What Does the Bible Say About Drinking Alcohol?
What Does the Bible Say About Drinking Alcohol? The Bible does not prohibit all alcohol use but strongly condemns drunkenness and urges believers to exercise wisdom, self-control, and concern for others.
Key verse: Ephesians 5:18 (KJV)
The Bible does not prohibit all alcohol use but strongly condemns drunkenness and urges believers to exercise wisdom, self-control, and concern for others.
The Bible does not prohibit all alcohol use but strongly condemns drunkenness and urges believers to exercise wisdom, self-control, and concern for others.
"And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit." — Ephesians 5:18 (KJV)
Meaning
Plain-language explanation
In Context
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The Biblical Answer
Scripture's position on alcohol is nuanced. Jesus turned water into wine at Cana (John 2:1-11). Paul told Timothy, 'Use a little wine for thy stomach's sake' (1 Timothy 5:23). Psalm 104:15 says wine 'maketh glad the heart of man.' However, the Bible consistently condemns drunkenness: 'Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit' (Ephesians 5:18). Proverbs 20:1 warns, 'Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.' Proverbs 23:29-35 vividly describes alcohol's destructive effects. Romans 14:21 teaches that believers should avoid anything that causes a brother to stumble. Leaders in the church are to be 'not given to wine' (1 Timothy 3:3). The principle is moderation, self-control, and love for others — never using liberty as an occasion for the flesh (Galatians 5:13).
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Key Scripture References
"And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit."
"Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise."
"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."
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions
Related Questions
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Self-control (temperance) is a fruit of the Spirit and essential for living a godly life.
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The Bible calls believers to reserve sexual intimacy for marriage, teaching that the body is a temple of the Holy Spirit and that purity honors God.
How Does God Forgive Sin?
God forgives sin through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ — when a person repents and believes, God removes their guilt 'as far as the east is from the west.'
What Does the Bible Say About Love?
The Bible defines love not as a feeling but as a sacrificial choice — modeled perfectly by God's gift of His Son.
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Biblical forgiveness means releasing bitterness and choosing not to hold someone's offense against them — just as God in Christ forgave us.
Deep Dive Commentary
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Read it in context
The answer above sits inside Ephesians. The 365-day chronological plan reads it in the order the events happened.
Read Ephesians on day 339 of the chronological Bible reading planKeep the verses to hand
Every verse quoted in “What Does the Bible Say About Drinking Alcohol?” comes from the King James Version, free to download and print.
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