40 Bible Verses about Self Confidence

Peter thereupon said, tho' all the rest should abandon you, I never will. Jesus replied, I tell you for certain, that this night before the time of cock-crowing, thou shalt abjure me thrice. but Peter said, though it should cost me my life, I never will disown you. and so said all the disciples.

upon which Peter said to him, tho' all should stagger, yet I will not. Jesus said to him, verily I tell thee, to-day, even this night, before the cock crow twice, you will renounce me thrice. but he urg'd it with more vehemence, tho' I should die with you, I will not renounce you. and all the rest affirm'd the same.

accordingly, when they came to the place call'd Calvary, they crucified him there, and the two malefactors; the one at his right, the other at his left. and Jesus said, "father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." then they divided his raiment among them by throwing lots,

Peter said to him, Lord, why can't I follow you now? I will lay down my life for your sake. Jesus answered him, you lay down your life for my sake! Verily, verily I say unto thee, the cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.

Peter answer'd, Lord, I am ready to accompany you both to prison, and to death. but Jesus said, before the cock proclaims the day, you will thrice deny that ever you knew me.

One Simon was then resident in that place, who pretended to be something extra-ordinary, and by his magical practices had so enchanted the people of Samaria,

if then, some of the branches are broken off, and thou like a wild olive, were grafted in their place to partake of the root and sap of the olivestock; don't triumph over the branches: or if you do, remember the root is not dependent upon you, but you upon the root.

this you have made a matter of levity, instead of being concern'd in discarding him that has done such an action.

for what the world is so full of, sensuality, avarice, and pride, is not deriv'd from the creator, but is the offspring of a vicious world.

for who has distinguish'd thee above another? or what have you, that you did not receive? now if you did receive it, why do you glory as if you had not received it?

As for you, who affirm, "to-day, or, to-morrow we will go to such a city, we will stay there a whole year, there we will traffic, and find our account." how do you know, what will happen to-morrow? for, "what is your life?" a vapour that just appears, and then vanishes. your language ought to be this, "if the Lord pleases to give us life, we shall do this, or that."read more.
you triumph in your vain projects, but your presumption is vicious.

Then he propos'd this parable, concerning those who had a great opinion of their own justice, and look'd with contempt upon others. two men went to the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, the other a Publican. the Pharisee in a standing posture pray'd thus by himself, O God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men, a robber, a cheat, an adulterer, or like that Publican.read more.
I fast twice a week, and I pay the tythe of all I possess. but the Publican, who stood a good way lower, not daring to lift up even his eyes to heaven, only smote his breast, and said, O God, be merciful to me, who am a sinner. I tell you this man went home approv'd as just, and not the other. for whoever exalteth himself shall be humbled, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

which I might do more justly than any other man can pretend to: being circumcised the eighth day, of the family of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew by descent, by sect a Pharisee. if zeal is to be regarded, I persecuted the church; if the integrity prescrib'd by the law, I am without reproach;

then he said, I am a Jew, a native of Tarsus in Cilicia, but had my education in this city: at the feet of Gamaliel I was instructed in the law, and in the exact decisions of our fathers, and was as religiously zealous as you are at this time.

I knew a christian who above fourteen years ago, was snatch'd up even to the third heaven, whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knows.

for I persecuted this sect even to death, throwing them into chains and prisons both men and women: this the high-priest and the senate know too well: from them I receiv'd my warrant directed to the Jews of Damascus, where I went, to bring the converts there in chains to Jerusalem, in order to be punished. as I was upon the road, advanc'd near Damascus, about mid-day, all of a sudden a great light from heaven broke all around me.read more.
I fell to the ground, and heard a voice pronounce these words, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" I answered, who art thou, Lord? it answered, "I am Jesus the Nazarene whom thou dost persecute." the company actually saw the light, but did not hear the voice of him that spoke to me. then I said, Lord, what must I do? and the Lord answer'd, arise, go to Damascus; there you will be inform'd what you are to do. but as I had lost the use of my eyes by the splendor of that light, I was led by the hand to Damascus, by those who were with me. there one Ananias a religious observer of the law, who had the good word of all the Jews in that place, came to see me, and being introduc'd, he said, brother Saul, receive thy sight. and instantly I saw him. then he said, the God of our fathers has singled you out to be acquainted with his will, to see the just one, and to hear the words of his mouth: that you might testify to all men, what you have seen and heard. why should you now delay? arise, be baptized, and cleansed from your sins, by invoking the name of the Lord. at length being return'd to Jerusalem, one day as I was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance. then I saw JESUS, who said to me, "make haste, and go out of Jerusalem immediately: for they will not receive the attestations you would give of me." Lord, said I, they know it is I that imprison'd those who believed on thee, and caus'd them to be scourg'd in the assemblies: that I was present, when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, that I abetted the slaughter, and watch'd the clothes of those who slew him. but the Lord said to me, "be gone, for I will send you far hence, even to the Gentiles."

Have not I reason to glory? for now I shall mention my visions and revelations from the Lord.

