Yes, alcohol is mentioned numerous times in the Bible.

While beer is mentioned in the Bible, wine is the predominate form of alcohol that is referenced.  The word for beer is translated as “Strong Drink” in some translations, and wineskins translated as “bottle”.  The Bible also makes many references to the folly of being drunk.  Based on these references, it is clear that God has provided the blessing of beer and wine, but does not want us to be drunk.

Here are some statistics of how many times each word is used according to the excellent Bible Search Engine at BibleGateway.com.  It should be noted that “Beer” is the name of a city in the Bible and those references were removed from this count.

New International Version (NIV):

• Wine – 216
• Wineskins – 10
• Beer – 9
• Drunk – 64

King James Version (KJV):

• Wine – 216
• Bottle – 14
• Strong Drink – 19
• Drunk – 77

English Standard Version (ESV):

• Wine – 216
• Wineskins – 8
• Strong Drink – 20
• Drunk – 79

Revised Standard Version – Catholic Edition (RSVCE):

• Wine – 251
• Wineskins – 8
• Strong Drink – 20
• Drunk – 79

Yes. There are a number of references to beer as a specific form of alcohol.

Positive: Beer as a Blessing

Proverbs 31:4-9
It is not for kings, Lemuel—it is not for kings to drink wine, not for rulers to crave beer, lest they drink and forget what has been decreed, and deprive all the oppressed of their rights. Let beer be for those who are perishing, wine for those who are in anguish! Let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more. Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.

Isaiah 24:9
No longer do they drink wine with a song; the beer is bitter to its drinkers.

Isaiah 56:12
“Come,” each one cries, “let me get wine! Let us drink our fill of beer! And tomorrow will be like today, or even far better.”

Negative: Warning Against Drukeness

Proverbs 20:1
Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise.

Isaiah 28:7
And these also stagger from wine and reel from beer>: Priests and prophets stagger from beer and are befuddled with wine; they reel from beer, they stagger when seeing visions, they stumble when rendering decisions. All the tables are covered with vomit and there is not a spot without filth.

Micah 2:11
If a liar and deceiver comes and says, ‘I will prophesy for you plenty of wine and beer,’ that would be just the prophet for this people!

Neutral:

Isaiah 29:9
Be stunned and amazed, blind yourselves and be sightless; be drunk, but not from wine, stagger, but not from beer.

Yes, Jesus did drink alcohol by his own admission.

In Luke we read a quote from Jesus himself that says:

Luke 7:33-34 “For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’”

This is obviously NOT a reference to unfermented grape juice, based on the choice word “drunkard”.

It is important to note that this verse does not say that Jesus was a drunkard, but rather that his mockers (Pharisees) called him a drunkard.  One only needs to watch a minute of a contemporary political debate to understand how such forms of mud-slinging turns innocent facts into juicy, exaggerated lies.  However it is clear that Jesus made a straight-forward admission to drinking wine while arguing against the Pharisees who were trying to expose fault in Him.  It is apparent that His drinking of wine was not something that we was ashamed of (Jesus did not sin), nor something that he would not openly admit to His accusers.

The account of Jesus making wine is documented in John 2:1-12, and is cited by John as Jesus’s first miracle (v11).  He is at a wedding party, which customarily lasted for many days, and they ran out of wine. V10 states it is the point in the party where the “guests have had too much to drink”.  Jesus not only makes wine, but he makes it for people that had already drank a lot of wine.

We cannot know for sure what Jesus’s intentions were for making wine. As Jesus’s first miracle, the question is “Why make wine?”, especially for His grand entrance where He first “revealed his glory” (v11)? Why not raise someone from the dead or heal a gravely sick person? Aren’t there more important miracles than making wine?  Well, the answer may be rooted in the fact that good wine was a sign of blessing in the Old Testament, and the lack of wine (or watered-down wine) was a judgement from God [see Bible references below].  Perhaps Jesus was revealing Himself and communicating the message that He was bringing the world a blessing.  He was at a wedding feast where the wine had been drunk and there was a lack of wine.  In this moment of despair, Jesus brought a blessing by bringing wine to the party.  However, He went one step further by taking water, which the wedding guests would may been forced to drink (unhappily) and turned the curse into a blessing!  Jesus made the best wine of the party!  It is absolutely brilliant, and surely a grand way to make an entrance with His first miracle.

