Bible Verses About Alcohol – Christianity FAQ

Ephesians 5:18

ESV	And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,
KJV	And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
NASB	And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,
NIV	Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,
NLT	Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit,

Proverbs 20:1

ESV	Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.
KJV	Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
NASB	Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, And whoever is intoxicated by it is not wise.
NIV	Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise.
NLT	Wine produces mockers; alcohol leads to brawls. Those led astray by drink cannot be wise.

1 Timothy 5:23

ESV	(No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.)
KJV	Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities.
NASB	No longer drink water exclusively, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.
NIV	Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.
NLT	Don’t drink only water. You ought to drink a little wine for the sake of your stomach because you are sick so often.

“The Bible has a different view of how we first get involved in addictions. Instead of explaining the overpowering urge for [something] as a disease, the Bible talks about our motivations and desires, forces so powerful that they can take over our lives. The Bible says that we first choose our addictions, and only then do our addictions choose us.” ~ Edward Welch

Romans 14:21

ESV	It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble.
KJV	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.
NASB	It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine, or to do anything by which your brother stumbles.
NIV	It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.
NLT	It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else if it might cause another believer to stumble.

“Whereas the Bible explicitly forbids drunkenness, it nowhere requires total abstinence. Make no mistake: total abstinence from alcohol is great. As a Christian you are certainly free to adopt that as a lifestyle. But you are not free to condemn those who choose to drink in moderation. You may discuss with them the wisdom of such a choice and the practical consequences of it, but you cannot condemn them as sub-spiritual or as falling short of God’s best.” ~ Sam Storms

Isaiah 5:11

ESV	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!
KJV	Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them!
NASB	Woe to those who rise early in the morning that they may pursue strong drink, Who stay up late in the evening that wine may inflame them!
NIV	Woe to those who rise early in the morning to run after their drinks, who stay up late at night till they are inflamed with wine.
NLT	What sorrow for those who get up early in the morning looking for a drink of alcohol and spend long evenings drinking wine to make themselves flaming drunk.

Isaiah 5:22

ESV	Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine, and valiant men in mixing strong drink,
KJV	Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink:
NASB	Woe to those who are heroes in drinking wine And valiant men in mixing strong drink,
NIV	Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine and champions at mixing drinks,
NLT	What sorrow for those who are heroes at drinking wine and boast about all the alcohol they can hold.

1 Timothy 3:8

ESV	Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain.
KJV	Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;
NASB	Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not double-tongued, or addicted to much wine or fond of sordid gain,
NIV	In the same way, deacons are to be worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain.
NLT	In the same way, deacons must be well respected and have integrity. They must not be heavy drinkers or dishonest with money.

Galatians 5:21

ESV	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.
KJV	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.
NASB	envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
NIV	and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
NLT	envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

Ecclesiastes 9:11

ESV	Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do.
KJV	I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.
NASB	I again saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift and the battle is not to the warriors, and neither is bread to the wise nor wealth to the discerning nor favor to men of ability; for time and chance overtake them all.
NIV	I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all.
NLT	I have observed something else under the sun. The fastest runner doesn’t always win the race, and the strongest warrior doesn’t always win the battle. The wise sometimes go hungry, and the skillful are not necessarily wealthy. And those who are educated don’t always lead successful lives. It is all decided by chance, by being in the right place at the right time.

Romans 13:13

ESV	Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy.
KJV	Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
NASB	Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy.
NIV	Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.
NLT	Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don’t participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy.