The Bible's best-known courage verse is Joshua 1:9: "Be strong and of a good courage... for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest." Biblical courage rests on God's presence (2 Chronicles 32:7), waits on the Lord (Psalm 27:14), acts when it is time (Ezra 10:4; Esther 4:14), stands firm even "if not" (Daniel 3:17-18), and speaks with boldness (Acts 4:29).
Courage in the Bible is not the absence of fear; it is doing what God asks while fear is still present. These twelve King James passages focus on the courage to obey, to act, to stand, and to speak. For comfort when you feel afraid, see our fear page; for strength when you feel weak, see our strength page.
Be strong and of a good courage
1. 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 before Israel crossed into Canaan. The command to be courageous rests on a promise: the Lord is with you wherever you go. Courage is a response to His presence.
2. Joshua 1:7
"Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest."
Notice what this "very courageous" is for: to obey God's law without turning to the right or the left. Biblical courage is often the courage to do what is right when it is unpopular.
3. 2 Chronicles 32:7
"Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him:"
King Hezekiah rallied Jerusalem as the Assyrian army threatened the city: "there be more with us than with him." Courage counts God in the numbers.
4. 2 Samuel 10:12
"Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God: and the LORD do that which seemeth him good."
Joab, facing enemies on two fronts, tells his brother to fight bravely and leave the result to God: "the LORD do that which seemeth him good." Courage does its part without controlling the outcome.
Courage to wait and stand
5. Psalms 27:14
"Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD."
Courage can look like waiting. David pairs "be of good courage" with "wait on the LORD," and he says "wait" twice. Patience in the dark is a brave act.
6. Psalms 31:24
"Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD."
A word for everyone who hopes in the Lord: be of good courage, and He will strengthen your heart. You bring the willingness; He supplies the strength.
7. 1 Corinthians 16:13
"Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong."
Four short commands to a church under pressure: watch, stand fast in the faith, "quit you like men" (an old phrase meaning act with mature bravery), be strong.
Courage to act and speak
8. Ezra 10:4
"Arise; for this matter belongeth unto thee: we also will be with thee: be of good courage, and do it."
A leader is told: this is your responsibility, we will stand with you—be of good courage, and do it. Sometimes courage simply means starting the hard conversation or task.
9. Esther 4:14
"For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"
Mordecai urges Esther to risk her life by approaching the king to save her people. "For such a time as this" reminds us that where God has placed us may be for a purpose. Her reply: "if I perish, I perish" (Esther 4:16).
10. Daniel 3:17-18
"If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up."
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego believed God could deliver them from the furnace, "but if not," they still would not bow. This is courage that does not depend on a guaranteed outcome.
11. Acts 4:13
"Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus."
The council saw the boldness of Peter and John, ordinary fishermen, and recognized they had been with Jesus. Time with Jesus produces boldness.
12. Acts 4:29
"And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,"
Threatened by the authorities, the early church did not pray for safety but for boldness to keep speaking God's word.
A short prayer
Lord, You know what I am afraid to face. You have commanded me to be strong and of a good courage, and You have promised to be with me wherever I go. Give me courage to do what is right, to wait when I must, to act when it is time, and to speak with boldness. Even if the outcome is not what I hope, keep me faithful. In Jesus' name, amen.
Go deeper: a SOAP study prompt
Pick one verse above and write: - Scripture: copy the verse by hand. - Observation: what does it say? Who is speaking, to whom? - Application: what does it mean for you today? - Prayer: turn it into a two-line prayer.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the most famous Bible verse about courage?
Joshua 1:9: "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."
What does "be strong and of a good courage" mean?
It is a command repeated to Joshua and Israel (Deuteronomy 31:6-7; Joshua 1:6-9). It means acting with firm resolve because God is present—not because the danger is small.
Who showed courage in the Bible?
Joshua entering Canaan, Esther approaching the king, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego before the furnace, David facing Goliath, and Peter and John before the council are classic examples.
How is courage different from not being afraid?
Biblical courage often acts while fear is still present. Joshua 1:9 commands both "be strong" and "be not afraid," grounding both in God's presence. For comfort in fear itself, see our fear page.
Sources: All Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (KJV), public domain in the United States. References were checked against the KJV text from bible-api.com.
Related: Bible verses about fear · Bible verses about strength · Bible verses about confidence · Bible verses for motivation · Bible verses about never giving up
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