Bible Verse AlarmBible verses for courage
Courage in the Bible is not the absence of fear. It is acting on what God has said while the fear is still there. Most of these verses were spoken to someone about to do something hard: lead, fight, speak, or stand alone. They are grouped by the kind of step you may be facing. If the fear itself is what weighs on you, the fear page starts there. If you are simply worn out, try the strength page.
When you are handed a job that feels too big
Moses was about to die and would not enter the land himself. He told Joshua, in front of all Israel, to be strong and courageous. David said nearly the same to his son Solomon, who had to build the temple. Both handoffs came with the same reason: the Lord goes with you and will not leave. Psalm 27:14 adds the other half. Sometimes brave means waiting without giving up.
Then Moses called for Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, Be strong and courageous, for you will go with this people into the land that the LORD swore to their fathers to give them, and you shall give it to them as an inheritance.
Deuteronomy 31:7
Be strong and courageous, for you shall give these people the inheritance of the land that I swore to their fathers I would give them.
Joshua 1:6
David also said to Solomon his son, Be strong and courageous, and do it. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will neither fail you nor forsake you before all the work for the service of the house of the LORD is finished.
1 Chronicles 28:20
Wait patiently for the LORD; be strong and courageous. Wait patiently for the LORD!
Psalms 27:14
When the odds are against you
Young David faced Goliath and named his only advantage: he came in the name of the Lord. In 2 Chronicles 20, a prophet tells King Jehoshaphat that a vast army is coming, but the battle belongs to God. Psalm 27 is attributed to David as well, and it speaks of an army camped around him. Paul's question in Romans 8:31 sums these up. Being outnumbered matters less when God is on your side.
But David said to the Philistine, You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.
1 Samuel 17:45
And he said, Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the LORD says: Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army, for the battle does not belong to you, but to God.
2 Chronicles 20:15
Though an army encamps around me, my heart will not fear; though a war breaks out against me, I will keep my trust.
Psalms 27:3
What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Romans 8:31
When speaking up could cost you
Mordecai pressed Esther to approach the Persian king uninvited, which could mean death, and she answered with a three-day fast and a plain decision. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego told King Nebuchadnezzar that God could rescue them, and that they would refuse his statue even if He did not. The early believers in Acts 4 had just been threatened by the Jerusalem leaders. They prayed for boldness, not for safety.
For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows if perhaps you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?
Esther 4:14
Go and assemble all the Jews who can be found in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day, and I and my maidens will fast as you do. After that, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish!
Esther 4:16
If the God whom we serve exists, then He is able to deliver us from the blazing fiery furnace and from your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden statue you have set up.
Daniel 3:17-18
And now, Lord, consider their threats, and enable Your servants to speak Your word with complete boldness, as You stretch out Your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of Your holy servant Jesus. After they had prayed, their meeting place was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
Acts 4:29-31
Everyday courage: getting up and doing the work
Not every brave act is dramatic. Shecaniah tells Ezra to get up, because the task is his and others will back him. The prophet Azariah tells King Asa that his work will be rewarded. Paul writes 1 Corinthians 16:13 as a short closing list of instructions to the church in Corinth. In Philippians 1:14, Paul's imprisonment made other believers bolder. Courage can be contagious, and it often looks like showing up.
Get up, for this matter is your responsibility, and we will support you. Be strong and take action!
Ezra 10:4
But as for you, be strong; do not be discouraged, for your work will be rewarded.
2 Chronicles 15:7
Be on the alert. Stand firm in the faith. Be men of courage. Be strong.
1 Corinthians 16:13
And most of the brothers, confident in the Lord by my chains, now dare more greatly to speak the word without fear.
Philippians 1:14
The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.
Proverbs 28:1
Frequently asked questions
What is the Bible verse about being courageous?
The best known is Joshua 1:9, where God tells Joshua to be strong and courageous because the Lord goes with him. Deuteronomy 31:7 and 1 Chronicles 28:20 carry the same charge, given by Moses and David to the next leader.
Does the Bible say courage means not being afraid?
No. Nearly every call to courage in Scripture is given to someone who has reason to be afraid. Courage there means acting on God's word and trusting His presence, even while the fear is still present.
Which Bible verse helps with courage to speak up?
Acts 4:29-31 is a good one. Peter and John had just been threatened, and the believers prayed for boldness to keep speaking. Esther 4:14-16 also fits, when speaking or acting carries a real cost.
How can I use these verses when I need courage today?
Pick one that fits your situation and read it slowly before the hard moment. Bible Verse Alarm, an iPhone app, can use the verses you choose for your morning alarm, so one is in your mind early in the day.