Friends often ask me “What does the Bible teach about alcohol? That’s a great question! There are some memorable moments about alcohol in the Bible. A positive memory is when Jesus performs His first miracle by turning water into wine. Or the famous Last Supper and Jesus speaks about the cup of communion. But there are also stories of drunkenness in the Holy Bible. Because these verses can be confusing, I recommend reading these verses in context. This means you should read the surrounding verses and consider the original historical audience.
(image: Unsplash)
When mentoring people about this topic, I will encourage someone to consider their family history on alcohol, their medical history, and their local church traditions. Some church denominations have zero alcohol traditions. While others manufacture and sell it, such as Christian Brothers Winery run by a Catholic Denomination.
Bible Verses About Wine and Alcohol
Then he drank of the wine and was drunk, and became uncovered in his tent. (Genesis 9:21 NKJV)
Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve the lineage of our father. (Genesis 19:32 NKJV)
Therefore may God give you Of the dew of heaven, Of the fatness of the earth, And plenty of grain and wine. (Genesis 27:28 NKJV)
Binding his donkey to the vine, And his donkey’s colt to the choice vine, He washed his garments in wine, And his clothes in the blood of grapes. (Genesis 49:11 NKJV)
Do not drink wine or intoxicating drink, you, nor your sons with you, when you go into the tabernacle of meeting, lest you die. It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations, that you may distinguish between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean… (Leviticus 10:9-10 NKJV)
And you shall spend that money for whatever your heart desires: for oxen or sheep, for wine or similar drink, for whatever your heart desires; you shall eat there before the Lord your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your household. (Deuteronomy 14:26 NKJV)
And they shall say to the elders of his city, ‘This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious; he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard.’ (Deuteronomy 21:20 NKJV)
For their vine is of the vine of Sodom And of the fields of Gomorrah; Their grapes are grapes of gall, Their clusters are bitter. Their wine is the poison of serpents, And the cruel venom of cobras. (Deuteronomy 32:32-33 NKJV)
And the Angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, “Indeed now, you are barren and have borne no children, but you shall conceive and bear a son. Now therefore, please be careful not to drink wine or similar drink, and not to eat anything unclean.” (Judges 13:3-4 NKJV)
More Bible Verses About Wine and Alcohol
Now Hannah spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk. So Eli said to her, “How long will you be drunk? Put your wine away from you!” But Hannah answered and said, “No, my lord, I am a woman of sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor intoxicating drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord.” (1 Samuel 1:13-15 NKJV)
And he fortified the strongholds, and put captains in them, and stores of food, oil, and wine. (2 Chronicles 11:11 NKJV)
Restore now to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses, also a hundredth of the money and the grain, the new wine and the oil, that you have charged them. (Nehemiah 5:11 NKJV)
Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain and the new wine and the oil to the storehouse. (Nehemiah 13:12 NKJV)
And they served drinks in golden vessels, each vessel being different from the other, with royal wine in abundance, according to the generosity of the king. (Esther 1:7 NKJV)
You have shown Your people hard things; You have made us drink the wine of confusion. (Psalm 60:3 NKJV)
So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine. (Proverbs 3:10 NKJV)
Wine is a mocker, Strong drink is a brawler, And whoever is led astray by it is not wise. (Proverbs 20:1 NKJV)
Wine produces mockers; alcohol leads to brawls. Those led astray by drink cannot be wise. (Proverbs 20:1 NLT)
What Does the Bible Say About Wine and Alcohol
For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, And drowsiness will clothe a man with rags. (Proverbs 23:21 NKJV)
Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? Those who linger long at the wine, Those who go in search of mixed wine. (Proverbs 23:29-30 NKJV)
Give strong drink to him who is perishing, And wine to those who are bitter of heart. (Proverbs 31:6 NKJV)
Woe to those who rise early in the morning, That they may follow intoxicating drink; Who continue until night, till wine inflames them! (Isaiah 5:11 NKJV)
Babylon was a golden cup in the Lord’s hand, That made all the earth drunk. The nations drank her wine; Therefore the nations are deranged. (Jeremiah 51:7 NKJV)
I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled. (Daniel 10:3 NKJV)
(Jesus said) “Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.” (Matthew 9:17 NKJV)
They gave Him sour wine mingled with gall to drink. But when He had tasted it, He would not drink. (Matthew 27:34 NKJV)
For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. (Luke 1:15 NKJV)
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. (1 Peter 5:8 NKJV)
The kings of the world have committed adultery with her, and the people who belong to this world have been made drunk by the wine of her immorality. (Revelation 17:2 NLT)
A mysterious name was written on her forehead: “Babylon the Great, Mother of All Prostitutes and Obscenities in the World.” I could see that she was drunk—drunk with the blood of God’s holy people who were witnesses for Jesus. I stared at her in complete amazement. (Revelation 17:5-6 NLT)
Bible Copyrights For This Article
New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
New King James Version (NKJV) Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
CHRISTINE ABRAHAM is a Writer Redeemed by Christ. Lifetime Bible Reader. Coffee Drinker. Beach Walker. Mother of Girls. Bible Teacher. Founder at Bible Café™ Ministries.
