The best Bible verses for righteousness (ESV) include passages about God's love, strength, and guidance. This page features 15+ carefully curated Scripture passages for righteousness (ESV), each selected for its relevance and depth. Read, save, and share the perfect verse for your situation.
"For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."2 Corinthians 5:21
"For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."2 Corinthians 5:21
"by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left;"2 Corinthians 6:7
"Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?"2 Corinthians 6:14
"As it is written, “He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.”"2 Corinthians 9:9
"He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness."2 Corinthians 9:10
"So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds."2 Corinthians 11:15
"Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:"2 Peter 1:1
"if he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly;"2 Peter 2:5
"For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them."2 Peter 2:21
"But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells."2 Peter 3:13
"So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart."2 Timothy 2:22
"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,"2 Timothy 3:16
"Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing."2 Timothy 4:8
"And it will be righteousness for us, if we are careful to do all this commandment before the LORD our God, as he has commanded us.’"Deuteronomy 6:25
"“Know, therefore, that the LORD your God is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteousness, for you are a stubborn people."Deuteronomy 9:6
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 righteousness (ESV) are 2 Corinthians 5:21, 2 Corinthians 6:7, 2 Corinthians 6:14. 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 righteousness (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 righteousness (ESV), chosen so each stands on its own and links through to the full chapter it belongs to.