“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Courage here is not a feeling you have to summon. It rests on a fact: God goes wherever you go today.
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Three promises in one verse: I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will hold you up. Read it slowly and lean on one of them.
“I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”
Paul wrote this from prison, about learning to be content with little or with much (Philippians 4:11-12). The strength he means is strength to endure, not only to achieve.
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Moses said this to a people about to face what they feared. God goes ahead of you too, and He does not leave.
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”
Not a help that arrives after the trouble, but one present in the middle of it.
“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
Hoping in the Lord is not wasted time. It is where tired people find new strength, sometimes to soar and sometimes just to keep walking.
“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
The outward wear and tear is real. So is the quiet renewal happening inside you, day by day.
“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”
When God is your light and your stronghold, fear loses its strongest argument.
“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.”
Four short commands for a hard day: stay alert, stand firm, take courage, be strong.
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
A prayer you can pray for a friend by name: that God would fill them with joy and peace until hope overflows.
“Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
Written over a ruined city, and still it sees mercy that is new every morning. Today has its own fresh supply.
“May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.”
Encouragement that is eternal, because it comes from God's grace, not from how today went.
Why "do not be discouraged" is a command, and a comfort
It can feel strange that God commands Joshua not to be discouraged (Joshua 1:9). Isn't discouragement a feeling, and can feelings really be commanded? But look at the structure of the verse. The command "do not be discouraged" is followed immediately by a reason: "for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." The command rests entirely on the promise.
God never tells the discouraged to simply feel better. He gives them a reason to take heart: His presence. The courage He asks for is not self-generated grit; it is the natural response of someone who truly believes they are not alone. When Scripture says "be strong," it is never "be strong on your own." It is "be strong, because of who is with you."
This is also why the command is a comfort. If God commands us not to be discouraged, then discouragement is not our destiny; there is a way through. And He provides the very thing that makes obedience possible: Himself. The same God who says "do not fear" also says, in the same breath, "I will strengthen you and help you" (Isaiah 41:10).
Joshua 1:9 in the KJV: “Be strong and of a good courage”
In the King James Version, Joshua 1:9 sounds a little different from the NIV above. Where the NIV says “Be strong and courageous,” the KJV says “Be strong and of a good courage” (Joshua 1:9, KJV), and where the NIV says “do not be discouraged,” the KJV says “neither be thou dismayed” (Joshua 1:9, KJV). The promise at the end is the same in both: God is with you “whithersoever thou goest” (Joshua 1:9, KJV), which is to say wherever you go.
“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.”
Encouraging Bible verses to send a friend
Short lines from the King James Version, each with a note on when it fits. Add a sentence of your own so your friend knows you are thinking of them. In Faithero you can tap any verse to share it.
- “He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.” (Isaiah 40:29, KJV) For a friend running on empty.
- “The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.” (Nahum 1:7, KJV) For a friend in the middle of a crisis.
- “Being 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, KJV) For a friend who feels like a work in progress.
- “If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31, KJV) For a friend facing opposition.
- “Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means.” (2 Thessalonians 3:16, KJV) For a friend who cannot settle.
- “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” (Galatians 6:9, KJV) For a friend tired of doing the right thing with nothing to show for it yet.
Encouraging Bible verses for women
Every verse on this page is for women as much as for men. These five were first spoken to or about women in Scripture: the strong woman of Proverbs 31, a woman Jesus healed after twelve years of bleeding, Esther, Mary (blessed by her relative Elisabeth) and Ruth.
“Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.”
“Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.”
“...who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
“And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.”
“The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.”
Uplifting Bible verses for a hard day
For the day that goes wrong from the first hour. Nehemiah 8:10 was spoken to people who were weeping as they heard God's law read, and Paul heard 2 Corinthians 12:9 when God said no to his prayer for relief. Read one slowly, breathe, and read it again. When you need more, see our Bible verses about strength.
“I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.”
“...neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”
“When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee”
“My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.”
“My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.”
Encouragement across the Bible: a brief tour
| Reference | Book | Theme |
|---|---|---|
| Deuteronomy 31:6 | Deuteronomy | "He will never leave you nor forsake you" |
| Joshua 1:9 | Joshua | Be strong and courageous: God is with you |
| Psalm 34:18 | Psalms | The Lord is close to the brokenhearted |
| Isaiah 40:31 | Isaiah | Those who hope in the Lord renew their strength |
| Matthew 11:28 | Matthew | "Come to me...and I will give you rest" |
| John 16:33 | John | "Take heart! I have overcome the world" |
| 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 | 2 Corinthians | God comforts us so we can comfort others |
| 1 Thessalonians 5:11 | 1 Thessalonians | "Encourage one another and build each other up" |
| Hebrews 12:1-3 | Hebrews | Run with perseverance; fix your eyes on Jesus |
Common misconceptions
A few things people often get wrong on this topic.
MythFeeling discouraged means my faith is weak.
TruthSome of the godliest people in Scripture were deeply discouraged: Elijah asked to die (1 Kings 19), David poured out despair in the Psalms. Discouragement is not a faith failure; it is part of being human. Faith is not the absence of low days, but choosing to keep turning to God in them.
MythEncouraging verses are just Bible-flavored positive thinking.
