90 Bible Verses about Closer To God

Luke 9:23 ESV / 165 helpful votes

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

James 4:8 ESV / 151 helpful votes

Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

1 John 1:9 ESV / 148 helpful votes

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

John 14:1 ESV / 105 helpful votes

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.

Jeremiah 23:23-24 ESV / 84 helpful votes

“Am I a God at hand, declares the Lord, and not a God far away? Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the Lord.

Matthew 6:16-18 ESV / 77 helpful votes

“And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Luke 6:27 ESV / 67 helpful votes

“But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,

1 Timothy 2:1-15 ESV / 65 helpful votes

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, ...

John 3:16 ESV / 65 helpful votes

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Psalm 73:28 ESV / 61 helpful votes

But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.

1 John 2:1-29 ESV / 50 helpful votes

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: ...

Romans 14:1-23 ESV / 49 helpful votes

As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. ...

Psalm 32:9 ESV / 46 helpful votes

Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, or it will not stay near you.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 ESV / 41 helpful votes

Pray without ceasing,

1 Peter 2:4 ESV / 38 helpful votes

As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious,

Judges 20:26 ESV / 36 helpful votes

Then all the people of Israel, the whole army, went up and came to Bethel and wept. They sat there before the Lord and fasted that day until evening, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord.

Acts 2:41 ESV / 34 helpful votes

So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

Matthew 5:28 ESV / 32 helpful votes

But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

2 Kings 1:1-18 ESV / 29 helpful votes

After the death of Ahab, Moab rebelled against Israel. Now Ahaziah fell through the lattice in his upper chamber in Samaria, and lay sick; so he sent messengers, telling them, “Go, inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this sickness.” But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say to them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Now therefore thus says the Lord, You shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.’” So Elijah went. The messengers returned to the king, and he said to them, “Why have you returned?” ...

Acts 13:1-3 ESV / 25 helpful votes

Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

Colossians 3:5-10 ESV / 21 helpful votes

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices ...

Acts 14:23 ESV / 20 helpful votes

And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

2 Thessalonians 1:1-12 ESV / 16 helpful votes

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring. This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering— ...

Hebrews 11:6 ESV / 15 helpful votes

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

John 3:16-17 ESV / 15 helpful votes

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

John 1:1 ESV / 12 helpful votes

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Philippians 3:7-11 ESV / 11 helpful votes

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Ephesians 3:1-21 ESV / 10 helpful votes

For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you, how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. ...

Mark 2:18 ESV / 10 helpful votes

Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. And people came and said to him, “Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?”

Colossians 3:5-15 ESV / 9 helpful votes

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices ...

Jeremiah 29:13 ESV / 9 helpful votes

You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.

Isaiah 58:2 ESV / 8 helpful votes

Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that did righteousness and did not forsake the judgment of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments; they delight to draw near to God.

Hebrews 11:4 ESV / 7 helpful votes

By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.

2 Corinthians 10:5 ESV / 7 helpful votes

We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,

John 14:6 ESV / 7 helpful votes

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

John 3:1-36 ESV / 7 helpful votes

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. ...

John 1:12 ESV / 7 helpful votes

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,

Ezekiel 18:32 ESV / 7 helpful votes

For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God; so turn, and live.”

Jeremiah 33:3 ESV / 7 helpful votes

Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.

Deuteronomy 6:5 ESV / 7 helpful votes

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

Hebrews 10:22 ESV / 6 helpful votes

Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Hebrews 4:16 ESV / 6 helpful votes

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

2 Thessalonians 1:9 ESV / 6 helpful votes

They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might,

Romans 3:23 ESV / 6 helpful votes

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

John 17:3 ESV / 6 helpful votes

And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

Matthew 7:7 ESV / 6 helpful votes

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

Matthew 5:2 ESV / 6 helpful votes

And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

Isaiah 66:2 ESV / 6 helpful votes

All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the Lord. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.

Isaiah 55:6 ESV / 6 helpful votes

“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near;

Psalm 145:18 ESV / 6 helpful votes

The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.

Psalm 46:10 ESV / 6 helpful votes

“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

1 Timothy 2:8 ESV / 5 helpful votes

I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling;

Isaiah 1:16 ESV / 5 helpful votes

Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil,

Job 17:9 ESV / 5 helpful votes

Yet the righteous holds to his way, and he who has clean hands grows stronger and stronger.

2 Chronicles 15:2 ESV / 5 helpful votes

And he went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: The Lord is with you while you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.

James 1:3 ESV / 4 helpful votes

For you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

Hebrews 7:19 ESV / 4 helpful votes

(for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.

Philippians 4:13 ESV / 4 helpful votes

I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Philippians 4:6-7 ESV / 4 helpful votes

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication 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 minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:10 ESV / 4 helpful votes

That I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,

Zechariah 1:3 ESV / 4 helpful votes

Therefore say to them, Thus declares the Lord of hosts: Return to me, says the Lord of hosts, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts.

Isaiah 1:1-31 ESV / 3 helpful votes

The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the Lord has spoken: “Children have I reared and brought up, but they have rebelled against me. The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master's crib, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand.” Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the Lord, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are utterly estranged. Why will you still be struck down? Why will you continue to rebel? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. ...

Revelation 21:3 ESV / 2 helpful votes

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.

Revelation 3:20 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

Revelation 1:1 ESV / 2 helpful votes

The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,

2 Peter 2:4 ESV / 2 helpful votes

For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment;

James 4:6 ESV / 2 helpful votes

But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV / 2 helpful votes

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

2 Thessalonians 1:4 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring.

Philippians 3:2 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh.

2 Corinthians 6:10 ESV / 2 helpful votes

As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.

Romans 5:2 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Acts 14:3 ESV / 2 helpful votes

So they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.

Acts 13:22 ESV / 2 helpful votes

And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’

John 14:4 ESV / 2 helpful votes

And you know the way to where I am going.”

Luke 2:37 ESV / 2 helpful votes

And then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day.

Luke 2:2 ESV / 2 helpful votes

This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria.

Mark 1:35 ESV / 2 helpful votes

And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.

Matthew 22:37 ESV / 2 helpful votes

And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.

Matthew 6:6 ESV / 2 helpful votes

But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Matthew 6:5 ESV / 2 helpful votes

“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

Jeremiah 29:11 ESV / 2 helpful votes

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Jeremiah 29:6 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease.

Isaiah 55:4 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples.

Isaiah 1:18 ESV / 2 helpful votes

“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.

Isaiah 1:2 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the Lord has spoken: “Children have I reared and brought up, but they have rebelled against me.

Proverbs 3:3 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart.

Psalm 23:1-6 ESV / 2 helpful votes

A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. ...

2 Samuel 1:1-27 ESV / 2 helpful votes

After the death of Saul, when David had returned from striking down the Amalekites, David remained two days in Ziklag. And on the third day, behold, a man came from Saul's camp, with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. And when he came to David, he fell to the ground and paid homage. David said to him, “Where do you come from?” And he said to him, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.” And David said to him, “How did it go? Tell me.” And he answered, “The people fled from the battle, and also many of the people have fallen and are dead, and Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.” Then David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?” ...

Deuteronomy 6:4 ESV / 2 helpful votes

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.

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