Biblical References

Watered Down Wine and Bad Wine is a Sign of God’s Judgement

Isaiah 1:21-22 See how the faithful city has become a prostitute! She once was full of justice; righteousness used to dwell in her—but now murderers! Your silver has become dross, your choice wine is diluted with water.

Deuteronomy 32:32-35 Their vine comes from the vine of Sodom and from the fields of Gomorrah.Their grapes are filled with poison, and their clusters with bitterness. Their wine is the venom of serpents, the deadly poison of cobras. “Have I not kept this in reserve and sealed it in my vaults? It is mine to avenge; I will repay. In due time their foot will slip; their day of disaster is near and their doom rushes upon them.”

Psalm 60:1-3 You have rejected us, God, and burst upon us; you have been angry—now restore us! You have shaken the land and torn it open; mend its fractures, for it is quaking. You have shown your people desperate times; you have given us wine that makes us stagger.

Psalm 75:7-8 It is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another. In the hand of the Lord is a cup full of foaming wine mixed with spices; he pours it out, and all the wicked of the earth drink it down to its very dregs.

Proverbs 4:14-17 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers. Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way. For they cannot rest until they do evil; they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble. They eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.

Isaiah 24:6-7 Therefore a curse consumes the earth; its people must bear their guilt. Therefore earth’s inhabitants are burned up, and very few are left. The new wine dries up and the vine withers; all the merrymakers groan.

Isaiah 24:9-11 No longer do they drink wine with a song; the beer is bitter to its drinkers. The ruined city lies desolate; the entrance to every house is barred. In the streets they cry out for wine; all joy turns to gloom, all joyful sounds are banished from the earth.

Isaiah 25:6 On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine — the best of meats and the finest of wines.

Jeremiah 25:15 This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, said to me: “Take from my hand this cup filled with the wine of my wrath and make all the nations to whom I send you drink it. When they drink it, they will stagger and go mad because of the sword I will send among them.”

Zephaniah 1:12-13 At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish those who are complacent, who are like wine left on its dregs, who think, ‘The Lord will do nothing,either good or bad. Their wealth will be plundered, their houses demolished. Though they build houses, they will not live in them; though they plant vineyards, they will not drink the wine.

Good Wine is a Sign of God’s Blessing

Deuteronomy 11:13 So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today—to love the Lord your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul — then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and olive oil. I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied.

Deuteronomy 14:26 [Regarding use of the Tithe offering] Use the silver to buy whatever you like: cattle, sheep, wine or other fermented drink, or anything you wish. Then you and your household shall eat there in the presence of the Lord your God and rejoice.

Deuteronomy 33:28-29a [Moses blesses the Tribes of Israel] So Israel will live in safety; Jacob will dwell secure in a land of grain and new wine, where the heavens drop dew. Blessed are you, Israel!

Judges 19:19 We have both straw and fodder for our donkeys and bread and wine for ourselves your servants—me, the woman and the young man with us. We don’t need anything.”

2 Kings 18:31 “Do not listen to Hezekiah. This is what the king of Assyria says: Make peace with me and come out to me. Then each of you will eat fruit from your own vine and fig tree and drink water from your own cistern, until I come and take you to a land like your own—a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive trees and honey. Choose life and not death!

Psalm 4:7 Fill my heart with joy when their grain and new wine abound.

Psalm 104:14-15 He [The Lord] makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for people to cultivate — bringing forth food from the earth: wine that gladdens human hearts, oil to make their faces shine, and bread that sustains their hearts.

Proverbs 3:9-10 Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.

