19 Bible Verses on Gluttony & Overeating
With Jesus’ grace, let’s dig into the truth of what God’s Word says about these tough topics with Bible Verses on gluttony & overeating.
Have you ever stuffed yourself so much at Thanksgiving Dinner that you were left feeling sick afterward?
Do you know what it’s like to eat 6, 7, 8 servings (or the whole bag) of Cheetos before you even realize you have?
Or maybe you’re more familiar with just eating a few bites more than you need to (again and again and again).
I’ve done all of those things and more.
Gluttony is one of those uncomfortable sins we like to push aside and minimize. We convince ourselves that there is no way that we could be a glutton, but…I sure used to be (you can read about my 100-pound weight loss journey here).
The definition of gluttony is:
habitual greed or excess in eating
A habitual excess in eating? Guilty.
That’s what led me to gain 100 pounds – regularly eating more food than my body needed.
“Glutton” is one of those words that makes me squirm in my seat because I’d never want to label anyone with that word.
But, the truth is, we live in a culture of gluttony. We encourage and celebrate overeating with ideas like:
- after a hard day, you deserve pizza/wine/ice cream.
- a pint of ice cream will help heal your broken heart.
- Thanksgiving dinner is all about eating as much as you can stuff down and ending the day in stretchy pants.
With messages like that being sent to us constantly in commercials, ads, books, movies, and even in our family and friend groups, it’s no wonder we are turning to food to fix problems only God was meant to fix.
That’s what sets my weight loss journey apart from so many others. I wasn’t just dealing with the habit problem of overeating.
I was dealing with a sin problem.
I was making food an idol in my life. When I was heartbroken, frustrated, or stressed, I looked to Little Debbie to make it better.
I was a good person overall, but somehow I’d told myself it was okay that I snuck food from my family (eating their share as well as mine) and eating in secret (lying to friends and family members by omission).
That’s not just a habit issue…that’s a character issue.
Which is why it’s so important to include God in your weight loss journey. The Truth of His Word deals gets to the core of the issue, the sin in our hearts.
That’s also what sets apart our Faithful Finish Lines 2.0 program. As far as I know, it’s the only program out there that deals with overeating as a sin and continually points you back to God’s grace as you change your habits.
Bible Verses About Gluttony
First, let’s dive into those Scriptures that specifically talk about gluttons and glutton by name.
Deuteronomy 21:20
They shall say to the elders, “This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious. He will not obey us. He is a glutton and a drunkard.”
Deuteronomy 21:20
Proverbs 23:1-3
When you sit to dine with a ruler,
Proverbs 23:1-3
note well what is before you,
and put a knife to your throat
if you are given to gluttony.
Do not crave his delicacies,
for that food is deceptive.
Proverbs 23:19-21
Listen, my son, and be wise,
Psalm 23:19-21
and set your heart on the right path:
Do not join those who drink too much wine
or gorge themselves on meat,
for drunkards and gluttons become poor,
and drowsiness clothes them in rags.
Proverbs 28:7
A discerning son heeds instruction, but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father.
Proverbs 28:7
Titus 1:12
One of Crete’s own prophets has said it: “Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.”
Titus 1:12
Scripture makes it very clear that gluttony is not something to be celebrated. It’s described as a disgrace and is associated with people being lazy, drunkards, liars, and evil.
Bible Verses About Overeating
Now, let’s dive into more Scriptures that talk more generally about overeating and overindulging.
There are so many different angles to the topic of overeating. Of course, there is the actual act of eating too much food, but there is also:
- idolatry
- treating your body poorly
- giving into temptation/the desires of our flesh
- lacking self-control
- …and so much more.
Psalm 78:18
They willfully put God to the test
Psalm 78:18
by demanding the food they craved.
I’d like to say that I would never demand the food I craved from God, but when I’m honest with myself, I’ve let my food cravings dictate a lot of my decisions before – sneaking food, hiding food, eating more than my fair share, overeating, and more. I was willful and demanding.
Now, I’ve taken back control from my food cravings using the 3 Ps.
Proverbs 25:16
If you find honey, eat just enough—
Proverbs 25:16
too much of it, and you will vomit
One of the frequent prayers I say before I eat is, “Lord, help me to eat just enough – enough to satisfy, but not even one bite too much.
How easy is it to convince ourselves to eat just one more bite?
Maybe it’s because you were taught to clean your plate (I was too, but this is how I feel about the clean plate club).
