"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven" (Ecclesiastes 3:1). "My times are in thy hand" (Psalm 31:15). "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom" (Psalm 90:12). Paul says to walk wisely, "Redeeming the time, because the days are evil" (Ephesians 5:16).
Everyone gets the same twenty-four hours, yet time can feel like a thief or a burden. Scripture gives a different view: time belongs to God, our days are numbered and precious, and each one can be used for Him. These twelve King James passages cover God's rule over time, redeeming the time, and the urgency of today. This page is about time itself and how we spend it; for trusting God while you wait for an answer, see waiting on God.
God rules over time
1. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace."
The Bible's most famous passage on time: a season for birth and death, planting and harvest, weeping and laughing, silence and speech. Every season of life is held inside God's purpose, and none lasts forever.
2. Psalms 31:15
"My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me."
My times are in thy hand. Our schedules, deadlines, and unknown futures are all in God's hand, which frees us from trying to control what we cannot.
3. 2 Peter 3:8
"But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day."
With the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. What feels like delay to us is never late to Him, and His patience is mercy.
4. Galatians 4:4
"But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,"
When the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son. History moved toward a precise moment chosen by God. If He timed the coming of Christ perfectly, He can be trusted with the timing of our lives.
Redeeming the time
5. Ephesians 5:15-16
"See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil."
Walk circumspectly, as wise, redeeming the time. To redeem time is to buy up its opportunities, using hours for what matters instead of letting them drift away.
6. Colossians 4:5
"Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time."
Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Paul ties time to witness: how we use our days with people who do not yet know Christ matters for eternity.
7. Psalms 90:12
"So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom."
So teach us to number our days. Moses' prayer is not morbid but wise: remembering that life is short helps us apply our hearts to what lasts. Counting days makes days count.
8. James 4:14
"Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away."
Our life is a vapour that appears for a little time and vanishes. James is not discouraging plans; he is asking us to hold them humbly, saying if the Lord will, and to treasure today.
Now is the time
9. 2 Corinthians 6:2
"(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)"
Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. The most important use of time is not later but now: answering God's call while it is still today.
10. Romans 13:11
"And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed."
Knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep.
11. Proverbs 27:1
"Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth."
Boast not thyself of to morrow. Tomorrow is not promised, so the kind word, the apology, the prayer, and the act of obedience belong in today's schedule.
12. Hebrews 13:8
"Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. Time changes everything around us, but it does not change Him. The One who holds time is the steady center through every season.
A short prayer
Lord, my times are in Your hand. Teach me to number my days and use them wisely. Forgive the hours I have wasted and the worry I have spent on tomorrow. Help me redeem the time You give me today. In Jesus' name, amen.
Go deeper: a SOAP study prompt
Pick one verse above and write: - Scripture: copy the verse by hand. - Observation: what does it say? Who is speaking, to whom? - Application: what does it mean for you today? - Prayer: turn it into a two-line prayer.
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Frequently asked questions
What does the Bible say about time?
Time is God's gift and under His rule. There is a season for everything (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8), our times are in His hand (Psalm 31:15), we are to number our days (Psalm 90:12) and redeem the time (Ephesians 5:16).
What does redeeming the time mean?
In Ephesians 5:16 and Colossians 4:5, redeeming the time means buying up every opportunity: using the days God gives wisely, for His purposes, because time is limited and the days are evil.
How is this different from waiting on God's timing?
Our waiting on God page focuses on patience and trust while you wait for an answer. This page is broader: God's rule over time and how we spend the time we have.
What is a good Bible verse about time management?
Psalm 90:12 and Ephesians 5:15-16 are the classics. Try writing Psalm 90:12 at the top of your planner as a weekly prayer before you schedule your days.
Sources: All Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (KJV), public domain in the United States. References were checked against the KJV text from bible-api.com.
Related: Bible verses about waiting on God · Bible verses about God's plan · Bible verses about life · Bible verses about wisdom · Bible verses about patience · Bible verses about God being in control
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