Bible Verses About Obedience

King James Version · 14 passages

Obedience is love with its sleeves rolled up. Jesus said plainly, If ye love me, keep my commandments. Scripture treats obedience not as a way to earn God's favor but as the natural fruit of belonging to Him, and it warns that hearing without doing deceives the soul. These passages call us to build our lives on what God has actually said.

1 Samuel 15:22

22 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

In the original: שׁמע shâma‛ H8085 — A primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively to tell, etc.): - X attentively, call (gather) together, X carefully, X certainly, consent, consider, be content, decla

See also: Hosea 6:6 · Psalms 51:16 · Proverbs 21:3 · Amos 5:21

James 1:22–25

22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. deed: or, doing

In the original: κατανοέω katanoeō G2657 — From G2596 and G3539; to observe fully: - behold, consider, discover, perceive.

See also: Romans 2:13 · Luke 6:46 · John 13:17 · James 4:17

John 14:21–23

21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. 22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? 23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

See also: John 14:15 · 1 John 5:3 · 1 John 2:5 · 2 John 1:6

Deuteronomy 28:1–2

1 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: 2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.

In the original: שׁמע shâma‛ H8085 — A primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively to tell, etc.): - X attentively, call (gather) together, X carefully, X certainly, consent, consider, be content, decla

See also: Isaiah 1:19 · Exodus 23:22 · Leviticus 26:3 · Luke 11:28

Luke 6:46–48

46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? 47 Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: 48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.

See also: James 1:22 · Matthew 7:24 · Luke 11:28 · Galatians 6:7

Acts 5:29

29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

In the original: πειθαρχέω peitharcheō G3980 — From a compound of G3982 and G757; to be persuaded by a ruler, that is, (generally) to submit to authority; by analogy to conform to advice: - hearken, obey (magistrates).

See also: Acts 4:19 · 1 Samuel 15:24 · Mark 7:7 · Genesis 3:17

Joshua 1:8

8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. have...: or, do wisely

In the original: שׁמר shâmar H8104 — A primitive root; properly to hedge about (as with thorns), that is, guard ; generally to protect, attend to, etc.: - beware, be circumspect, take heed (to self), keep (-er, self), mark, look narrowly, observe, preserve

See also: Psalms 119:15 · Psalms 19:14 · Colossians 3:16 · Proverbs 3:1

John 15:10–11

10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. 11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

See also: John 14:15 · 1 John 5:3 · 1 John 3:21 · Romans 15:13

Matthew 7:24–25

24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

See also: Luke 6:47 · John 13:17 · Luke 11:28 · 1 Corinthians 3:10

Ecclesiastes 12:13

13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. Let...: or, The end of the matter, even all that hath been heard, is

In the original: שׁמע shâma‛ H8085 — A primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively to tell, etc.): - X attentively, call (gather) together, X carefully, X certainly, consent, consider, be content, decla

See also: Deuteronomy 10:12 · Micah 6:8 · Deuteronomy 6:2 · Psalms 111:10

Psalms 119:1–2

1 ALEPH. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD. undefiled: or, perfect, or, sincere 2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.

In the original: נצר nâtsar H5341 — A primitive root; to guard, in a good sense (to protect, maintain, obey, etc.) or a bad one (to conceal, etc.): - besieged, hidden thing, keep (-er, -ing), monument, observe, preserve (-r), subtil, watcher (-man).

See also: Luke 11:28 · Ezekiel 11:20 · James 1:25 · Psalms 128:1

Romans 6:16–18

16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? 17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. which...: Gr. whereto ye were delivered 18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

In the original: ὑπακοή hupakoē G5218 — From G5219; attentive hearkening, that is, (by implication) compliance or submission: - obedience, (make) obedient, obey (-ing).

See also: John 8:34 · Matthew 6:24 · 2 Peter 2:19 · Joshua 24:15