Bible Verses About Anxiety

How it is used today: Used as a promise that Jesus gives rest to anyone worn out by stress, grief or guilt, and often to teach that He frees us from the heavy burden of trying to earn salvation by keeping religious rules.

First spoken: Jesus said this to the crowds in Galilee, right after thanking the Father for showing these things to "babes" and not to the wise (verses 25-27). The rest comes with a yoke: "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me," and earlier in the same Gospel He said the way to life is narrow and hard (7:13-14).

The early Christians: John Chrysostom says the heavy burden Jesus lifts is sin, and the yoke He gives in its place is His own commands: humility, meekness, turning the other cheek, giving up possessions. It is light only for those who are earnest, because "we too must certainly labor ourselves." Clement of Alexandria hears it as Christ calling all people to take His yoke and run toward immortality, and the Didache speaks of bearing "the whole yoke of the Lord."

“This is what He was hinting at when He did not first say, "Take My yoke upon you," but before that, "Come, you who labor and are heavy laden," implying that sin also has labor, and a burden that is heavy and hard to bear.” John Chrysostom, Homilies on Matthew

“For this reason Christ also, to show that we too must certainly labor ourselves, did not speak only of the gracious things and then keep silent, nor only of the painful things, but set down both. So He both spoke of a yoke and called it easy, and named a burden and added that it was light, so that you would neither run from them as burdensome nor despise them as too easy.” John Chrysostom, Homilies on Matthew

The difference: Today this verse is often used to promise rest from stress or from the work of keeping rules. The early Christians read it as rest from the weight of sin, given to those who take on Christ's yoke of obedience and humility, a yoke that is light because we carry it with Him, not because there is nothing to carry.

How it is used today: Used as a promise of inner calm: Jesus gives a peace that the world cannot, so a believer need not be anxious or afraid.

First spoken: Said at the Last Supper, just before His arrest, to the eleven disciples who were troubled that He was leaving (14:1, 14:28-29).

The early Christians: Cyprian quotes it to call Christians to live in peace and unity with one another, and says Christ's gifts are promised through keeping that peace. Chrysostom says it is a peace with Christ that the world's troubles cannot harm, a peace in which the disciples are at peace with one another.

“Among His divine commands and saving teachings, when the Lord was very near His passion, He added this one, saying, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you," John 14:27. He gave this to us as an inheritance. He promised all the gifts and rewards He spoke of through the keeping of peace. If we are fellow heirs with Christ, let us remain in the peace of Christ.” Cyprian, Treatises

“But I give you a kind of peace in which you are at peace with one another, and this makes you stronger.” John Chrysostom, Homilies on John

The difference: Today the verse is mostly taken as a calm inside the person. Chrysostom agrees it is a peace the world's troubles cannot harm, but he and Cyprian put first a peace with one another, a gift kept by those who stay united and live as peacemakers.

How it is used today: Often claimed as a promise of personal, inner calm: the Lord of peace gives me peace in any situation.

First spoken: Paul prays this right after telling the church to keep away from idle brothers who ignore his teaching, and to warn them as brothers, not enemies (3:6-15).

The early Christians: John Chrysostom reads the prayer as peace among the believers: after hard talk about discipline, Paul prays they may have no reason for conflict from any side.

“Since it was likely that arguments would come from these matters, with some people becoming irritated and others no longer helping such persons as readily as before, he rightly offers this prayer for them now, saying, "Give you peace at all times." For this is what is being sought: that they may always have peace. "In every way," he says. What does "in every way" mean? It means that they may have no reason for conflict from any side.” John Chrysostom, Homilies on Second Thessalonians

The difference: Today this verse is often used for personal calm of mind. Chrysostom read it as Paul praying for peace inside the church, after the correction of idle brothers, so there is no cause for quarrel.

How it is used today: Used as a promise of personal inner calm: if I let God's peace rule my heart, I can keep calm inside whatever happens around me.

First spoken: Paul wrote to the church at Colossae. The verses just before tell them to forgive one another and put on love (3:12-14); the verse says they were called to peace "in one body", so it is about how Christians treat each other.

The early Christians: John Chrysostom, preaching on this verse, says the peace of God must act as umpire when two thoughts fight inside us, one urging revenge and one urging patience, and it must hand the prize to patience. Being thankful means treating a fellow servant as God treats us, and giving thanks even when insulted.

