Topical Bible

What Does the Bible Say About Vain?

Here are 17 Bible verses about vain, ordered by how relevant readers found them, with the King James Version and the modern Berean Standard Bible side by side.

  1. #1Psalms 127:1

    A Song of degrees for Solomon. Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

    BSBA song of ascents. Of Solomon. Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain; unless the LORD protects the city, its watchmen stand guard in vain.

  2. #2Psalms 60:11

    Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man.

    BSBGive us aid against the enemy, for the help of man is worthless.

  3. #3Proverbs 31:30

    Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.

    BSBCharm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

  4. #41 Corinthians 15:58

    Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

    BSBTherefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast and immovable. Always excel in the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

  5. #5Ecclesiastes 1:2

    Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.

    BSB“Futility of futilities,” says the Teacher, “futility of futilities! Everything is futile!”

  6. #6Matthew 6:7

    But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

    BSBAnd when you pray, do not babble on like pagans, for they think that by their many words they will be heard.

  7. #7Jeremiah 2:30

    In vain have I smitten your children; they received no correction: your own sword hath devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.

    BSB“I have struck your sons in vain; they accepted no discipline. Your own sword has devoured your prophets like a voracious lion.”

  8. #8Psalms 39:6

    Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.

    BSBSurely every man goes about like a phantom; surely he bustles in vain; he heaps up riches not knowing who will haul them away.

  9. #9Isaiah 1:13

    Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting.

    BSBBring your worthless offerings no more; your incense is detestable to Me— your New Moons, Sabbaths, and convocations. I cannot endure iniquity in a solemn assembly.

  10. #101 Corinthians 3:20

    And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.

    BSBAnd again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”

  11. #11Philippians 2:3

    Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

    BSBDo nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves.

  12. #12Ecclesiastes 2:11

    Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.

    BSBYet when I considered all the works that my hands had accomplished and what I had toiled to achieve, I found everything to be futile, a pursuit of the wind; there was nothing to be gained under the sun.

  13. #13Psalms 2:1

    Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?

    BSBWhy do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?

  14. #14Colossians 2:8

    Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

    BSBSee to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, which are based on human tradition and the spiritual forces of the world rather than on Christ.

  15. #15Isaiah 45:19

    I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the Lord speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.

    BSBI have not spoken in secret, from a place in a land of darkness. I did not say to the descendants of Jacob, ‘Seek Me in a wasteland.’ I, the LORD, speak the truth; I say what is right.

  16. #16James 4:5

    Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?

    BSBOr do you think the Scripture says without reason that the Spirit He caused to dwell in us yearns with envy?

  17. #17Isaiah 30:7

    For the Egyptians shall help in vain, and to no purpose: therefore have I cried concerning this, Their strength is to sit still.

    BSBEgypt’s help is futile and empty; therefore I have called her Rahab Who Sits Still.

Verse rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY). Scripture: KJV & BSB (public domain).

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