40 Bible Verses about Self Confidence

"If every one else falls away from you," Peter answered, "I shall never fall away!" "I tell you," replied Jesus, "that this very night, before the cock crows, you will disown me three times!" "Even if I must die with you," Peter exclaimed, "I shall never disown you!" All the disciples spoke in the same way.

"Even if every one else falls away," said Peter, "yet I shall not." "I tell you," answered Jesus, "that you yourself today--yes, this very night--before the cock crows twice, will disown me three times." But Peter vehemently protested: "Even if I must die with you, I shall never disown you!" And they all said the same.

When they had reached the place called 'The Skull,' there they crucified Jesus and the criminals, one on the right, and one on the left. [Then Jesus said: "Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing."] His clothes they divided among them by casting lots.

"Why cannot I follow you now, Master?" asked Peter. "I will lay down my life for you." "Will you lay down your life for me?" replied Jesus. "In truth I tell you, the cock will not crow till you have disowned me three times.

"Master," said Peter, "with you I am ready to go both to prison and to death." "I tell you, Peter," replied Jesus, "the cock will not crow to-day till you have disowned all knowledge of me three times."

There was staying in the city a man named Simon, who had been practicing magic there and mystifying the Samaritan people, giving himself out to be some great Being.

Some, however, of the branches were broken off, and you, who were only a wild olive, were grafted in among them, and came to share with them the root which is the source of the richness of the cultivated olive. Yet do not exult over the other branches. But, if you do exult over them, remember that you do not support the root, but that the root supports you.

Instead of grieving over it and taking steps for the expulsion of the man who has done this thing, is it possible that you are still puffed up?

for all that the world can offer--the gratification of the earthly nature, the gratification of the eye, the pretentious life--belongs, not to the Father, but to the world.

For who makes any one of you superior to others? And what have you that was not given you? But if you received it as a gift, why do you boast as if you had not?

Listen to me, you who say 'To-day or to-morrow we will go to such and such a town, spend a year there, and trade, and make money,' And yet you do not know what your life will be like to-morrow! For you are but a mist appearing for a little while and then disappearing. You ought, rather, to say 'If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.'read more.
But, as it is, you are constantly boasting presumptuously! All such boasting is wicked.

Another time, speaking to people who were satisfied that they were religious, and who regarded every one else with scorn, Jesus told this parable-- "Two men went up into the Temple Courts to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other a tax-gatherer. The Pharisee stood forward and began praying to himself in this way--'O God, I thank thee that I am not like other men-- thieves, rogues, adulterers--or even like this tax-gatherer.read more.
I fast twice a week, and give a tenth of everything I get to God.' Meanwhile the tax-gatherer stood at a distance, not venturing even 'to raise his eyes to Heaven'; but he kept striking his breast and saying 'O God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' This man, I tell you, went home pardoned, rather than the other; for every one who exalts himself will be humbled, while every one who humbles himself shall be exalted."

Though I, if any man, have cause to rely even upon them. If any one thinks he can rely upon external privileges, far more can I! I was circumcised when eight days old; I am an Israelite by race, and of the tribe of Benjamin; I am a Hebrew, and the child of Hebrews. As to the Law, I was a Pharisee; As to zeal, I was a persecutor of the Church; as to such righteousness as is due to Law, I proved myself blameless.

"I am a Jew, a native of Tarsus in Cilicia, but I was brought up in this city under the teaching of Gamaliel, and educated in accordance with the strict system of our ancestral Law. I was as zealous in God's service as any of you who are here to-day.

I know a man in union with Christ, who, fourteen years ago-- whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows-- was caught up (this man of whom I am speaking) to the third Heaven.