Perhaps it’s because the food just tasted so good that you want it to last just a little bit longer.
Either way, the Bible warns us about overeating in such a practical way – eat too much and you will get sick.
And I especially love this verse because it uses honey as its example. You can eat treats, but with self-control to avoid overeating them!
Proverbs 25:27
It is not good to eat too much honey,
Proverbs 25:27
nor is it honorable to search out matters that are too deep.
Luke 12:23
For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.
Luke 12:23
Life is more than food. It seems like such an obvious statement, right? Of course life is more than food!
But how often do we make food the main attraction?
Thanksgiving is all about eating a huge meal. Halloween is all about the candy. Birthdays revolve around cake, a trip to the movies must have popcorn, and road trips must have a car full of snacks.
I do believe God gave us food to enjoy as well as to nourish our bodies, but life is more than food.
We can savor delicious meals without making food our main focus.
1 Corinthians 3:16-17
Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.
1 Corinthians 3:16-17
People often ask me why I gained all the weight I did. Honestly, I don’t know the full answer.
But, looking back in hindsight, I can say with certainty that part of the reason I overate was that I had so little self-confidence. I was not at all secure in my identity in Christ and I sure didn’t think of my body being a temple of God. I didn’t feel worthy.
But I was. And you are too. It took a lot of practice taking my thoughts captive to convince myself that God’s Word about me were true, but it was more than worth the effort.
When you believe you are a cherished child of God and your body was a gift from the Lord, you are much more likely to treat your body with gentleness and care.
1 Corinthians 6:12
“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything.
1 Corinthians 6:12
Paul wrote this verse in regards to sexual immorality, but the concept rings true in every area of my life – eating, finances, relationships, etc.
You are an adult. You can eat ice cream for breakfast if you want to.
But not everything is beneficial.
Food cravings are absolutely a way that we have been mastered by food. When you tell yourself you “need” chocolate, you are letting your cravings call the shots.
It’s okay to love food and look forward to eating delicious things, but be careful not to be mastered by it.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
I am absolutely sure you could stand in front of the mirror and see a dozen things about your body that you wish you could change, but instead, I challenge yourself to think of ways you can honor God with your body.
I’ve tried to make exercise an act of worship and I’ve learned to hear God’s voice in the midst of my emotional eating, but there are endless ways you can honor Him with your body each and every day.
1 Corinthians 10:31
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 10:31
This verse is more about the act of eating itself than overeating necessarily. It’s such an important reminder that all of those seemingly mundane tasks that we do every single day (like eating), can glorify God.
Our choices matter.
These are 5 suggestions for ways to glorify God in your eating.
Philippians 3:19
Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things.
Philippians 3:19
I would never say that my god is my stomach, but my actions have said otherwise.
I’ve turned to food when I should have been leaning on God. I have eaten my feelings instead of praying about them. I have chosen to overeat when I knew I was full.
Our actions reveal bits of our heart and I did not like what I used to see in my behavior.
Romans 12:1
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
Romans 12:1
Admittedly, I did not start my weight loss journey with noble purposes. I wanted to be skinny and attractive and feel worthy of love.
But, along the way, God really transformed my heart and I slowly started to learn the value of offering my body to God as a living sacrifice.
Eventually, instead of just wishing I could be at my goal weight overnight, I started to see how God was growing and changing me along the way. I finally saw value in the journey and not just the result.
Romans 13:14
Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.
Romans 13:14
I used to spend all day thinking about all of the food I was going to secretly eat in my bedroom that night after my family had gone to bed.
Thoughts feel so harmless, but your thoughts matter. The more you let your mind dwell on sinful behavior, the more likely it will be to come to fruition.
Take your thoughts captive and choose Christ, again and again and again.
Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23
Even though when I started, my only goal was a number on the scale, over the years, I grew in every single fruit of the Spirit along the course of my 100-pound weight loss journey and those character traits have helped me to succeed and strengthen every area of my life, not just weight loss.
These are the heart issues that God can transform with time as you choose to glorify Him in your choices day in and day out.
2 Timothy 1:7
For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
2 Timothy 1:17
Self-discipline and self-control have become more foreign concepts. These days, our culture practically tells us its cruel to deny our desires.
It’s not cruel, it’s godly. And it’s love. See how those two things are paired in this verse – love and self-discipline?
True love often involves healthy boundaries and that’s especially true in eating.
God doesn’t tell us to eat “just enough” honey as a punishment. It’s a protection out of a deep love for us, wanting what’s best for us.
