Bible Verses About Self-Control
Verses about mastering your impulses, walking in the Spirit, and bringing the body into submission.
Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit — which means it is not produced by gritting your teeth harder, but by surrendering more fully to God. These Bible verses on self-control address the daily battle with impulse, appetite, anger, and distraction. Paul disciplined his body like an athlete. Proverbs compares a person without self-control to a city with broken walls. These scriptures will equip you to say no to what harms you, yes to what builds you, and to do both from a place of grace and inner strength — not white-knuckled willpower.
“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”
1 Corinthians 10:13
More Verses for Self-Control
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”
Galatians 5:22-23
“And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;”
2 Peter 1:5-6
“But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”
1 Corinthians 9:27
“He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.”
Proverbs 25:28
“Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;”
Titus 2:12
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
2 Timothy 1:7
“He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.”
Proverbs 16:32
“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.”
Galatians 5:16
“Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.”
1 Corinthians 6:18
“For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;”
1 Thessalonians 4:3-4
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
Philippians 4:8
“Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”
2 Timothy 2:22
“I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?”
Job 31:1
“Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.”
1 Peter 2:11
“Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”
2 Corinthians 10:5
“Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”
Galatians 5:23
“Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”
Colossians 3:5
Deepen Your Journey
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Temptation
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Faith
Find Bible verses about faith that build your trust in God's faithfulness. These KJV scriptures remind you that with even mustard-seed faith, nothing is impossible with God.