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Bible Verses About Courage to Memorize
The most repeated command surrounding courage in the Bible is not "try harder" — it is "fear not," and it is almost always anchored to a promise: "for the LORD thy God is with thee." When God commissioned Joshua to lead Israel into the land, He said "be strong and of a good courage" three times in nine verses, and each time the reason was His own presence, not Joshua’s ability.
Biblical courage, then, is not the absence of fear. David admitted "what time I am afraid, I will trust in thee" — fear and faith in the same breath. Courage is choosing to act on what God has said rather than on what your fear is saying, and that choice is far easier when His words are already memorized and ready.
These ten verses are the ones to have on hand before the job interview, the diagnosis, the difficult obedience, or the step of faith you have been putting off.
KJV verse list
10 Bible verses about courage
Each verse below is shown in the King James Version. Read it slowly, then use the note beneath it to see why it is worth carrying with you.
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.
God’s charge to Joshua — "Be strong and of a good courage... for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest" — is the Bible’s definitive courage verse.
Deuteronomy 31:6
Be 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.
Moses’ farewell charge includes the promise "he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee," the foundation under all biblical courage.
Psalm 27:1
The 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?
"Whom shall I fear?" — David’s rhetorical question is a ready-made answer to your own fears.
Psalm 27:14
Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.
A two-part command — "Wait on the LORD: be of good courage" — that pairs patience and bravery in one short verse.
Psalm 56:3-4
What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.
David admits to being afraid and trusts God anyway, making this the most honest courage verse in the Psalms.
Isaiah 41:13
For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.
God pictures Himself holding your right hand and saying "Fear not; I will help thee" — courage as a held hand, not a stiff upper lip.
2 Timothy 1:7
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Fear does not come from God: He has given "power, and... love, and... a sound mind" instead.
1 Corinthians 16:13
Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.
Four rapid-fire commands — "Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong" — make a memorable daily charge.
John 16:33
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
Jesus promised tribulation and cheer in the same sentence: "be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."
1 Chronicles 28:20
And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.
David’s charge to Solomon — "Be strong and of good courage, and do it" — adds the crucial final step: act.
Memorization help
How to memorize these verses
Courage verses are commands with reasons attached, so memorize them as pairs: the command ("be strong and of a good courage") and the reason ("for the LORD thy God is with thee"). If you learn only the command, you get a pep talk; the reason is what actually steadies you. Joshua 1:9 and Deuteronomy 31:6 share so much wording that learning one makes the other nearly free. Review them right before situations that scare you — spaced repetition in The Bible Memory App can surface them daily until they are automatic.
The Bible Memory App turns that practice into a daily habit: type each verse from memory, get instant feedback on every word, and review on a schedule so the verses stay with you for years, not days. It is free to start, and you can add any of the verses above in seconds.
FAQ
Questions about Bible verses on courage
What is the most famous Bible verse about courage?
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." God spoke it to Joshua as he prepared to lead Israel into the promised land, and believers have memorized it ever since.
How many times does the Bible say "fear not"?
Commands not to fear — "fear not," "be not afraid," "be of good courage" — appear well over a hundred times across Scripture, depending on how you count the phrasing. The repetition is the point: God knows His people need the reminder constantly, which is exactly why these verses are worth memorizing.
Is it sinful to feel afraid?
Feeling fear is human, not sinful — David wrote "what time I am afraid, I will trust in thee" (Psalm 56:3). Scripture’s concern is what you do with fear: courage is trusting God’s promises in the presence of fear, not pretending fear away.
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