What Does the Bible Say About Casting Lots?
Here are 18 Bible verses about casting lots, ordered by how relevant readers found them, with the King James Version and the modern Berean Standard Bible side by side.
- #1Proverbs 16:33
The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord.
BSBThe lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.
- #2Acts 1:26
And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
BSBThen they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.
- #3Proverbs 18:18
The lot causeth contentions to cease, and parteth between the mighty.
BSBCasting the lot ends quarrels and separates strong opponents.
- #4Matthew 27:35
And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.
BSBWhen they had crucified Him, they divided up His garments by casting lots.
- #5Psalms 22:18
They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.
BSBThey divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.
- #6Jonah 1:7
And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.
BSB“Come!” said the sailors to one another. “Let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity that is upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah.
- #7Leviticus 16:8
And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the Lord, and the other lot for the scapegoat.
BSBAfter Aaron casts lots for the two goats, one for the LORD and the other for the scapegoat,
- #8Mark 15:24
And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take.
BSBAnd they crucified Him. They also divided His garments by casting lots to decide what each of them would take.
- #9Esther 3:7
In the first month, that is, the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman from day to day, and from month to month, to the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar.
BSBIn the twelfth year of King Xerxes, in the first month, the month of Nisan, the Pur (that is, the lot) was cast before Haman to determine a day and month. And the lot fell on the twelfth month, the month of Adar.
- #10Leviticus 16:8-10
And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the Lord, and the other lot for the scapegoat. And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the Lord’s lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering. But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the Lord, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness.
BSBAfter Aaron casts lots for the two goats, one for the LORD and the other for the scapegoat, he shall present the goat chosen by lot for the LORD and sacrifice it as a sin offering. But the goat chosen by lot as the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the LORD to make atonement by sending it into the wilderness as the scapegoat.
- #11Joshua 18:10
And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the Lord: and there Joshua divided the land unto the children of Israel according to their divisions.
BSBAnd Joshua cast lots for them in the presence of the LORD at Shiloh, where he distributed the land to the Israelites according to their divisions.
- #12Luke 1:9
According to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
BSBhe was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
- #13Numbers 26:55
Notwithstanding the land shall be divided by lot: according to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit.
BSBIndeed, the land must be divided by lot; they shall receive their inheritance according to the names of the tribes of their fathers.
- #14John 19:24
They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did.
BSBSo they said to one another, “Let us not tear it. Instead, let us cast lots to see who will get it.” This was to fulfill the Scripture: “They divided My garments among them, and cast lots for My clothing.” So that is what the soldiers did.
- #15Luke 23:34
Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
BSBThen Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up His garments by casting lots.
- #161 Samuel 14:42
And Saul said, Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken.
BSBThen Saul said, “Cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan.” And Jonathan was selected.
- #17Nehemiah 10:34
And we cast the lots among the priests, the Levites, and the people, for the wood offering, to bring it into the house of our God, after the houses of our fathers, at times appointed year by year, to burn upon the altar of the Lord our God, as it is written in the law:
BSBWe have cast lots among the priests, Levites, and people for the donation of wood by our families at the appointed times each year. They are to bring it to the house of our God to burn on the altar of the LORD our God, as it is written in the Law.
- #181 Chronicles 24:5
Thus were they divided by lot, one sort with another; for the governors of the sanctuary, and governors of the house of God, were of the sons of Eleazar, and of the sons of Ithamar.
BSBThus they were divided by lot, for there were officers of the sanctuary and officers of God among both Eleazar’s and Ithamar’s descendants.
Verse rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY). Scripture: KJV & BSB (public domain).