“For example, suppose someone has been insulted unjustly. From that insult two thoughts are born. One tells him to take revenge. The other tells him to endure it.” John Chrysostom, Homilies on Colossians

“Not this, he says. Not this is what I want. Do not go too far. Instead, just as God made peace with you, so you also should make peace. How did He make peace? By His own will, without receiving anything from you.” John Chrysostom, Homilies on Colossians

The difference: Today this verse is often read as a promise that I can stay calm inside. Chrysostom reads it as a command about how we treat people who wrong us: let God's peace win over revenge, forgive as God made peace with us, and stay at peace with our brothers in the one body.

How it is used today: Used as a promise against anxiety and fear in general: fear is not from God, and believers can claim peace and a sound mind.

First spoken: Paul writes to Timothy, who was timid, from prison near the end of his life. Verse 8 follows at once: "Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner," and share in suffering for the gospel.

The early Christians: Clement of Alexandria and Tertullian both read the verse with verse 8. For Clement it is about not fearing death and not being ashamed to confess Christ. Tertullian says it means we suffer for Christ with power from love of God and a sound mind.

“For God has not given us a spirit of slavery leading again to fear, but a spirit of power and love and a sound mind. So then, he writes to Timothy, "Do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, or of me His prisoner.” Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata

“For he had said before: "For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." 2 Timothy 1:7. For we suffer with power from love toward God, and with a sound mind, when we suffer for our blamelessness.” Tertullian, Scorpiace

The difference: Today the verse is mostly used to claim freedom from everyday fear and worry. The early writers tie it to verse 8: it is courage to confess Christ and suffer for Him, not to be ashamed or afraid of death. (GotQuestions also notes the "fear" is timidity, which is close to their reading.)

How it is used today: Used as a promise of personal guidance: if I trust God instead of my own judgment and bring Him into every decision, He will guide my choices and make the path of my life straight and clear.

First spoken: Solomon is teaching his son (Proverbs 3:1, "My son, do not forget my law"). The next verse says "Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and depart from evil" (3:7), and verses 11-12 say "do not despise the chastening of the LORD... for whom the LORD loves He corrects." In the Greek Old Testament the early church read, verse 6 says to acknowledge "her," that is, wisdom.

The early Christians: Clement of Alexandria quotes verse 5 as relying on God with all your heart and mind, and reads verse 6 together with verses 7 and 11-12: not being wise in your own eyes means fearing God, departing from evil, and accepting His painful discipline. He is the only Father in our library who comments on these verses.

“But fear God, who alone is powerful. From where it follows, as a consequence, that we are not to oppose God. The words that follow teach especially clearly that the fear of God is departure from evil. For it is said, "and depart from all evil." Such is the discipline of wisdom, for "whom the Lord loves He chastens," causing pain in order to produce understanding, and restoring to peace and immortality.” Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies)

The difference: Today this verse is often used as a promise that God will guide my personal decisions and smooth my road. The early Christians read it with the verses after it: trusting God means fearing Him, turning away from evil, and accepting His correction, even when it hurts, rather than following our own reason.

How it is used today: Used as a promise that whatever happens in my life, even the bad things, God is working it all into His good plan for me; many also read "called according to His purpose" as God's own eternal choice of who will be saved (verses 29-30).

First spoken: Paul wrote this to the church in Rome. Just before, he speaks of "the sufferings of this present time" and of the Spirit helping us when "we do not know what we should pray for as we ought" (8:18-27). The promise is for "those who love God," and verses 35-36 name what he has in mind: trouble, persecution, hunger, the sword.

The early Christians: John Chrysostom says Paul is speaking to people in danger: God does not promise that trouble will not come, but He turns the painful things themselves into good for those who love Him, as with the three young men in the furnace. He also reads the "purpose" in this verse as including the free choice of those who are called, since all were called but not all obeyed. Clement of Alexandria uses the verse to encourage Christians facing martyrdom.

“So he does not say that no trouble comes near those who love God, but that "it works together for good." That is, He uses the painful things themselves to prove those whom others plot against. And this is much greater than keeping such troubles from coming, or stopping them after they have come.” John Chrysostom, Homilies on Romans

“Therefore he says that it is not the calling alone, but also the purpose of those who are called, that works salvation. For the calling was not forced on them or made compulsory. All, then, were called, but not all obeyed the call.” John Chrysostom, Homilies on Romans

The difference: Today this verse is often read as God making whatever happens turn out well for me, and by some as God alone choosing who is saved. Chrysostom says it is for those who love God, that the "good" may be the hardship itself rather than escape from it, and that God calls everyone but not all obey the call.