Bible verses about encouragement, gathered from the King James Version (KJV) to read slowly, pray over, and return to.
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Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
Joshua 1:9I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Philippians 4:13Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
Isaiah 41:10Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
Deuteronomy 31:6The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalms 27:1Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.
1 Corinthians 16:13Let all your things be done with charity.
1 Corinthians 16:14For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
2 Corinthians 4:16And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Galatians 6:9Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Hebrews 12:1Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:2But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Isaiah 40:31Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.
Psalms 31:24But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.
2 Thessalonians 3:13Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
1 Thessalonians 5:11What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
Romans 8:31Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
Philippians 1:6
More on Encouraging Bible Verses
A little courage can change a whole day, and these verses are the kind to keep close. “Be strong and of a good courage… for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest” (Joshua 1:9) — the encouragement is grounded in God’s presence, not in a pep talk. As Paul puts it, “If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31).
Several of these passages are aimed at the temptation to quit. “Let us not be weary in well doing” (Galatians 6:9); “though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:16); and the confidence “that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it” (Philippians 1:6).
Scripture also calls us to pass courage on — to “comfort yourselves together, and edify one another” (1 Thessalonians 5:11). Read one, take heart, and send it to someone who needs it.
Frequently asked questions
What does the Bible say to encourage someone?
Scripture encourages by anchoring us in God’s presence, not a pep talk: “Be strong and of a good courage… for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest” (Joshua 1:9). Isaiah 41:10 promises God’s help, and 1 Thessalonians 5:11 calls us to encourage one another.
What is the most encouraging Bible verse?
Philippians 4:13 — “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” — and Joshua 1:9 are among the most quoted. Isaiah 40:31 and Romans 8:31 are also widely loved.
What Bible verse should I read when I feel like giving up?
Galatians 6:9 speaks directly to it: “let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Isaiah 40:31 and Philippians 1:6 are also good encouragements not to quit.