the Lord thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household,
1 Samuel 1:15
And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit:
I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord.
Matthew 26:27-29
And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine,
until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.
Numbers 6:3
He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink,
and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink,
neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried.
Isaiah 28:7
But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way;
the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine,
they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.
1 Corinthians 6:10
Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
Judges 13:4
Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing:
1 Thessalonians 5:6-8
Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love;
and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
Hosea 4:11
Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.
Genesis 9:21
And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent.
Titus 2:3
The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers,
not given to much wine, teachers of good things;
1 Timothy 3:8
Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;
Micah 2:11
If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie, saying,
I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink;
he shall even be the prophet of this people.
Jeremiah 35:6-8
But they said, We will drink no wine: for Jonadab the son of Rechab our father commanded us, saying,
Ye shall drink no wine, neither ye, nor your sons for ever:
Neither shall ye build house, nor sow seed, nor plant vineyard, nor have any:
but all your days ye shall dwell in tents; that ye may live many days in the land where ye be strangers.
Thus have we obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab our father in all that he hath charged us,
to drink no wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons, nor our daughters;
Numbers 28:7
And the drink offering thereof shall be the fourth part of an hin for the one lamb:
in the holy place shalt thou cause the strong wine to be poured unto the Lord for a drink offering.
Joel 1:5
Awake, ye drunkards, and weep; and howl, all ye drinkers of wine,
because of the new wine; for it is cut off from your mouth.
Isaiah 24:9
They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it.
Genesis 27:25
And he said, Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son’s venison, that my soul may bless thee.
And he brought it near to him, and he did eat: and he brought him wine, and he drank.
Proverbs 4:17
For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
Luke 1:15
For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink;
and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb.
1 Corinthians 9:25
And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things.
Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
Romans 13:13
Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness,
not in strife and envying.
1 Corinthians 5:11
But now I have written unto you not to keep company,
if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer,
or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
Isaiah 56:12
Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink;
and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant.
Jeremiah 23:9
Mine heart within me is broken because of the prophets; all my bones shake;
I am like a drunken man, and like a man whom wine hath overcome,
because of the Lord, and because of the words of his holiness.
Isaiah 19:14
The Lord hath mingled a perverse spirit in the midst thereof:
and they have caused Egypt to err in every work thereof,
as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit.
Proverbs 23:20
Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:
Proverbs 21:17
He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man:
he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.
Lamentations 4:21
Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Uz;
the cup also shall pass through unto thee: thou shalt be drunken, and shalt make thyself naked.
Deuteronomy 29:6
Ye have not eaten bread, neither have ye drunk wine or strong drink:
that ye might know that I am the Lord your God.
Ezekiel 44:21
Neither shall any priest drink wine, when they enter into the inner court.
Daniel 1:8
But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat,
nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
Genesis 19:32-35
Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.
And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father;
and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.
And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger,
Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also;
and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.
And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him;
and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.
Matthew 24:49
And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;
2 Samuel 13:28
Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying,
Mark ye now when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, and when I say unto you, Smite Amnon; then kill him, fear not:
have not I commanded you? be courageous, and be valiant.
Revelation 17:2
With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication,
and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.
Revelation 18:3
For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication,
and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her,
and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
Zechariah 9:17
For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty!
corn shall make the young men cheerful, and new wine the maids.
Psalm 104:15
And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man’s heart.
Amos 6:6
That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments:
but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.
Numbers 6:20
And the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before the Lord: this is holy for the priest, with the wave breast and heave shoulder:
and after that the Nazarite may drink wine.
1 Kings 16:9
And his servant Zimri, captain of half his chariots, conspired against him,
as he was in Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza steward of his house in Tirzah.
Conclusion
The 60+ Bible Verses About Alcohol remind us that God’s Word provides wisdom for every aspect of life, including how we approach drinking. The Bible does not outright forbid alcohol, but it encourages wisdom, self-control, and honoring God in all we do. Whether someone is struggling with alcohol, seeking guidance, or wanting to live righteously, these verses offer direction.
Applying these biblical principles can lead to a life of peace, clarity, and spiritual strength. God’s wisdom helps us make choices that align with His will, bringing blessings and protection. By meditating on these scriptures, we gain insight into God’s perspective on alcohol and how we can live according to His truth.
FAQ’s
Does the Bible forbid drinking alcohol?
The Bible does not strictly forbid drinking alcohol, but it warns against excessive drinking, drunkenness, and losing self-control (Ephesians 5:18, Proverbs 20:1).
What does the Bible say about drunkenness?
The Bible strongly condemns drunkenness, stating that it leads to poor judgment, sin, and separation from God’s will (Galatians 5:21, Proverbs 23:29-35).
Are Christians allowed to drink alcohol in moderation?
Yes, the Bible allows drinking in moderation, as seen in verses like 1 Timothy 5:23. However, it emphasizes self-control and not causing others to stumble (Romans 14:21).
What should a Christian do if struggling with alcohol addiction?
A Christian should seek God’s help through prayer, read scriptures about self-control, and find support from church leaders or recovery groups (1 Corinthians 10:13, Philippians 4:13).
How can I use Bible verses to overcome temptation related to alcohol?
Memorizing and meditating on verses about self-control and wisdom can help resist temptation. Trusting in God’s strength and guidance makes overcoming challenges possible (Psalm 119:11, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