In my persecution of this Cause I did not stop even at the taking of life. I put in chains, and imprisoned, men and women alike-- And to that the High Priest himself and all the Council can testify. For I had letters of introduction from them to our fellow Jews at Damascus, and I was on my way to that place, to bring those whom I might find there prisoners to Jerusalem for punishment. While I was still on my way, just as I was getting close to Damascus, about mid-day, suddenly there flashed from the heavens a great light all round me.read more.
I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?' 'Who are you, Lord?' I replied. Then the voice said 'I am Jesus of Nazareth whom you are persecuting.' The men with me saw the light, but did not hear the speaker's voice. Then I said 'What am I to do, Lord?' 'Get up and go into Damascus,' The Lord said to me, 'and there you shall be told all that you have been appointed to do.' In consequence of that dazzling light I could not see, but my companions held me by the hand, till I reached Damascus. There a man named Ananias, a strict observer of our Law, well spoken of by all the Jewish inhabitants, came to see me. Standing close to me, he said 'Saul, my Brother, recover your sight.' And then and there I recovered my sight and looked up at him. Then he said 'The God of our ancestors has appointed you to learn his will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear words from his lips; For you shall be a witness for him to all the world of what you have just seen and heard. And now why wait any longer: Be baptized at once, wash away your sins, and invoke his Name. After my return to Jerusalem, while I was praying one day in the Temple, I fell into a trance, And saw Jesus saying to me 'Make haste and leave Jerusalem at once, because they will not accept your testimony about me.' 'Lord,' I answered, 'these people know that I used to imprison and scourge, in Synagogue after Synagogue, those who believed in you; And, when the blood of your martyr, Stephen, was being shed, I was myself standing by, approving of his death, and took charge of the clothes of those who were murdering him. But Jesus said to me 'Go; for I will send you to the Gentiles far away'."

I must boast! It is unprofitable; but I will pass to visions and revelations given by the Lord.

Put yourselves to the proof, to see whether you are holding to the Faith. Test yourselves. Surely you recognize this fact about yourselves--that Jesus Christ is in you! Unless indeed you cannot stand the test! But I hope that you will recognize that we can stand the test.

You heard, no doubt, of my conduct when I was devoted to Judaism--how I persecuted the Church of God to an extent beyond belief, and made havoc of it, And how, in my devotion to Judaism, I surpassed many of my contemporaries among my own people in my intense earnestness in upholding the traditions of my ancestors. But when God, who had set me apart even before my birth, and who called me by his love,read more.
Saw fit to reveal his Son in me, so that I might tell the Good News of him among the Gentiles, then at once, instead of consulting any human being, Or even going up to Jerusalem to see those who were Apostles before me, I went to Arabia, and came back again to Damascus.

Let every one test his own work, and then his cause for satisfaction will be in himself and not in a comparison of himself with his neighbor;

Even if I boast extravagantly about our authority--which the Lord gave us for building up your faith and not for overthrowing it--still I have no reason to be ashamed.

We, however, will not give way to unlimited boasting, but will confine ourselves to the limits of the sphere to which God limited us, when he permitted us to come as far as Corinth. For it is not the case, as it would be if we were not in the habit of coming to you, that we are exceeding our bounds! Why, we were the very first to reach you with the Good News of the Christ! Our boasting, therefore, is not unlimited, nor does it extend to the labors of others; but our hope is that, as your faith grows, our influence among you may be very greatly increased-- though still confined to our sphere--read more.
So that we shall be able to tell the Good News in the districts beyond you, without trespassing on the sphere assigned to others, or boasting of what has been already done. 'Let him who boasts make his boast of the Lord.'

On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the Good News for the Gentiles, just as Peter had been for the Jews.

Serving the Lord, as I did, in all humility, amid the tears and trials which fell to my lot through the plots of the Jews.

In fulfillment of the charge with which I have been entrusted, I bid every one of you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think, but to think till he learns to think soberly--in accordance with the measure of faith that God has allotted to each.

And, when they came, he spoke to them as follows: "You know well the life that I always led among you from the very first day that I set foot in Roman Asia,

I, however, have not availed myself of any of these rights. I am not saying this to secure such an arrangement for myself; indeed, I would far rather die-Nobody shall make my boast a vain one! If I tell the Good News, I have nothing to boast of, for I can but do so. Woe is me if I do not tell it! If I do this work willingly, I have a reward; but, if unwillingly, I have been charged to perform a duty.read more.
What is my reward, then? To present the Good News free of all cost, and so make but a sparing use of the rights which it gives me.

Indeed, our main ground for satisfaction is this--Our conscience tells us that our conduct in the world, and still more in our relations with you, was marked by a purity of motive and a sincerity that were inspired by God, and was based, not on worldly policy, but on the help of God.