But, Do Not Despair, His Grace Is Enough
I know this is a heavy subject. You may have never thought of overeating as a sin before (I didn’t for most of the years I was overweight). You may be feeling guilt, shame, or conviction.
I don’t want to leave you there because that’s not where the Bible leaves us either!
Should we call sin a sin? Absolutely.
Feeling guilt and conviction is a gift from God to help guide us on the path we should be living.
We absolutely should feel the need to repent and get ourselves back on that rightful path.
But sin does not define your identity. Christ does.
He died as a sacrifice for all of your sins and His grace is enough.
Romans 8:1-4
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Romans 8:1-4
Is there a way to print or purchase your God inspired thoughts without all the internet advertisements? You are really speaking to my heart.
Hi Laura. I am so glad God is impacting your heart with these posts! The ads are what allow me to share these with all of you. I do offer many of my Bible verses lists as printables, but not all of them. I create as many as I have time for! Thanks for understanding.
I have been meeting with the Lord every night at 3 am, and i let the Holy spirit led me on the topic. I was feeling slow and tired, but then i started to think about my health and i started to realise God wanted us to discuss the next part of my healing which is my health. God has been showing me the spiritual strong holds that where caused by childhood trauma but can only be broken by dying to the flesh. I have done so many things; lost weight and gained it again. Its not gotten so bad that i now i have a few health complications. i have been asking God for the tools and the strength to get things moving. I believe God led me to you article. I was saying to the Lord i would love to join your programme but i cant afford it. I’m praying if God wills me to join he will make a way. Thank you for your transparency, the Lord Bless you and keep you.
Abby, I’m so encouraged by your faith and how you sought Him and He led you to this post. 💜 Make sure you sign up for my email list. I share a lot of free resources!
Thank you so much ! This is message was Holy Spirt Led, Thank you for sharing, this helps for the body of Christ, May Our Lord Jesus Christ continue to bless you in ever way! Praise Yahweh!!!!! Kings of Kings!!!!
I recently lost 93 pounds. I am now working on maintaining, and I’ve gained back 7. I choose Jesus, and I want to be a witness. Theses verses are amazing. Thank you!
You are so welcome! And 93 pounds? Amazing!
@Julie, ❤️❤️ congrats 🎉🥳 to you! I’m crying+ I’m praying I can do this! 😭
Thanks for this much needed blessing. The Word of God on the issue is exactly what I needed & you delivered it beautifully. I receive it in the Name of Jesus. Amen.
May God Bless You for sharing & helping so many of us with effectively addressing this challenge in our lives. You’ve given us a solid foundation to succeed. 👍🏾❤️💕
What I want to know is, are overeaters (that ARE believers) going to hell? Let’s say you are a Christian, you are a believer, and you NEVER overcome this overeating issue, does that mean you are condemned???
Hi Antje, I’m not God so this surely isn’t up to me to decide, but I’ll share the first Bible verse that came to mind when you asked this question.
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.” – Romans 8:1-2
@Antjie, hi, I’m a bit late to the party (I only just stumbled on this blog post) but in answer to your question, there’s a difference between overeating on some occasions and being a glutton.
A person who tells one lie (which is a sin) – depending on the circumstances – may not be labelled as a “liar” as if it were a habitual part of their character.
For example, if you’ve ever been to a Chinese buffet (“all you can eat” style restuarant), you may go home feeling stuffed. According to the author of this blog, all overeating is sinful. I don’t disagree. However in the bible both Gluttony and Drunkenness were closely related to Greed. In fact, it is greed. Eating a little too much at a Chinese buffet for a rare celebratory event probably would not be enough to label a person a “glutton”.
Notice what Proverbs said which the author of this blog already quoted:
“For a drunkard and a glutton will come to poverty, And drowsiness will clothe one with rags.”
So it’s unlikely this was referring to people who overeat on rare occasions, but for those who regularly overeat.
But to answer your question…are you going to hell?
Well I don’t believe in hell as a literal place of fiery torment where God preserves bad people alive to make them feel pain for eternity. There’s strong biblical evidence that the concept of hell in that context is actually satanic.
But that aside, ultimately we all have to ask ourselves
Am I a greedy person? If the answer is yes, changes are needed immediately. God’s word makes it clear that Greedy people will not inherit God’s Kingdom.
Do I regularly overeat to the point where I feel unwell and tired/drowsy?
Am I showing some of the traits mentioned in 2 Timothy 3, such as being “unthankful”, “without self control” and being “lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God”?
