Grace is God's undeserved kindness, His favour given freely. We are "justified freely by his grace" (Romans 3:24); "if by grace, then is it no more of works" (Romans 11:6); and when today feels like too much, "he giveth more grace" (James 4:6).
The word grace appears 170 times in the King James Bible, and it sits at the heart of the gospel. People look up grace verses for a sermon or a small group, for a baby named Grace, for a tattoo or a wall sign, or simply because they feel they have failed one too many times. These twelve KJV verses show grace that saves, grace that holds you up today, and grace that changes how you live and speak. For God's favour in the lives of Bible characters, see the favor of God; for being saved, see salvation.
Saved by grace, given freely
1. Romans 3:24
"Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:"
Paul has just said "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). Freely means as a gift; the same Greek word is translated "without a cause" (John 15:25) where Jesus says He was hated for no reason. We are justified, declared right with God, at no cost to us, because Jesus paid the redemption price.
2. Romans 11:6
"And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work."
Grace and earning cannot be mixed. The moment grace becomes a wage, it is no more grace. This does not make good works unimportant; it puts them in the right place, as the fruit of grace rather than its price. See faith without works is dead.
3. John 1:16
"And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace."
Grace for grace means grace upon grace, one gift after another, which is how many modern translations render it. Out of Christ's fullness we never run short; yesterday's grace is followed by today's.
4. John 1:17
"For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ."
The law given through Moses was itself a gift, but in Jesus grace and truth arrived in person. Notice that grace never comes without truth. God's grace does not pretend sin is fine; it deals with it fully. See truth.
Grace that is enough for today
5. 1 Corinthians 15:10
"But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me."
Paul calls himself the least of the apostles because he had persecuted the church (1 Corinthians 15:9). By the grace of God I am what I am: his identity rested on grace, not on his past. And grace made him work harder, not lazier.
6. James 4:6
"But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble."
James quotes Proverbs: "he giveth grace unto the lowly" (Proverbs 3:34). God gives more grace; the supply does not run out. The way to receive it is humility, which is why pride and grace cannot live together. See humility.
7. Hebrews 13:9
"Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein."
Written to believers tempted to go back to strict food rules and new teachings. A heart established with grace is steady, not tossed around by every new idea. Grace, not rules, is what settles the heart.
8. 2 Timothy 2:1
"Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus."
Paul wrote this to Timothy near the end of his life. Be strong in the grace: Christian strength comes from grace, not from grit. Paul had learned that lesson himself when the Lord told him, "My grace is sufficient for thee" (2 Corinthians 12:9). See strength.
Grace that shapes how we live
9. Ephesians 2:7
"That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus."
This follows Paul's great statement that we are saved by grace (Ephesians 2:5). God's purpose is to display the exceeding riches of his grace for ages to come. Grace is not a one-time pardon; it is a kindness God plans to keep showing forever, which is why grace-shaped people become kind people. See kindness.
10. Acts 4:33
"And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all."
The early church in Jerusalem, right after Pentecost. Great grace was upon them all, and the next verses show what it looked like: they shared so freely that no one among them lacked (Acts 4:34). Grace becomes visible in generosity. See giving.
11. Ephesians 4:7
"But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ."
Every one of us is given grace, so every believer has a part to play. Paul goes straight on to the gifts Christ gives His church (Ephesians 4:8, 11-12). See gifts.
12. Acts 20:32
"And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified."
Paul's farewell to the elders of Ephesus, knowing he might never see them again. He commends them to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up. It is a beautiful blessing for a farewell, a send-off or a graduation.
A short prayer
Gracious Father, thank You that I am justified freely by Your grace, not by anything I have earned. Where I am trying to pay You back, teach me to receive. Where I feel weak today, give me more grace, and make me strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. Let my words be gracious, my life generous, and my heart established in Your grace. 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.
New to this method? See our Bible study guide or pick a Bible reading plan.
Go deeper into grace with the SOAP Bible Study Journal · Memorize a grace verse a week with the Scripture Memory Cards · Download our free SOAP study page
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between grace and mercy?
A common way to put it: mercy is not getting the punishment we deserve, and grace is getting the kindness we do not deserve. Scripture often puts them side by side: "that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:16). See mercy.
How many times is grace mentioned in the Bible?
In the King James Version, grace appears 170 times in 159 verses, most of them in the New Testament letters. Paul opens every one of his letters with a greeting of grace and peace. In the Old Testament, the same idea often appears as favour or lovingkindness.
Does grace mean we can keep sinning?
Paul answers that question directly: "Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid" (Romans 6:1-2). Grace forgives completely, and it also changes us: the grace of God teaches us to live "soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world" (Titus 2:12). Christians who stress grace and Christians who stress obedience both agree on this point. See obedience.
Is the hymn Amazing Grace in the Bible?
The hymn is not Scripture, but it is soaked in it. John Newton, a former slave-ship captain who became a pastor, wrote it to go with his New Year's Day sermon of 1773 on 1 Chronicles 17:16-17 (most likely in the weeks before), where David marvels at God's kindness to him. Its famous line about being lost and found echoes the prodigal son (Luke 15:24), and was blind, but now I see echoes the healed man in John 9:25. See the prodigal son.
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 the favor of God · Bible verses about mercy · Bible verses about salvation · Bible verses about forgiveness · Bible verses about humility · Bible verses about strength · Bible verses about God's love · Prodigal son Bible verses
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