Success is a desire almost everyone has – in their career, in sports, in life. The Bible speaks of success and blessing, but it measures success differently than the world does. Here you will find 20 Bible verses about success.
God gives success
Verses about success and blessing.
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Blessed is the one who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the company of mockers, but who delights in the law of the LORD and meditates on his law day and night! That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaves do not wither; and whatever that person does prospers.
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Do not let this book of the law depart from your mouth, but meditate on it day and night, so that you may keep and do everything written in it. Then you will prosper in all that you do and will be able to act wisely.
Joshua 1:8God's WordLaw
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Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will succeed.
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Delight yourself in the LORD; he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your ways to the LORD, and trust in him; he will make it right.
Psalm 37:4-5
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May the LORD, our God, be gracious to us and establish the work of our hands; yes, may he establish the work of our hands!
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And the LORD was with Joseph, so that he became a successful man; and he was in the house of his master, the Egyptian. And his master saw that the LORD was with him, for whatever he did, the LORD made it prosper.
Genesis 39:2-3
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For the keeper of the prison did not take anything from him, because the LORD was with Joseph, and whatever he did, the LORD made it prosper.
Genesis 39:23
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But remember the LORD, your God, for it is he who gives you strength to do such mighty deeds, so that he may keep the covenant he swore to your fathers, as he is doing today.
Deuteronomy 8:18
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Then you will prosper if you are faithful to keep the commands and regulations that the LORD has commanded Moses to Israel. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be dismayed!
1 Chronicles 22:13
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Then I answered them and said, “The God of heaven will give us success, for we his servants have set out and are building. But you have no share or right or remembrance in Jerusalem.”
Nehemiah 2:20Men
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Unless the LORD builds the house, the workers labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the guard keeps watch in vain.
Success according to God's standard
What really matters.
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What good is it to a person if they gain the whole world but lose their soul? Or what can a person give in exchange for their soul?
Matthew 16:26MaterialismSoul
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Then he sat down and called the Twelve and said to them, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and serve everyone.”
Mark 9:35
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The LORD says: “Let no one boast about their wisdom, or about their strength, or about their wealth; but whoever wants to boast should boast about knowing me and understanding that I am the LORD, who shows mercy, justice, and righteousness on earth, for such things I approve,” says the LORD.
Jeremiah 9:22-23PrideRecognition
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Now no longer is it sought after by the household managers, because they are found faithful.
1 Corinthians 4:2FaithfulnessReliability
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Then his master said to him, “Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in little; I will put you in charge of much. Enter into the joy of your master!”
Matthew 25:21GiftsFaithfulness
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So you also, when you have done everything you were commanded, say, “We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.”
Luke 17:10
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Everyone who is going to fall will first become proud; and pride comes before destruction.
Proverbs 16:18Pride
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Otherwise you would say in your heart, “It is my strength and the strength of my hands that have given me this wealth.”
Deuteronomy 8:17
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I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who gives the growth.
1 Corinthians 3:6-7ThanksgivingGrowth
Bible texts: Luther Bible 1912 (public domain), carefully adapted to modern spelling.
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Success in the Bible
The Bible speaks very freely about success. Regarding Joseph, it says when he was a slave in Egypt: “And the LORD was with Joseph, so that he became a successful man” (Genesis 39:2) – Luther translates the Hebrew word for “successful” as “happy.” Psalm 1 compares the person who trusts God to a tree by the water: “and whatever that person does prospers” (Psalm 1:3). Success is therefore nothing unchristian. But it is always seen as a gift: “But remember the LORD, your God, for it is he who gives you strength” (Deuteronomy 8:18).
Success and Humility
The Bible warns of a danger: that in success we forget where it comes from. Deuteronomy 8:17 calls the thought “It is my strength and the strength of my hands that have given me this wealth” a temptation. Jesus turns the standards upside down: “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and serve everyone” (Mark 9:35). And Paul reminds us that God gives the growth (1 Corinthians 3:6-7). Learn more about Bible verses about humility, Bible verses about pride and arrogance, and Bible verses about work.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Bible say about success?
The Bible sees success as God's blessing (Psalm 1:3; Genesis 39:2) and warns against taking credit for success yourself (Deuteronomy 8:17-18).
Which Bible verse is suitable for success in your career?
Psalm 1:3, Proverbs 16:3, Psalm 90:17, and Joshua 1:8 are often chosen.