Is my relationship with food affecting my relationship with God?
So it’s not for me, or anyone, to say whether you’re going to “hell”. But when you assess your own situation you may find that your habits have reached a point where you’re becoming like the people described in the bible who would not enter the Kingdom. Or it may not.
In my own experience…regularly overeating is linked to pursuing other “works of the flesh.”
When I was a glutton I would nearly always follow up my overeating with more unrighteous conduct. After overeating to the point of drowsiness, you generally don’t feel like doing bible reading or anything productive. And so I became just like the bible said: “drowsy” around the clock.
Thank you so much! It’s exactly what I didn’t want to hear but what I NEEDED! That’s love. Never knew how deep this was until reading this article tbh. whew. I’ve been on my fitness and nutrition journey but recently my hunger has been insatiable!! I know how to eat well, but omg the portion sizes!!! Thats the hard part lol. I’m called to help others with food so it’s no wonder the enemy has been attacking me heavily in this area. This gave me encouragement🩷 God bless!!
I could really use your help and prayer. My weight has always been an issue for me. Insecurity has always been a stronghold and i have never been able to successfully lose weight.
Hi Theresa, you’re not alone. I didn’t realize it at the time, but my insecurities were definitely at the root of my weight issues. Have you signed up for my {Worthy} devotion series? That’s a great place to start. <3
Hi Becky. First, I just want to thank you for writing this! It was very helpful and an eye-opener. I don’t read my Bible very often, but this helped me a lot. I know someone that is in my church’s worship team who struggles with gluttony. But I don’t know how to talk to her about this. It’s very obvious and she’s gained a great amount of weight and still is. Her social media is always filled with unhealthy foods and going out. I want to help her and show her what is happening to her, but not sure how to.. Any advice??
Hi Natalia, it’s so great that you are looking out for her in this way. I do want to caution you that this is a very tricky topic to discuss with others. Food-related struggles are often very private and there is so much that goes on internally that doesn’t meet the eye. Sometimes food issues surface from very deep issues like trauma or abuse from their past. If you have a very close relationship with her, I’d breech the subject with loads of compassion and more questions than assumptions. If you aren’t very close, I’d work on deepening your relationship with her before saying anything about it. Of course, always pray and follow the Lord’s leading!
Thanks very much sir this helpful articles . I am so happy to find it online and ipray it help me by the grace of God.thank you so much,God bless you for this in Jesus name Amen
Thank you so much for this! I am at a point where God has been convicting me to surrender my burden of overeating and gluttony. I’ve been battling with this my entire life, and I always assumed it was something I had to deal with alone. I am truly grateful that I was able to find not only this article but your website altogether!
I really needed this not only to help me help with overeating, but to show me not to give up ok my faith based blog/newsletter. I just started and have been battling feeling inadequate or as if my writing wouldn’t truly be helpful to anyone (attack of the enemy of course)
But I say all this to say thank you 🙏🏽 from the bottom of my heart, and may God bless you and your loved ones abundantly ! 🤍✨
I really needed to read this. I have been lying to myself for a long time saying that I had control over what I put in my mouth,all to justify my gluttony. As you said, this gluttonous behavior has spilled over into my entire life. Not only do I stuff my face with anything my heart desires but I’m also a shopaholic that buys things constantly and here lately am finding myself hiding what I purchase. I am in dire need of help. Please keep me in prayer. I thank you ever so much for letting God use you and for your transparency. May God richly bless and keep you. Amen!
Juliette, thank you so much for your blessings! May the Lord continue to bless your steps of obedience as you recognize and fight the sin of gluttony in your life. May you experience His grace, forgiveness, and love more richly with every choice you make to stay on His safe and loving path for you.
Thank you so much for sharing such an inspiring article and including intimate details about your struggle. I am just beginning my journey to be free from this sin and lose weight along the way. I have lost weight in the past but gained it and more back. I was lacking self-discipline and self-control. Your article has opened my eyes to tackle the underlying issue of my weight loss problem. Thank you so much.
This was and is going to be very helpful to me. Thank you.
This article was incredibly helpful. I’ve been struggling with gluttony for some time now. I’ve come to realize that I often use food to help deal with every emotion I’m feeling…if I’m sad I’m using food to cheer myself up, if I’m happy about something, I’m using food to celebrate, if I’m bored I’m using it to make my day more interesting etc.. But as a follower of Christ, I know this is not the way that I need to be living. Thank you for this blog, I am sure that many people have been blessed by your insights.
