# Is “No rest for the wicked” in the Bible?

> Yes. “No rest for the wicked” comes from the Bible, from Isaiah 57:21.

Source: https://www.lumin.faith/is-it-in-the-bible/no-rest-for-the-wicked
By Andrew Kittridge · November 9, 2026

God says it through the prophet Isaiah.

## The verse

> There is no peace, says my God, for the wicked.
>
> — [Isaiah 57:21](https://www.lumin.faith/read/isaiah/57#21) (Lumin Translation)

The saying is not word for word. It shortens or reshapes the verse.

## What it means there

The verse says “no peace.” The line before it compares the wicked to a tossing sea that cannot be still (Isaiah 57:20). Today people say it as a joke about being busy.

## Also in the Bible

> There is no peace, says Yahweh, for the wicked.
>
> — [Isaiah 48:22](https://www.lumin.faith/read/isaiah/48#22) (Lumin Translation)

> But the wicked are like the tossing sea, which cannot be still; its waters toss up mire and mud.
>
> — [Isaiah 57:20](https://www.lumin.faith/read/isaiah/57#20) (Lumin Translation)

## Common questions

### Is “No rest for the wicked” in the Bible?

Yes. “No rest for the wicked” comes from the Bible, from Isaiah 57:21. The saying is not word for word. It shortens or reshapes the verse. God says it through the prophet Isaiah.

### Where in the Bible is “No rest for the wicked”?

In Isaiah 57:21, and also Isaiah 48:22 and Isaiah 57:20. In the Lumin Translation, Isaiah 57:21 reads: “There is no peace, says my God, for the wicked.”

### Who said “No rest for the wicked”?

God says it through the prophet Isaiah.

### What does “No rest for the wicked” mean in the Bible?

The verse says “no peace.” The line before it compares the wicked to a tossing sea that cannot be still (Isaiah 57:20). Today people say it as a joke about being busy.

## More

- [Is “A prophet is not without honor” in the Bible?](https://www.lumin.faith/is-it-in-the-bible/a-prophet-is-not-without-honor.md)
- [Is “A soft answer turns away wrath” in the Bible?](https://www.lumin.faith/is-it-in-the-bible/a-soft-answer-turns-away-wrath.md)
- [Is “Thou shalt not kill” in the Bible?](https://www.lumin.faith/is-it-in-the-bible/thou-shalt-not-kill.md)
- [Is “Wash your hands of it” in the Bible?](https://www.lumin.faith/is-it-in-the-bible/wash-your-hands-of-it.md)
- [Where is “Be still and know that I am God” in the Bible?](https://www.lumin.faith/is-it-in-the-bible/be-still-and-know-that-i-am-god.md)
- [Where is “God has not given us a spirit of fear” in the Bible?](https://www.lumin.faith/is-it-in-the-bible/god-has-not-given-us-a-spirit-of-fear.md)
- [Where is “No temptation has overtaken you” in the Bible?](https://www.lumin.faith/is-it-in-the-bible/no-temptation-has-overtaken-you.md)
- [Where is “Perfect love casts out fear” in the Bible?](https://www.lumin.faith/is-it-in-the-bible/perfect-love-casts-out-fear.md)
- [Check any word or a whole song](https://www.lumin.faith/bible-verse-checker)