A confirmation verse – also often called a confirmation verse – is a Bible verse that young people choose or are given for their confirmation. Unlike a baptismal verse, confirmands usually decide for themselves which verse should accompany them. Here you will find 64 confirmation verses in full, sorted by theme: about the Holy Spirit, about courage and strength, about decisions and life’s path, about love, faith and calling – plus short verses for a candle and card.
• Most frequently chosen: Acts 1:8, 2 Timothy 1:7, Joshua 1:9 and Galatians 5:22.
• What it’s about: At confirmation, the Church asks for the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Many confirmation verses reflect exactly this.
• Who chooses: usually the confirmant themselves, often in conversation with their sponsor.
• What it’s for: for a confirmation candle, card, service booklet or as a personal motto.
The most popular confirmation verses
Confirmants choose these verses particularly often. Almost all of them deal with what confirmation is about: God’s Spirit, who strengthens and gives courage.
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You will receive the power of the Holy Spirit, who will come upon you, and you will be my witnesses.
Acts 1:8aHoly SpiritMission
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For God has not given us the Spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of self-control.
2 Timothy 1:7Holy SpiritFear
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See, I have commanded you to be courageous and cheerful. Do not be afraid or terrified; for the LORD, your God, is with you in everything you do.
Joshua 1:9EncouragementFear
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But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, self-control.
Galatians 5:22-23aBearing fruitHoly Spirit
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For whatever the Spirit of God drives, those are the children of God.
Romans 8:14Identity in ChristHoly Spirit
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Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?
1 Corinthians 3:16BodyHoly Spirit
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For the love of God has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
Romans 5:5bGod’s loveHoly Spirit
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And I will give you a new heart and a new spirit, and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
Ezekiel 36:26HeartNew beginning
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Create in me, God, a pure heart and give me a new, steadfast spirit.
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But those who wait for the LORD will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not grow tired.
Isaiah 40:31EncouragementExhaustion
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Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you and help you, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness.
Isaiah 41:10Fear
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Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not rely on your own understanding; acknowledge him in all your ways, and he will guide you right.
Confirmation verses about the Holy Spirit
At confirmation, the Church asks for the gifts of the Holy Spirit. These verses describe who this Spirit is and what he does in a person’s life.
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On what will the Spirit of the LORD, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and strength, the Spirit of knowledge and reverence of the LORD rest?
Isaiah 11:2Holy SpiritWisdom
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And on this I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh.
Joel 3:1aPentecostHoly Spirit
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And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:4aPentecost
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The wind blows where it wills, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.
John 3:8RebirthHoly Spirit
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It will not be by armies or by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of Hosts.
Zechariah 4:6bHoly SpiritWeakness
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For the LORD is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the LORD is, there is freedom.
2 Corinthians 3:17FreedomHoly Spirit
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In the same way the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings that cannot be expressed.
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But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom my Father will send in my name, he will teach you and remind you of everything I have said to you.
John 14:26HelperHoly Spirit
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As we live in the Spirit, so let us also walk in the Spirit.
Galatians 5:25DiscipleshipHoly Spirit
Confirmation verses about courage and strength
Confirmation literally means strengthening. These verses are suitable for anyone seeking strength and backbone for their path.
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The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; whom shall I dread?
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Be courageous and strong, do not be afraid or dismayed, for the LORD, your God, will walk with you and will not turn back or forsake you.
Deuteronomy 31:6EncouragementFaithfulness
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I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:13WeaknessBaptismal verses
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Finally, my brothers, be strong in the LORD and in the power of his strength.
Ephesians 6:10Spiritual battle
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Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, be manly, and be strong!
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God equips me with strength and makes my ways blameless.
Psalm 18:33Equipment
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He gives strength to the weary and ample strength to the weak.
Isaiah 40:29Exhaustion
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Be satisfied with my grace, for my power is made perfect in weakness.
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Your joy in the LORD is your strength.
Nehemiah 8:10bJoy
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The LORD is with me, so I will not fear; what can people do to me?