Offering to men the Message of Life; and then I shall be able at the Day of Christ to boast that I did not run my course for nothing, or toil for nothing.

Yes, Brothers, you yourselves know that your reception of us was not without result. For, although we had experienced suffering and ill-treatment, as you know, at Philippi, we had the courage, by the help of our God, to tell you God's Good News in spite of great opposition. Our appeal to you was not based on a delusion, nor was it made from unworthy motives, or with any intention of misleading you.read more.
But, having been found worthy by God to be entrusted with the Good News, therefore we tell it; with a view to please, not men, but God who proves our hearts. Never at any time, as you know, did we use the language of flattery, or make false professions in order to hide selfish aims. God will bear witness to that. Nor did we seek to win honour from men, whether from you or from others, although, as Apostles of Christ, we might have burdened you with our support. But we lived among you with the simplicity of a child; we were like a woman nursing her own children. In our strong affection for you, that seemed to us the best way of sharing with you, not only God's Good news, but our very lives as well--so dear had you become to us. You will not have forgotten, Brothers, our labor and toil. Night and day we used to work at our trades, so as not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you God's Good News. You will bear witness, and God also, that our relations with you who believed in Christ were pure, and upright, and beyond reproach. Indeed, you know that, like a father with his own children, we used to encourage and comfort every one of you, and solemnly plead with you; So that you should make your daily lives worthy of God who is calling you into the glory of his Kingdom.

Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led astray without my burning with indignation? If I must boast, I will boast of things which show my weakness!

I admit, to my shame, that we have been weak. But whatever the subject on which others are not afraid to boast--though it is foolish to say so--I am not afraid either! Are they Hebrews? So am I! Are they Israelites? So am I! Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I! Are they 'Servants of Christ'? Though it is madness to talk like this, I am more so than they! I have had more of toil, more of imprisonment! I have been flogged times without number. I have been often at death's door.read more.
Five times I received at the hands of the Jews forty lashes, all but one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. I have spent a whole day and night in the deep. My journeys have been many. I have been through dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my own people, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in towns, dangers in the country, dangers on the sea, dangers among false Brothers. I have been through toil and hardship. I have passed many a sleepless night; I have endured hunger and thirst; I have often been without food; I have known cold and nakedness. And, not to speak of other things, there is my daily burden of anxiety about all the Churches.

But his reply has been-- 'My help is enough for you; for my strength attains its perfection in the midst of weakness.' Most gladly, then, will I boast all the more of my weaknesses, so that the strength of the Christ may overshadow me.

When I speak thus, I am not speaking as the Master would, but as a fool might, in boasting so confidently. As so many are boasting of earthly things, I, too, will boast.

"But you," he said, "who do you say that I am?" And to this Simon Peter answered: "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God." "Blessed are you, Simon, Son of Jonah," Jesus replied. "For no human being has revealed this to you, but my Father who is in Heaven.

"But you," he asked, "who do you say that I am?" To this Peter replied: "You are the Christ."

"But you," he went on, "who do you say that I am?" And to this Peter answered: "The Christ of God." Jesus, however, strictly charged them not to say this to any one;

Then the High Priest stood up, and said to Jesus: "Have you no answer? What is this evidence which these men are giving against you?" But Jesus remained silent. On this the High Priest said to him: "I adjure you, by the Living God, to tell us whether you are the Christ, the Son of God." "It is true," Jesus answered; "Moreover I tell you all that hereafter you shall 'see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of the Almighty, and coming on the clouds of the heavens.'"

"You yourselves call me 'the Teacher' and 'the Master', and you are right, for I am both.

But God chose what the world counts foolish to put its wise men to shame, and God chose what the world counts weak to put its strong things to shame, And God chose what the world counts poor and insignificant-- things that to it are unreal-to bring its 'realities' to nothing, So that in his presence no human being should boast.read more.
But you, by your union with Christ Jesus, belong to God; and Christ, by God's will, became not only our Wisdom, but also our Righteousness, Holiness, and Deliverance, So that-in the words of Scripture-'Let him who boasts make his boast of the Lord!'