TruthPositive thinking asks you to summon optimism from within. Biblical encouragement points you outside yourself to God’s presence and promises. "I am with you" (Isaiah 41:10) is not a mood you generate; it is a fact you rest on.
MythIf I had enough faith, I would never feel weary.
TruthIsaiah 40:31 assumes God’s people grow weary; that is precisely why it promises renewed strength. Jesus Himself grew tired (John 4:6). Weariness is not a sign you are doing it wrong; it is a signal to come to the One who gives rest (Matthew 11:28).
MythGod will encourage me with a sudden change in circumstances.
TruthSometimes He does. But more often His encouragement comes through His Word, His Spirit, and His people, renewing us inwardly "day by day" even when the outward situation has not changed (2 Corinthians 4:16). Inner renewal is the deeper miracle.
Finding encouragement when you are weary
Memorize one short verse
Discouragement often strikes when no Bible is in reach. Hide one short encouraging verse in your heart (Philippians 4:13, Psalm 46:1, or Isaiah 41:10) so it is always available when the weight returns.
Pray Scripture back to God
Turn a verse into a prayer: "Lord, You said You will never leave me nor forsake me (Deuteronomy 31:6). Help me believe that today." Praying God’s own words is one of the surest ways to steady a discouraged heart.
Wait on the Lord
Isaiah 40:31 promises renewed strength to those who "hope in" or wait on the Lord. Build in unhurried time, even ten quiet minutes, to sit with God rather than rushing past Him. Renewal is rarely instant; it comes as we wait.
Let others encourage you
1 Thessalonians 5:11 calls us to "encourage one another." Discouragement isolates; resist it. Tell one trusted friend how you really are, and let them remind you of what is true. We were never meant to carry hard seasons alone.
Take it one day at a time
God’s mercies are new "every morning" (Lamentations 3:22-23), and we are renewed "day by day" (2 Corinthians 4:16). You do not need strength for the whole road today, only for today. Receive this morning’s mercy, and trust Him for tomorrow’s.
Frequently asked
What are the best encouraging Bible verses for hard times?
Good places to start are Joshua 1:9 ("Be strong and courageous...the Lord your God will be with you"), Isaiah 41:10 ("Do not fear, for I am with you"), Psalm 46:1 ("God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble"), and Isaiah 40:31 ("those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength"). What makes them work is not positive thinking but the God they point to: present, strong, and faithful in the middle of trouble.
What does the Bible say when you feel discouraged and weary?
Scripture meets weariness with God’s nearness, not a lecture. Isaiah 40:31 promises that those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength. 2 Corinthians 4:16 says that even as we waste away outwardly, we are renewed inwardly day by day. And Lamentations 3:22-23 reminds us His mercies are new every morning. Discouragement is real, but it is never the final word for those who belong to God.
Are there short encouraging Bible verses to memorize?
Yes. Some of the best short encouraging Bible verses are easy to carry with you: "I can do all this through him who gives me strength" (Philippians 4:13), "God is our refuge and strength" (Psalm 46:1), and "The Lord is my light and my salvation" (Psalm 27:1). Short verses are worth memorizing precisely because discouragement often strikes when you cannot reach for a Bible; a verse hidden in the heart is always available.
What is a good encouraging Bible verse to send a friend?
Short verses travel best. Isaiah 40:29 suits a friend running on empty: "He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength" (Isaiah 40:29, KJV). Romans 15:13 makes a good prayer to send by name. Add a line of your own so your friend knows you are thinking of them, not just forwarding a verse.
What is a good encouraging Bible verse in the KJV?
A favorite encouraging Bible verse in the KJV is Joshua 1:9: "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 1:9, KJV). Another is Isaiah 41:10: "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee" (Isaiah 41:10, KJV). The KJV’s older language can make these promises feel weighty and memorable.
How is biblical encouragement different from positive thinking?
Positive thinking asks you to generate optimism from within; biblical encouragement points you to Someone outside yourself. The New Testament word often translated "encourage" (parakaleo) means to call someone to your side, to comfort and strengthen them. God does not tell the discouraged to try harder to feel better; He says, "I am with you" (Isaiah 41:10) and gives "eternal encouragement and good hope" by His grace (2 Thessalonians 2:16). It is hope grounded in His character, not your mood.
Take heart: He is with you
Notice how often the Bible's encouragement is anchored in a single phrase: "I am with you." To Joshua, facing an impossible task, God said, "Do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go" (Joshua 1:9). To a frightened, exiled people, He said, "Do not fear, for I am with you" (Isaiah 41:10). Biblical encouragement is rarely "Things will get easier." It is almost always "You are not alone."
That is good news on the days strength runs out, and they will come. You do not have to manufacture courage or pretend the weariness isn't real. You only have to lift your eyes to the One who is already beside you. His compassions never fail; they are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23). Choose one verse above. Write it where you will see it. Read it tomorrow when the weight returns. Renewal, Scripture promises, comes not all at once but "day by day" (2 Corinthians 4:16), and the God who began it will see it through.
12 encouraging Bible verses
These twelve are quoted from the NIV, each with a short reflection you can share with someone or pray for yourself. Further down are encouraging verses in the King James Version: lines to send a friend, verses for women, and verses for a hard day.