Confirmation verses about life’s path and decisions
At 15 or 16, many decisions arise: school, training, friendships, faith. These verses provide guidance without prescribing the path.
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I will instruct you and show you the way you should walk; I will guide you with my eyes.
Psalm 32:8GuidanceBaptismal verses
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For I know well what thoughts I have about you, says the LORD: thoughts of peace and not of suffering, that I will give you the end you have been waiting for.
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I am the way and the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me.
John 14:6bI-am sayingsTruth
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Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path.
Psalm 119:105God’s wordLight
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Do not conform to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, so that you may test what is good, pleasing, and perfect—God’s will.
Romans 12:2ChangeGod’s will
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Do not let anyone despise your youth; instead, be an example to believers in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity.
1 Timothy 4:12Young peopleLeader
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Remember your Creator in your youth.
Ecclesiastes 12:1aYoung people
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Do not say, “I am too young”; instead, go wherever I send you and preach what I command you.
Jeremiah 1:7bCallingYoung people
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It has been told to you, human, what is good and what the LORD requires of you: to keep God’s word, to practice love, and to be humble before your God.
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Test everything, and keep what is good.
Confirmation verses about love and faith
Faith is not a feeling that you always have. These verses speak of a trust that can grow – and of a love that is more than sympathy.
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It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
1 Corinthians 13:7God’s love
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There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear.
1 John 4:18aFearGod’s love
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This is my command: love one another as I have loved you.
John 15:12NeighborsGod’s love
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But above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect unity.
Colossians 3:14God’s loveClothing
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But faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
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All things are possible to one who believes.
Mark 9:23bFaith
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For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ.
Romans 1:16aConfessionGospel
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Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:16LightGood deeds
Short confirmation verses
For the candle, the card or as a desktop background: short verses that will stick with you for years.
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There are many gifts, but there is one Spirit.
1 Corinthians 12:4Gifts
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But where the Spirit of the LORD is, there is freedom.
2 Corinthians 3:17bFreedom
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Taste and see that the LORD is good.
Psalm 34:9aKindness
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See, God is my salvation; I am secure and will not fear.
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Rejoice in the LORD always! And again, rejoice!
Philippians 4:4Joy
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Now you are the light in the LORD.
Ephesians 5:8bLight
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My soul is at rest in God, who helps me.
Psalm 62:2Rest
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Let all that you do be done in love!
1 Corinthians 16:14God’s loveBaptismal verses
Confirmation verses about gifts and calling
Everyone has received something that others need. These verses are suitable for confirmants who want to know what they were made for.
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For this reason I remind you to awaken the gift of God that is in you through the laying on of my hands.
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In everyone the gifts of the Spirit are shown for the common good.
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And serve one another, each with the gift he has received, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
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For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:10Good deedsCalling
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I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb.
Jeremiah 1:5aCallingIdentity in Christ
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Here I am; send me!
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Speak, for your servant is listening.
Bible texts according to the Luther Bible 1912 (public domain), carefully adapted to modern spelling. In Catholic parishes, the Ecumenical Translation is usually read – it is best to coordinate the exact wording for a candle, card or service booklet with the parish.
Related topics
This also suits
The dove, the fruits of the Spirit, a word to live by: Our Fruit-of-the-Spirit collection tells exactly what confirmation is all about – without looking like a special occasion. These four pieces fit perfectly, and you can find more ideas in our Confirmation and Confirmation Gifts.
Fruity - Boxy T-ShirtBoxy shirt made from organic cotton with the print “Holy Spirit Grown”.€38
Fruit of the Spirit - Rib TopRib top with embroidered “Fruit of the Spirit” lettering, fairly produced in Portugal.€32
Fruit of the Spirit - SocksWhite or black socks with a finely embroidered dove.€12
Fruit of the Spirit - Sticker Pack18 stickers featuring the nine fruits of the Spirit – for your laptop, Bible or lunchbox.€5
What is a confirmation verse?
