The Bible says that faith is the evidence of things not seen. In other words, faith is believing in something without needing proof.
Faith is an essential component of Christianity. It is the belief in God, His promises, and His ability to provide for and protect His people. A gift from God that allows humans to believe in him even when they cannot see or necessarily understand Him.
Faith is also a response to God’s grace. When we receive His forgiveness and salvation, we put our trust in Him and rely on Him to lead us and guide us; without faith, it would be impossible to please God or to receive His blessings. Hebrews 11:6 makes it clear that faith is essential for a relationship with God.
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Hebrews 11:6, NIV
So, if you are wondering what it means to have faith, simply put, it means believing in God and His power to work in your life.
It is important to remember that God is always faithful, even when we are not. He will never leave us or forsake us, and His love for us is never-ending. When we put our faith in Him, we can be confident that He will lead us through whatever circumstance we find ourselves in. Whether we are facing difficulties or celebrating triumphs, we can know that God is with us every step of the way.
Bible Verses about Faith
11 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1, KJV
4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power,
1 Corinthians 2:4, NIV
13 Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong.
1 Corinthians 16:13, NLT
13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:13, ESV
16 knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.
Galatians 2:16, NKJV
25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
John 11:25-26, KJV
7 For we live by faith, not by sight.
2 Corinthians 5:7, NIV
6 But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.
James 1:6, NLT
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9, ESV
4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.
1 John 5:4, NKJV
21 Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.
Matthew 21:21, KJV
16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,
Ephesians 3:16-17, NIV
29 Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”
John 20:29, NLT
16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;
Ephesians 6:16, ESV
11 And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise.
Hebrews 11:11, NIV
7 By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
Hebrews 11:7, ESV
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
James 1:2-3, NIV
36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.
John 3:36, ESV
5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
1 John 5:5, NIV
22 And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. 23 Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
Mark 11:22-24, ESV
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16, NIV
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6, ESV
13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13, NKJV
7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
2 Timothy 4:7, KJV
35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
John 6:35, NIV
1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Romans 5:1-5, ESV
20 He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
Matthew 17:20, NIV
9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans 10:9, ESV
11 But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
1 Timothy 6:11-12, NKJV
8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
1 Peter 1:8-9, NIV
3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.
Romans 12:3, ESV
14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.
25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
James 2:14-26, NIV
Key Takeaways on Verses in the Bible about Faith
Faith is defined in Hebrews 11:1 as being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. It means trusting in God completely.
Jesus declares blessed those who believe without seeing in John 20:29. Genuine faith perseveres even when circumstances are difficult.
Ephesians 2:8-9 explains that faith is a gift from God, not something we can earn through good works. We are saved by grace through faith.
Many verses depict faith as an action word, such as believing, trusting, and standing firm. Faith is not passive but active reliance on God.
Hebrews 11 and James 2 provide examples of biblical heroes like Abraham and Rahab demonstrating faith through obedience and good works.
Bible verses teach that faith gives access to salvation, victory, miracles, spiritual growth, and other blessings from God.
Having genuine faith enables believers to overcome challenges, endure trials, receive healing, walk in confidence, and live victoriously.
Verses urge Christians to fight the good fight of faith, shielding ourselves with faith to extinguish the enemy’s attacks. Steadfast faith overcomes.
Scriptures connect faith with power, joy, peace, sanctification, and access to God’s blessings. Faith is a life-changing spiritual gift from above.
Key Bible verses portray faith as an unwavering belief that what God says is true, even if human understanding and circumstances suggest otherwise.
FAQs
What is the most famous verse about faith?
Hebrews 11:1 is perhaps the most well-known verse about faith: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” This provides a concise definition of biblical faith.
Where in the Bible does it talk about faith?
In addition to Hebrews 11, key passages about faith include: Ephesians 2:8-9, Matthew 17:20, Matthew 21:21-22, Mark 11:22-24, Romans 5:1-5, James 1:5-8, James 2:14-26, 1 Corinthians 2:4-5.
What does the Bible say faith is?
The Bible says faith is assurance and conviction in God and His promises, despite lack of visible evidence. It means complete trust and reliance on God, resulting in obedience to Him and boldness for His cause.
What does faith do according to the Bible?
The Bible teaches faith enables believers to access salvation, please God, receive miracles, overcome adversity, walk in confidence, withstand temptation, produce good works, and experience joy, peace, and spiritual growth.
How important is faith according to the Bible?
The Bible portrays faith as extremely important. Hebrews 11:6 declares it is impossible to please God without faith. Faith provides access to God’s blessings, victory over trials, and the power to live a Christian life.
What are signs of true faith according to the Bible?
Fruit of genuine faith includes actions like obedience, good works, boldness in sharing one’s faith, sacrifice, and thanksgiving. True faith endures and perseveres amidst trials. It transforms how a person thinks, acts, and lives.
How does faith grow according to the Bible?
The Bible teaches that reading Scripture, praying, worshipping God, fellowship with other believers, serving others, and practicing spiritual disciplines helps to build faith over time. Faith is also refined through trials.
What should you do during weak faith?
Bible verses advise crying out to God, searching the Scriptures, remembering past provisions, seeking encouragement from other Christians, and focusing on Christ’s power rather than your weakness when experiencing weak faith.
What happens if you lose faith?
Losing faith can lead to fear, anxiety, guilt, drifting from God, or spiritual stagnation. Verses urge believers to persevere in faith, redeem the time, and once again draw near to God through His Word, prayer, worship, and godly community.
How can I strengthen my faith biblically?
Key ways the Bible encourages growing faith include: reading God’s Word, biblical community, prayer, fasting, trust during trials, remembering past faithfulness, worship, and acts of service. These nurture greater reliance on God.
