Living and character
What does the Bible say about promises and vows?
Scripture takes vows seriously. Better not to promise than to promise and fail, and better still to let your yes simply mean yes.
What Scripture says
Ecclesiastes 5:4-5
“When you vow a vow to God, don’t defer to pay it; for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay that which you vow. It is better that you should not vow, than that you should vow and not pay.”
Matthew 5:37
“But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and your ‘No’ be ‘No.’ Whatever is more than these is of the evil one.”
Numbers 30:2
“When a man vows a vow to the LORD, or swears an oath to bind his soul with a bond, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.”
Psalm 15:4
“in whose eyes a vile man is despised, but who honors those who fear the LORD; he who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and doesn’t change;”
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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. See all Bible questions or verses by topic.