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Bible verses for anxiety

The passage most people are sent to first is Philippians 4:6-7 — be anxious for nothing, pray about everything, and a peace you can't account for will stand guard over your thoughts. It is the clearest thing the New Testament says about worry. Below it are thirteen more, each with a note on the kind of anxiety it actually speaks to, because 3am dread and Sunday-night dread are not the same animal.

14 passages · World English Bible & King James · public domain

  1. In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.Philippians 4:6-7 · World English Bible

    The instruction is not 'stop worrying' — it's 'move it somewhere'. Prayer here is a place to put the thing, not a technique for getting rid of it.

    King James

    Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

  2. casting all your worries on him, because he cares for you.1 Peter 5:7 · World English Bible

    Six words that do most of the work: because he cares for you. Not because you're coping well. Not because you've earned a hearing.

    King James

    Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

  3. Therefore I tell you, don’t be anxious for your life: what you will eat, or what you will drink; nor yet for your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food, and the body more than clothing? See the birds of the sky, that they don’t sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns. Your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you of much more value than they? “Which of you by being anxious, can add one moment to his lifespan?Matthew 6:25-27 · World English Bible

    Aimed squarely at people running tomorrow's disasters in their head. The birds aren't a metaphor for doing nothing; they're a jab at how much of our worrying changes nothing.

    King James

    Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

  4. Therefore don’t be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Each day’s own evil is sufficient.Matthew 6:34 · World English Bible

    Permission to only carry today. Most anxiety is a Tuesday trying to hold Thursday's weight.

    King James

    Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

  5. In the multitude of my thoughts within me, your comforts delight my soul.Psalms 94:19 · World English Bible

    The honest one. It doesn't claim the anxious thoughts went away — it says something arrived alongside them.

    King James

    In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.

  6. Don’t you be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. Yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness.Isaiah 41:10 · World English Bible

    For when you're too tired to reason yourself out of it. Four short promises in a row, and nothing asked of you.

    King James

    Fear 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.

  7. Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, I give to you. Don’t let your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful.John 14:27 · World English Bible

    Jesus draws a distinction worth noticing: the peace he's leaving isn't the kind the world hands out, which usually depends on circumstances behaving.

    King James

    Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

  8. Cast your burden on the LORD and he will sustain you. He will never allow the righteous to be moved.Psalms 55:22 · World English Bible

    Cast, not carry. The verb is doing a lot of work.

    King James

    Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

  9. Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down, but a kind word makes it glad.Proverbs 12:25 · World English Bible

    The one nobody quotes. Half of it is about what someone else's kind word can do — which is a reason to say the kind word.

    King James

    Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad.

  10. For God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.2 Timothy 1:7 · World English Bible

    Useful when the anxiety has started telling you it's who you are. Paul says it isn't what you were handed.

    King James

    For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

  11. I sought the LORD, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.Psalms 34:4 · World English Bible

    Written by someone who had been genuinely, physically in danger — not a general reassurance from a comfortable place.

    King James

    I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.

  12. Haven’t I commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”Joshua 1:9 · World English Bible

    A command given to a man about to do something enormous and frightening. Courage as an instruction, with company attached.

    King James

    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.

  13. “Come to me, all you who labour and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”Matthew 11:28-30 · World English Bible

    For anxiety that has turned into exhaustion. The offer is rest, and a lighter thing to carry — not no thing at all.

    King James

    Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

  14. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.Psalms 46:1 · World English Bible

    Eleven words. Short enough to hold on to when you can't concentrate on anything longer.

    King James

    God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Which one to reach for

Anxiety doesn't arrive in one flavour, so a single verse won't cover it. Roughly: Philippians 4:6-7 and 1 Peter 5:7 are for when you need somewhere to put it. Matthew 6:25-27 and 6:34 are for when you're running the future in your head. Isaiah 41:10 and Psalm 46:1 are for when you're too tired to reason and just need something solid to stand on. Proverbs 12:25 is the one nobody quotes, and it's about how much a single kind word from another person can lift the weight.

A note on what these verses are not

None of this is a treatment plan. Scripture has been a comfort to anxious people for a very long time and it can sit alongside a GP, a therapist and medication without any of them being an insult to the others. If your anxiety is stopping you eating, sleeping or working, please talk to a doctor. Reading Philippians 4 more times is not the same as being cared for.

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God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Psalm 46:1

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Questions

What is the best Bible verse for anxiety?

Philippians 4:6-7 is the passage most often turned to: be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God — and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus. It is the New Testament's most direct instruction about worry.

Does the Bible say anxiety is a sin?

No. Scripture repeatedly addresses anxious people with comfort rather than rebuke — Psalm 94:19 speaks of anxiety being great within the writer, and Elijah, David and Jesus himself are all described in states of deep distress. The Bible treats anxiety as something to be brought somewhere, not something to be ashamed of.

Can Bible verses replace treatment for anxiety?

No. Scripture can sit alongside medical care, therapy and medication, but it is not a substitute for them. If anxiety is affecting your sleep, eating or ability to work, speak to a doctor.

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