The Bible presents miracles as real acts of God that reveal His power and love. "Thou art the God that doest wonders" (Psalm 77:14). Jesus pointed to His miracles as proof of who He was: "the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised" (Luke 7:22). And He still says, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God" (Luke 18:27).
The word miracle appears 37 times in the King James Bible, in the singular or plural, but the Bible is full of wonders described in other words too: signs, wonders, mighty works. From the sea opening for Israel to a widow's son breathing again, from five loaves feeding thousands to Lazarus walking out of a tomb, miracles show that the God of the Bible is not distant. He steps into human need. Jesus' first miracle, turning water into wine at a wedding in Cana, is described this way: "This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him." (John 2:11). Miracles in Scripture are never magic tricks. They point beyond themselves to God's glory and invite faith. These twelve KJV verses walk through miracles in the Old Testament, the miracles of Jesus, and what they mean for believers who pray for God to move today. For Jesus' best-known miracle on the water, see Bible verses about Jesus walking on water, and for praying with expectation, see Bible verses about faith.
The God who does wonders
1. Psalms 77:14
"Thou art the God that doest wonders: thou hast declared thy strength among the people."
Psalm 77 begins in deep distress. The writer cannot sleep and wonders whether God has forgotten to be gracious. The turning point comes when he decides, "I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old." (Psalm 77:11). Then he declares, Thou art the God that doest wonders. Remembering what God has done in the past, in Scripture and in your own life, is one of the best ways to hold on when you are waiting for Him to act again.
2. Exodus 14:21
"And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided."
Israel was trapped between the sea and Pharaoh's army. Moses stretched out his hand, and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night. The verse notes the means, a wind, and the source, the LORD. God often works through the natural world He made, yet the timing and scale made it unmistakably His work. Israel walked through on dry ground (Exodus 14:22), and afterward the people feared the LORD and believed (Exodus 14:31).
3. 1 Kings 17:22
"And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived."
During a famine, a widow in Zarephath shared her last meal with the prophet Elijah, and God kept her flour and oil from running out. Later her son died. Elijah carried him upstairs, stretched himself over the boy three times and cried out to God (1 Kings 17:21). And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived. It is the first account in the Bible of someone being raised from the dead.
4. 2 Kings 5:14
"Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean."
Naaman was a powerful Syrian army commander with leprosy. The prophet Elisha sent word to wash seven times in the Jordan River, and Naaman stormed off, offended that the cure was so ordinary (2 Kings 5:11). His servants persuaded him to try. Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, and his skin became like a little child's. Sometimes God's way looks too simple for our pride. The miracle came through humble obedience.
The miracles of Jesus
5. Luke 7:22
"Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached."
John the Baptist, sitting in prison, sent messengers to ask Jesus if He was really the promised one (Luke 7:20). Jesus did not argue. He pointed to what was happening: the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. His answer echoes Isaiah's prophecies of the Messiah's age (Isaiah 35:5-6). Jesus' miracles were His credentials, showing the kingdom of God breaking in.
6. Matthew 14:20
"And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full."
The feeding of the five thousand is the only miracle besides the resurrection recorded in all four Gospels. The disciples had five loaves, and two fishes (Matthew 14:17), and Jesus blessed and broke them. And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full. Matthew adds that the five thousand were men, besides women and children (Matthew 14:21). What we place in Jesus' hands, however small, He can multiply.
7. Mark 10:52
"And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way."
Blind Bartimaeus kept shouting for mercy until Jesus called him. Jesus asked what he wanted, and he said he wanted to see. Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way. The miracle was instant, but notice the ending. Bartimaeus did not simply go home with new eyes. He used them to follow Jesus. The best response to answered prayer is a closer walk with the One who answered it.
8. John 11:43-44
"And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go."
Lazarus had been dead four days when Jesus arrived (John 11:39). Jesus wept with the grieving sisters, then stood at the tomb and cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes. Before this miracle Jesus told Martha, "I am the resurrection, and the life" (John 11:25). Raising Lazarus was a preview of Jesus' own resurrection and the promise of life for all who believe.
Faith for the impossible
9. Mark 16:20
"And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen."
After Jesus rose and ascended, His followers went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. The book of Acts records healings and wonders that accompanied the early church's preaching. Notice the order: the message came first, and the signs followed to confirm it. Miracles in the Bible always serve the gospel. They point people to Jesus rather than to the person God used.
10. Judges 6:13
"And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites."
When the angel told Gideon that the LORD was with him, Gideon pushed back: where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of. He had heard about the Exodus, but his own generation was oppressed by the Midianites. Many people feel the same way, wondering why God seems silent now. God did not scold Gideon for his honesty. He sent him: "Go in this thy might" (Judges 6:14). God answered Gideon's question by doing a new work through him.
11. John 14:12
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father."
On the night before the cross, Jesus told His disciples, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also, and even greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. Many interpreters understand greater works to mean greater in reach: the gospel spreading to every nation through the Spirit Jesus would send, with countless lives made new. In Acts, Peter healed a lame man in Jesus' name (Acts 3:6-8) and thousands believed. Jesus still works through ordinary believers who trust Him.
12. Luke 18:27
"And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."
Jesus had just said how hard it is for the rich to enter God's kingdom, and the listeners asked, "Who then can be saved?" (Luke 18:26). He answered, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God. The greatest miracle in the Bible is not a parted sea but a changed heart. Salvation itself is something only God can do. If He can do that, no situation you face is beyond His power, even when His answer comes in a way you did not expect.
A short prayer
Lord, You are the God who does wonders. You parted the sea, raised the dead and fed the hungry with a few loaves. I bring You the impossible things in my life today. I believe; help my unbelief. Give me patience when the answer is wait, trust when the answer is not what I asked, and gratitude for the everyday miracles I overlook. Above all, thank You for the miracle of new life in Jesus. In His 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.
Study the miracles of Jesus with the SOAP Bible Study Journal · Memorize promises of God's power with the Scripture Memory Cards · Write out wonder-filled verses with our free Scripture writing plan
Frequently asked questions
What was the first miracle in the Bible?
The Bible begins with creation itself, God speaking the world into existence. Among recorded miracles of God's people, the plagues and the parting of the Red Sea are among the earliest and best known. Jesus' first miracle was turning water into wine at Cana: "This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee" (John 2:11). See Bible verses about creation.
Why did Jesus perform miracles?
Jesus' miracles showed His compassion, proved His identity and revealed God's kingdom. John explains why he recorded them: "But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name." (John 20:31). Jesus also refused to perform signs simply to satisfy skeptics (Matthew 12:39). See Bible verses about Jesus is God.
Does God still do miracles today?
Christians agree that God is all-powerful and still answers prayer, though traditions differ on how often He works in openly miraculous ways. Scripture affirms that nothing is beyond Him: "is there any thing too hard for me?" (Jeremiah 32:27). Pray boldly, trust His wisdom, and keep seeking medical and practical help as well. See Bible verses about God answering prayers.
What should I do if I prayed for a miracle and it did not happen?
Your grief and questions are not a lack of faith. Gideon asked where God's miracles had gone (Judges 6:13), and the psalmist asked if God had forgotten to be gracious (Psalm 77:9). God's love does not depend on getting the answer we asked for. Bring your disappointment to Him honestly, and lean on people who can walk with you. See Bible verses about doubt.
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: Jesus walking on water · Faith · Healing · God answering prayers · Power of prayer · Doubt · Angels · Kingdom of God
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