The best Bible verses for joy (ESV) include passages about God's love, strength, and guidance. This page features 15+ carefully curated Scripture passages for joy (ESV), each selected for its relevance and depth. Read, save, and share the perfect verse for your situation.
"These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full."John 15:11
"These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full."John 15:11
"Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved."Philippians 4:1
"And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the LORD."Psalms 27:6
"The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete."John 3:29
"Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory,"1 Peter 1:8
"And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit,"1 Thessalonians 1:6
"For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you?"1 Thessalonians 2:19
"For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God,"1 Thessalonians 3:9
"Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith."2 Corinthians 1:24
"And I wrote as I did, so that when I came I might not suffer pain from those who should have made me rejoice, for I felt sure of all of you, that my joy would be the joy of you all."2 Corinthians 2:3
"I am acting with great boldness toward you; I have great pride in you; I am filled with comfort. In all our affliction, I am overflowing with joy."2 Corinthians 7:4
"and not only by his coming but also by the comfort with which he was comforted by you, as he told us of your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced still more."2 Corinthians 7:7
Translations differ in what they optimise for. Some follow the original wording closely at the cost of a natural English sentence; others read smoothly and make interpretive choices to get there. Neither is wrong, but they produce noticeably different verses.
Each of the 15 verses below is shown in the translation you asked for, and every verse links to a page comparing all six side by side — which is usually the fastest way to see where the translators disagreed.
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The most-cited Bible verses for joy (ESV) are John 15:11, Philippians 4:1, Psalms 27:6. This page collects 15 of them, each with its full passage, context and the text in six translations.
Read the verse in its surrounding passage before you use it — a verse that fits in isolation sometimes says something different in context. Compare two translations where the wording is unclear, and pick for the person who will read it rather than for the theme.
Scripture returns to joy (ESV) across both testaments rather than settling it in one passage, which is why the verses on this page do not all say the same thing. Read together they give a fuller answer than any single verse does.
There is no single best translation. The NIV and NLT read most naturally and communicate well to someone outside the church; the ESV and NASB stay closer to the original wording; the KJV carries the phrasing most people recognise. Every verse here links to a page showing all six side by side.
More than any page can list. This one carries the 15 that are most often turned to for joy (ESV), chosen so each stands on its own and links through to the full chapter it belongs to.