Thank you so much for your kind words, Kathryn. I’m so glad the verses could give you some insight into your struggles. You are definitely not alone in using food as a response to your emotions. That kind of behavior is celebrated in our society, which makes it that much more difficult to recognize when there is a problem there!
I am struggling with gluttony and idolatry of food.It is good to know that I am not alone.I realize I am trying to fill with junk food what only Christ can fill.Thank you and God Bless for your article
Thank you so much for this. I have been seeking God’s help for my binging habits and despaired of ever finding knowing how to access God’s help. This post is a lighthouse. I pray God uses to help many others.
Thank you so much for your kind words, Sandy! I am so glad this post helped.
Love this and thanks for sharing!! I am not alone 😭😭 seems as if you were reading a passage from my life!! This is encouraging. Thank you for allowing God to use you, thanks for your vulnerability. I’m currently in the process but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I’m thanking and praising God for total healing.
Hi Shadonna! You are so very welcome and it’s true – you are definitely not alone! Thank you so much for your kind words. I appreciate you!
Thank you so much for sharing this! It is inspirational!!
Thank you so very much for these verses, Becky. They came at just the right time for me. I am down 40 pounds, but I am beginning to struggle with eating again–just one more bite, that’s all–but I take a few more. It has taken me 8 months to get this weight off and I do not want to put it back on—which has been the story of my life. Thank you again for putting these verses and your own struggles in black and white honesty. I thank God for you!
Hi Donna, Oh, yes, that voice convincing you to just take “one more bite” is so strong! Wonderful job with your weight loss!
What a write up. It’s really spoke to me powerfully.
Thank you so much for this post. I can’t tell you how much I needed it. I am memorizing this scripture and changing my thoughts about me and turning to God through my weight loss journey.
Psalm 23:19-21 should be Proverbs 23:19-21. (Psalm 23 is only 6 verses!). Good article, though. Thank you.
Ah! Definitely a typo on my part. It’s fixed now. Thanks, Carole!
This was right on time! I’ve recently come to the realization that a change needed to be made concerning my eating habits. I searched for verses on gluttony and this was the first link on the page. Praise God for believers who have gone through a situation and share their testimony for other believers to be encouraged. Thank you so much.
Goodness… misspell my own name. M
It’s 2:00am and I’m up because I was feeling ashamed of how I look and how I have eaten yesterday and how I feel. Was having one of those conversations with YAHWEH and felt the Holy Spirit leading me…and this is where He lead me. Thank you so much. I’ve struggled so much with feeling worth in myself. He cares enough to lead me to this article.
Becky, this is such a worthy testimony. I think it should be a little booklet. Such an encouragement of heartache to victory of self love thru Christ Jesus. You are an amazing woman!
Thank you for writing this! It helps so much!
You are so welcome, Teresa! I’m so glad it’s helpful for you.
These are some amazing truths in God’s word. Thank you so much.
You are so welcome, Mary!
Great verses! One thing…at the very beginning of the blog, you referenced Psalm 23 when it should be Proverbs 23. Just wanted to bring it to your attention. Thanks for the great blog!
Thank you so much for catching this, Christina. Got it fixed!
The verses that say Psalm 23 are not from Ps 23, could it be Ps 32? I have not looked them up yet, but I will.
Thanks for catching this, Betty! It’s actually from Proverbs, not Psalms. My mistake, but I’ve got it fixed now!
Thank you! I am so grateful that I found you two! My life is changing and I look forward to the new me. But most of all I’m looking forward to what God has is in store for me… Getting back into the scriptures one day at a time! Thank you thank you!!!!
You are so welcome, Leslie! What a beautiful thing that you are getting back into God’s Word. You’re doing great!
Thank you for reminders from Gods word, Becky. So thankful your beautiful baby feeling better. What a shame y’all had such a Long struggle. As an adult, our colic kid is lactose intolerant! 🤦🏼♀️ Now I think he always was, even breast milk??!!
You are so welcome, Mary. It’s always great to hear from you. And, yes! Gosh, all three of us had to fight hard to survive those first 4 1/2 months, but, oh, he is such a joy now. So interesting that it could have been lactose intolerance all along! Sheesh! It’s SO hard to know what the best response is, especially when the common advice is that breastmilk is the best possible thing for your baby. Hopefully, someday they will develop a better way to diagnose and treat all of the contributing factors of colic.