Confirmation is the third sacrament of initiation into the Catholic Church, alongside baptism and First Communion. The bishop or a priest appointed by him lays his hand on the confirmand, anoints them with chrism and says: “Be sealed by the gift of God, the Holy Spirit.” Many parishes invite young people to choose a Bible verse for this day. It then appears in the order of service, on the confirmation candle or on a card – and often becomes a personal motto for the years to come.
A confirmation verse is not mandatory. That is precisely why it is worth choosing one consciously: at 15 or 16, you are choosing a sentence for the first time that says something about your own faith. This is different from a baptismal verse, which was usually chosen by your parents.
The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit
At confirmation, prayers are offered for the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Church tradition counts seven, based on Isaiah 11:2: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of God. If you are looking for a confirmation verse that corresponds to one of these gifts, you will find good starting points in the groups above – for example, James 1:5 for wisdom, Ephesians 6:10 for fortitude or Psalm 32:8 for counsel. What the gifts mean in everyday life is explained in our post on the Holy Spirit, while the fruits of the Spirit from Galatians 5 are described in The Fruit of the Spirit: 9 Qualities.
How to find your confirmation verse
1. Read it aloud. A verse that sounds good in your head while reading it might stumble when read aloud. Read your favourites aloud once – the right one will usually feel like you right away.
2. Ask yourself what you need strength for. Confirmation means strengthening. Think about where you need courage, guidance or peace right now, and look in the appropriate group.
3. Choose a verse that challenges you rather than one that just sounds nice. The verse should still have something to ask you in five years.
4. Talk to your sponsor. Many sponsors are happy to be asked – and often have a verse of their own that is important to them.
5. Look at your baptismal verse. Some deliberately choose it again because they now affirm it for themselves. The right collection can be found in the baptismal verses.
Confirmation verse for a candle, card and service
| Where | Recommendation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Confirmation candle | a short sentence | 2 Corinthians 3:17b |
| Order of service | a full verse with reference | Acts 1:8a |
| Card from your sponsor | the confirmation verse plus a personal message | Joshua 1:9 |
| Motto for later | a verse you can memorize | 2 Timothy 1:7 |
If you are writing a confirmation card, you can use the confirmation verse and connect it with a specific memory. Our blessings for cards offer wording ideas, while the guide Confirmation Gifts That Last – Also for Confirmation provides gift ideas for 14- to 16-year-olds.
Confirmation and confirmation: the same verse?
Confirmation is Catholic, while confirmation is Protestant. Both take place in adolescence, and a Bible verse often plays a role in both. The verses on this page are therefore also suitable as a confirmation verse – although at a Protestant confirmation, the verse is a fixed part of the service and is spoken by the pastor. What distinguishes the two celebrations is explained in our post Confirmation, Catholic Confirmation, Youth Dedication: What Is the Difference?, while the Bible verses for confirmation offer a selection of their own.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a verse for Catholic confirmation?
No, a Catholic confirmation verse is not mandatory. However, many parishes invite confirmands to choose a verse, for example for the confirmation candle or the order of service. You will find out whether this is customary in your parish during confirmation preparation.
Who chooses the Catholic confirmation verse?
Usually the confirmand themselves. Often the sponsor can help, and sometimes the group in confirmation preparation. The important thing is that the verse is right for you – not that it is particularly well known.
Can the Catholic confirmation verse be the same as the baptismal verse?
Yes. Some deliberately choose their baptismal verse again because they now affirm it for themselves. Others choose a new verse that suits their current life. Both are fine.
Which Bible translation should you use for the Catholic confirmation verse?
Catholic parishes usually use the standard translation. The verses on this page are from the public-domain Luther Bible 1912. The Bible passage is the same, but the wording differs slightly – for a candle and order of service, it is best to use the version used by your parish.
What should a sponsor give that suits the verse?
Anything that keeps the verse visible in everyday life: a card with a few personal lines, a poster for their room, or a piece of clothing that will actually be worn. Our guide to Confirmation and Confirmation Gifts collects ideas.
