“If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.”
— Genesis 4:7
"While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption" — Peter described the addictor's business model two thousand years early. These verses are for anyone in its customer list. The fifteen verses below are the Bible's direct address to that situation, shown in full KJV text from Genesis 4:7 to Proverbs 25:28.
Quick answer: The best-known verse about addiction here is Genesis 4:7: "If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him." Proverbs 4:16 follows close behind: "For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall." Both are public-domain translations, shown in full on the cards below with a modern-English toggle.
If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
If you do well, won’t it be lifted up? If you don’t do well, sin crouches at the door. Its desire is for you, but you are to rule over it.”
Genesis 4:7
For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
For they don’t sleep unless they do evil. Their sleep is taken away, unless they make someone fall.
Proverbs 4:16
Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.
Yahweh says: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man, relies on strength of flesh, and whose heart departs from Yahweh.
Jeremiah 17:5
Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
Jesus answered them, “Most certainly I tell you, everyone who commits sin is the bondservant of sin.
John 8:34
If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
If therefore the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.
John 8:36
Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
Don’t you know that when you present yourselves as servants and obey someone, you are the servants of whomever you obey, whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness?
Romans 6:16
I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh; for as you presented your members as servants to uncleanness and to wickedness upon wickedness, even so now present your members as servants to righteousness for sanctification.
Romans 6:19
O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
What a wretched man I am! Who will deliver me out of the body of this death?
Romans 7:24
I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
I thank God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! So then with the mind, I myself serve God’s law, but with the flesh, sin’s law.
Romans 7:25
Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.
Wake up righteously and don’t sin, for some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.
1 Corinthians 15:34
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Stand firm therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and don’t be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.
Galatians 5:1
But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lust and enticed.
James 1:14
While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.
promising them liberty, while they themselves are bondservants of corruption; for a man is brought into bondage by whoever overcomes him.
2 Peter 2:19
The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring thou me out of my distresses.
The troubles of my heart are enlarged. Oh bring me out of my distresses.
Psalms 25:17
He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.
Like a city that is broken down and without walls is a man whose spirit is without restraint.
Proverbs 25:28
These verses are read honestly — which is to say, by people who recognize themselves in them. The Bible's treatment of sin is diagnostic before it is corrective: name the condition precisely, then show the provided remedy. Both halves are on this page.
Use the copy buttons to keep the diagnosis and the remedy in the same place. If you are reading for someone else, the confession and forgiveness verses (1 John 1:9 is on the original forgiveness page) pair with this list by design.
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