93 Bible Verses about Unfruitful People

Ephesians 5:11 ESV / 15 helpful votes

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

2 Corinthians 6:14 ESV / 9 helpful votes

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

John 3:19-21 ESV / 9 helpful votes

And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

Titus 3:14 ESV / 8 helpful votes

And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful.

Matthew 13:22 ESV / 7 helpful votes

As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.

2 Timothy 3:16 ESV / 6 helpful votes

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

2 Thessalonians 3:6 ESV / 6 helpful votes

Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us.

Romans 16:17 ESV / 6 helpful votes

I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.

Colossians 1:13 ESV / 5 helpful votes

He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,

Romans 13:12 ESV / 5 helpful votes

The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.

Luke 13:6-9 ESV / 5 helpful votes

And he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’ And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”

Amos 3:3 ESV / 5 helpful votes

“Do two walk together, unless they have agreed to meet?

1 John 2:11 ESV / 4 helpful votes

But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

Ephesians 6:12 ESV / 4 helpful votes

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Ephesians 5:8 ESV / 4 helpful votes

For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light

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.

1 John 3:8 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.

1 John 2:1-29 ESV / 3 helpful votes

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: ...

2 Peter 1:2-8 ESV / 3 helpful votes

May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 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, ...

1 Peter 3:15 ESV / 3 helpful votes

But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,

1 Peter 2:9 ESV / 3 helpful votes

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Hebrews 12:18 ESV / 3 helpful votes

For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest

2 Timothy 3:5 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.

1 Timothy 5:20 ESV / 3 helpful votes

As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear.

2 Corinthians 6:17 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you,

Acts 26:18 ESV / 3 helpful votes

To open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

John 14:6 ESV / 3 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.

John 8:32 ESV / 3 helpful votes

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

John 8:12 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

John 3:19 ESV / 3 helpful votes

And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.

John 1:5 ESV / 3 helpful votes

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Mark 4:19 ESV / 3 helpful votes

But the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.

Jeremiah 13:16 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Give glory to the Lord your God before he brings darkness, before your feet stumble on the twilight mountains, and while you look for light he turns it into gloom and makes it deep darkness.

Psalm 97:2 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Clouds and thick darkness are all around him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.

Revelation 18:4 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues;

Jude 1:3 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.

1 John 4:1 ESV / 2 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.

1 John 2:8-11 ESV / 2 helpful votes

At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

1 John 1:6 ESV / 2 helpful votes

If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.

1 Peter 2:1-25 ESV / 2 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. ...

James 2:10 ESV / 2 helpful votes

For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.

1 Timothy 5:22 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure.

1 Timothy 2:1-15 ESV / 2 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, ...

2 Thessalonians 3:14 ESV / 2 helpful votes

If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed.

2 Thessalonians 3:10 ESV / 2 helpful votes

For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.

2 Thessalonians 1:1-12 ESV / 2 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— ...

1 Thessalonians 5:5 ESV / 2 helpful votes

For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness.

Colossians 1:1-29 ESV / 2 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 1:23 ESV / 2 helpful votes

I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.

Ephesians 5:7 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Therefore do not become partners with them;

Ephesians 2:10 ESV / 2 helpful votes

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 2:8-10 ESV / 2 helpful votes

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

2 Corinthians 8:2 ESV / 2 helpful votes

For in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.

2 Corinthians 5:10 ESV / 2 helpful votes

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

2 Corinthians 4:6 ESV / 2 helpful votes

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 5:9-11 ESV / 2 helpful votes

I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 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.

Acts 2:42 ESV / 2 helpful votes

And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

Acts 2:38 ESV / 2 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 17:3 ESV / 2 helpful votes

And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

John 12:46 ESV / 2 helpful votes

I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.

John 12:35 ESV / 2 helpful votes

So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.

John 3:16-17 ESV / 2 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. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

John 3:1-36 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. ...

John 1:4-5 ESV / 2 helpful votes

In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

John 1:4 ESV / 2 helpful votes

In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

Luke 22:53 ESV / 2 helpful votes

When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.”

Mark 16:16 ESV / 2 helpful votes

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

Matthew 27:45 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour.

Matthew 24:29 ESV / 2 helpful votes

“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

Matthew 22:13 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Matthew 8:12 ESV / 2 helpful votes

While the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Matthew 6:24 ESV / 2 helpful votes

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

Matthew 6:23 ESV / 2 helpful votes

But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

Amos 4:13 ESV / 2 helpful votes

For behold, he who forms the mountains and creates the wind, and declares to man what is his thought, who makes the morning darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth— the Lord, the God of hosts, is his name!

Joel 2:2 ESV / 2 helpful votes

A day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness! Like blackness there is spread upon the mountains a great and powerful people; their like has never been before, nor will be again after them through the years of all generations.

Isaiah 45:7 ESV / 2 helpful votes

I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am the Lord, who does all these things.

Isaiah 9:2 ESV / 2 helpful votes

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.

Isaiah 8:22 ESV / 2 helpful votes

And they will look to the earth, but behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish. And they will be thrust into thick darkness.

Proverbs 2:13 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Who forsake the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness,

Psalm 112:4 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Light dawns in the darkness for the upright; he is gracious, merciful, and righteous.

Psalm 82:5 ESV / 2 helpful votes

They have neither knowledge nor understanding, they walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken.

Psalm 23:1-6 ESV / 2 helpful votes

A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 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. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. ...

Psalm 1:1 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers;

Job 38:9 ESV / 2 helpful votes

When I made clouds its garment and thick darkness its swaddling band,

1 Chronicles 2:1-55 ESV / 2 helpful votes

These are the sons of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Dan, Joseph, Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. The sons of Judah: Er, Onan and Shelah; these three Bath-shua the Canaanite bore to him. Now Er, Judah's firstborn, was evil in the sight of the Lord, and he put him to death. His daughter-in-law Tamar also bore him Perez and Zerah. Judah had five sons in all. The sons of Perez: Hezron and Hamul. ...

2 Kings 1:1-18 ESV / 2 helpful votes

After the death of Ahab, Moab rebelled against Israel. Now Ahaziah fell through the lattice in his upper chamber in Samaria, and lay sick; so he sent messengers, telling them, “Go, inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this sickness.” But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say to them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Now therefore thus says the Lord, You shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.’” So Elijah went. The messengers returned to the king, and he said to them, “Why have you returned?” ...

1 Kings 8:12 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Then Solomon said, “The Lord has said that he would dwell in thick darkness.

Ruth 1:1-22 ESV / 2 helpful votes

In the days when the judges ruled there was a famine in the land, and a man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons. The name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They went into the country of Moab and remained there. But Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons. These took Moabite wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. They lived there about ten years, and both Mahlon and Chilion died, so that the woman was left without her two sons and her husband. ...

Exodus 35:31 ESV / 2 helpful votes

And he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship,

Exodus 20:21 ESV / 2 helpful votes

The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.

Exodus 10:21 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness to be felt.”

Genesis 1:5 ESV / 2 helpful votes

God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

Genesis 1:2 ESV / 2 helpful votes

The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

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