Proverbs 9:1-6 Wisdom has built her house; she has set up its seven pillars. She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine; she has also set her table. She has sent out her servants, and she calls from the highest point of the city, “Let all who are simple come to my house!”  To those who have no sense she says, “Come, eat my food and drink the wine I have mixed. Leave your simple ways and you will live; walk in the way of insight.”

Ecclesiastes 9:7 Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do.

Song of Songs 1:2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth—for your love is more delightful than wine.

Song of Songs 7:9 May the wine go straight to my beloved, flowing gently over lips and teeth.

Isaiah 36:16b-17 Then each of you will eat fruit from your own vine and fig tree and drink water from your own cistern, until I come and take you to a land like your own—a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards.

Jeremiah 31:11-12 For the Lord will deliver Jacob and redeem them from the hand of those stronger than they. They will come and shout for joy on the heights of Zion; they will rejoice in the bounty of the Lord—the grain, the new wine and the olive oil, the young of the flocks and herds. They will be like a well-watered garden, and they will sorrow no more.

Jeremiah 40:12 They all came back to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah, from all the countries where they had been scattered. And they harvested an abundance of wine and summer fruit.

Joel 2:19 The Lord replied to them: “I am sending you grain, new wine and olive oil, enough to satisfy you fully; never again will I make you an object of scorn to the nations.

Joel 3:18 “In that day the mountains will drip new wine, and the hills will flow with milk; all the ravines of Judah will run with water. A fountain will flow out of the Lord’s house and will water the valley of acacias.

No.  The Bible states that we should avoid drunkenness, but does not state that alcohol consumption is a sin.  On the contrary, the consumption of good wine was described as a blessing of God.

This answer may surprise people who have been led to think that alcohol consumption was a sin to be avoided by the righteous.  However this position is not supported by the Word of God.

Jesus made and drank wine. Jesus did not sin, and therefore it is not a sin to make and drink wine.

The Bible describes good wine as a blessing, and bad wine (or watered down wine) as a curse.  Therefore alcohol is not a sin, and it can be a blessing.

The Bible calls us to avoid drunkenness. Drunkenness is a sin.

The Bible makes hundreds of references to alcohol, and after reviewing these verses, it becomes clear that alcohol consumption, in moderation, is not a sin, but on the contrary is a provision of God that “gladdens the heart of man” (Psalm 104:15).

Yes.  The Bible clearly warns against Drunkenness.  Drinking is not a sin, but being drunk is.

God’s word says we need to be sober, as it is not wise to be drunk and can lead to debauchery.  In an even more direct statement, Paul declares on multiple occasions that drunkards will not inherit the kingdom of God.  Here are some examples of scriptural warnings against drunkenness:

Ephesians 5:17-19 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord.

Galatians 5:19-21 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

1 Corinthians 6:10 Nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

Proverbs 23:20-21 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.

Romans 13:13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.

Proverbs 20:1 Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise.

1 Thessalonians 5:6-10 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.

1 Timothy 3:2-3 Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.

Yes, but only when we are knowingly tempting someone.

Some argue that we should avoid drinking at all times because we are called to avoid leading others into temptation:

Romans 14:21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.

We agree that you should not drink alcohol knowingly in the presence of someone struggling with alcohol.  However you can comply with this Biblical teaching while enjoying a glass of beer or wine in public, as long as you aren’t purposefully drinking in front of someone struggling.  We can’t really help unknown people with unknown problems.  It is ok to choose to abstain, but if we really want to avoid all sources of temptation for other people, then we would need to abstain from: meat (as stated in Romans), sweets, gluten,  cholesterol packed foods, and high-fat foods since all of these have potential to cause an unknown person with health and/or obesity issues to be tempted and fall.

The bottom line is that we each need to decide what we believe is moral according to God’s plan for our lives.  I may believe it is ok to enjoy a beer, while another person may not believe it is a wise thing to do.  We each need to live our lives according to our beliefs such that we honor God with our personal faith.  This is exactly what the two verses after Romans 14:21 speak of:

Romans 14:22-23 So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.

