What Does the Bible Say About Drinking Alcohol?
The Bible's teaching on alcohol is more nuanced than either side of the culture war admits: Scripture condemns drunkenness absolutely, describes wine as a blessing in places, and leaves believers to apply wisdom.
What the Bible says
- Scripture
And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
Ephesians 5:18 The clear command: do not get drunk. Drunkenness is "excess," contrasted with being filled with the Spirit.
- Scripture
Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
Proverbs 20:1 Proverbs warns of alcohol's deceit: it mocks and rages, and the wise are not deceived by it.
- Scripture
Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities.
1 Timothy 5:23 Paul advises Timothy to use a little wine medicinally: total prohibition is not the Bible's position.
A grounded way to understand this
Jesus Himself drank wine (Matthew 11:19) and made it at Cana (John 2). The biblical line is drunkenness, not drinking. Christians differ on abstinence as wisdom or witness: weigh your conscience (Romans 14:23), your mastery by it (1 Corinthians 6:12), and your brother's weakness (Romans 14:21).
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People also ask
Is it a sin for a Christian to drink alcohol?
The Bible forbids drunkenness (Ephesians 5:18; Galatians 5:21), not all drinking: Jesus drank wine and Paul prescribed it medicinally (1 Timothy 5:23). Many Christians abstain for wisdom or witness; Scripture leaves it to conscience.
What does the Bible say about drunkenness?
It condemns it repeatedly: drunkards "shall not inherit the kingdom of God" (1 Corinthians 6:10), drunkenness brings poverty and sorrow (Proverbs 23:21, 29-35), and leaders are held to strict sobriety (1 Timothy 3:3).
Should Christians avoid alcohol around others?
Paul's principle: don't let your liberty become another's stumbling block (Romans 14:21; 1 Corinthians 8:9). If your drinking could lead a weaker brother to fall, love abstains.
Every answer is grounded in Scripture (KJV) and written to bring clarity, comfort, and truth.