We should not ask someone to drink alcohol if they believe it is wrong, but we should share our personal beliefs with them (such as this website).  Each of us is on a continual journey to understand God and his will for our lives.  Our beliefs can and should change over time as we learn more about God, but we should always honor the beliefs that people currently maintain by not tempting them to violate their faith in God.

The Bible uses Hebrew and Greek words that represent grape juice and wine, which is ambiguous when interpreted as a single word. However it is clear when read in context of the chapter, that Jesus made and drank wine.

The Bible makes many references to wine, including direct references by Jesus, so the opponents to alcohol are left to produce an argument that reconciles this fact with their belief.  They typically argue that Biblical references to wine is actually a reference to grape juice. Let’s take a closer look at this argument:

It is clear that Jesus made wine as documented in John 2:1-11.

John 2:7-9a  Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine.

Some argue that He made grape juice.  They base the argument on the Greek word used here Oinos (οἶνος), which is used to represent both fermented and unfermented grape juice.  This is an accurate translation, as ambiguity exists in the original Greek word.  However when understood within the context of the passage, it becomes clear that Jesus made wine, not grape juice. This is a wedding party where wine would have been drank, not grape juice.  Verse 10 supports the case that Oinos represents wine:

John 2:10  “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”

A person’s judgment is not affected by drinking too much grape juice.  Jesus clearly supported the practice of drinking wine.  In fact, according to this scripture, he brewed a lot of it: 120-160 gallons!

Additionally, Jesus stated himself that he drank alcohol.  In Matt 11:18-19 and Luke 7:33-35 Jesus says “For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.” Surely this quote of Jesus is not grape juice.  Jesus was not a drunkard, but his mockers (Pharisees) called him a drunkard due to his consumption of alcohol (probably wine primarily).

Finally, at the Pentecost, the Apostles were accused of drinking too much wine when they were filled with the Holy Spirit and were speaking in tongues.

Acts 2:13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”

The Greek Word for wine here is Gleukos (γλεῦκος), which is translated as “New Sweet Wine”.  People claim that “New Wine” is a reference to grape juice, but again, when read in context the Apostles strange behavior (filled with the Spirit) would not be attributed to grape juice.  It would be attributed to drinking too much wine.

In conclusion, it is difficult to accept the argument that Biblical references to wine are really references to grape juice.  It is true that there are Biblical references to different forms of fermented and unfermented grape juice (and spoiled vinegar), and some of those references are ambiguous when read without context.  Christian Assemblies International provide a great summary of all Hebrew and Greek words translated in English as “Wine” [1].  When read in context it is clear in the Bible that Jesus himself both made and consumed wine.

1. Christian Assemblies International.  Hebrew and Greek Words Translated as ‘Wine’ . http://www.cai.org/files/theme-sheets/en/b/sb0074au.pdf

No, the wine in Bible times contained enough alcohol to cause people to get drunk, which would have been more than “a little” alcohol.

The answer is we don’t know the alcohol percentage for a typical ancient wine, but we do know it was strong enough to make people drunk. Therefore we can be confident that the references to Jesus and wine were not in reference to grape juice or wine with very little alcohol.

Any brewer can tell you that it is hard to ferment something “just a little”.  Once the yeast gets started, the fermentation will keep going unless you intentionally intervene with chemistry – which was not a topic of understanding in ancient times. To this end, many believe the wine from ancient times was actually stronger in alcohol content than what we are used to today. Therefore they would have added water to the wine to make it drinkable, and avoid drunkenness from a small quantity of drink. Even given this fact, drunkenness was a common topic in both the Old and New Testament, therefore leading us to conclude that the alcohol content was not what we would consider “negligable”. The percentage probably varied, but it still was strong enough to cause drunkenness when not consumed responsibly.

A similar argument is made that references to wine and Jesus were actually references to grape juice (not wine). Another FAQ addresses this question.