Examine yourselves, whether you be in the faith; bring yourselves to the proof; are you so little acquainted with yourselves, as not to know whether Jesus Christ be in you? but if you are destitute of proofs, I trust you shall know that we are not so destitute,

you have heard of my former behaviour, whilst I was of the Jewish religion, with what excessive violence I persecuted the church of God, and laid it waste: and that I made a greater proficiency in Judaism than many my contemporaries of my own nation, being an extraordinary zealot for the traditions of my forefathers. but when it pleased God, who ordained me from my birth, and called me by his especial favour, to reveal his son to me,read more.
that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not thereupon apply my self to any man; neither went I up to Jerusalem, to those who were apostles before me: but I went immediately to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.

but let every one bring his own work to the test, and then he will have matter of glorying in himself alone, and not in another.

for though I should more than ever magnify my authority, which the Lord hath given us for your improvement, and not for your ruin, I should have no reason to be ashamed;

I will not boast of any thing done without my province, but confine myself within that line by which God has mark'd out my bounds, and in which you are included. for I do not stretch beyond my limits to take you in; since in preaching the gospel of Christ, we are advanced even to you. I don't assume to myself the credit of other men's labours in another province, but hope, that when your faith is increased, the bounds now prescribed will be enlarged by you yet farther;read more.
so that I may preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not assume the credit of things ready prepared to my hand, in another man's province. but he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

on the contrary, when they perceived that I had the province of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, as Peter had that of preaching it to the Jews,

how I have serv'd the Lord with all resignation, with tears, and trials occasion'd by the insidious practices of the Jews:

Now it is by virtue of my apostolical commission, that I charge every man among you, not to entertain too high an opinion of himself; but modestly consider, that 'tis God who has dealt to every man his proportion of spiritual gifts.

and when they were arriv'd he told them, you know how I have always behav'd towards you from the first day of my arrival in Asia:

but I have not made use of these advantages. neither have I writ this to obtain such maintenance: for I had rather die for want, than be deprived of such matter of glorying. for in barely preaching the gospel, I have nothing to glory in: because I am under an obligation to do it; yea, wo is unto me if I preach not the gospel. now if I do this willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, it is a dispensation of trust which must be discharged.read more.
whence then is my reward? why, from my preaching the gospel of Christ gratis, without making use of the privilege which the gospel gives me.

for this is to me matter of glorying, the testimony of my conscience, that without artifice, and with religious sincerity, not by worldly wisdom, but by God's favourable assistance I have behaved my self towards all men, but more particularly to you.

you, who display the doctrine of eternal life) that in the day of Christ I may have the satisfaction of not having pursued my laborious course in vain.

And you are satisfied, my brethren, that our address to you was not fallacious: on the contrary, notwithstanding the outrages, you know we suffer'd at Philippi, we had still the resolution, by the divine assistance, to preach the gospel of God to you without reserve against all opposition. for our doctrine was free from all imposture, avarice, and fraud.read more.
we preach the gospel just as God thought fit to intrust it with us, not being studious to please men, but God, who approves our sincerity. our address to you was without any flattery, as you yourselves can witness, and God is witness that we had no avarice to disguise. we never courted you nor any others, from an affectation of human applause. instead of making our apostolical character any ways expensive to you, as we might; we behav'd to you with a tender regard, even as a mother, who nurses her own children. Our affection therefore to you being so great, we were as ready to give our lives for you, as we were to communicate the divine gospel to you, so much did you engage our love. for you remember, my brethren, our labour and toil: how we worked day and night, that in preaching the gospel of God, we might not be chargeable to any of you. you are witnesses, and God is so too, how holy, how just and irreproachable our behaviour was to you, who believe. you likewise know, that we exhorted and encouraged every one of you, as a father doth his children, conjuring you to live suitably to the favour of God, who has called you to his kingdom and glory.

who is afflicted, and I not suffer? who is offended, and I not inflam'd? If I must be compell'd to glory, I will glory on the account of my sufferings.

as if I was inferior to them. but whatever they pretend to, (I must be so vain) I pretend to the like. Are they Hebrews? so am I: are they Israelites? so am I: are they of the race of Abraham? so am I: are they ministers of Christ? is it my vanity? I am more so: in toilsome labours I surpass them, in stripes I am exceedingly beyond them, in prisons I have been oftner, and frequently in the very jaws of death.read more.
from the Jews I have five times received forty stripes save one. thrice was I whip'd with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I was shipwreck'd; a night and a day I was floating on the deep: in my voyages I have been frequently in perils from rivers, in perils from robbers, in perils from my own countrymen, in perils from the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the country, in perils at sea, in perils among false brethren; expos'd to toil, to fatigue, to frequent watchings, to hunger and thirst, to frequent fastings, to cold and penury. besides these troubles from without, that which crouds upon me daily, the care of all the churches.

but he said to me, "my favour is sufficient for thee: for my strength is shown to be perfect by thy weakness." with pleasure therefore will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may be seen to dwell in me.

what I say, I say it not as an apostle, but as it were to indulge my vanity in this matter of boasting. since many glory in outward advantages, I will glory too.

but what, said he, do you take me to be? Simon Peter made answer, thou art Christ the son of the living God. to whom Jesus reply'd, blessed art thou Simon, son of Jona: for 'tis not man that hath revealed this unto thee, but my father who is in heaven.

but who, said he, do you take me to be? Peter answered, you are the Messiah:

but who, said he, do you think I am? Peter answered, you are the Messiah of God. however, Jesus strictly charged them not to say so much to any body; adding,

and the high priest arose, and said to him, have you nothing in answer to that charge they bring against you? but Jesus made no reply. and the high priest said to him, I conjure thee by the living God, to tell us, are you the Christ the son of God? Jesus reply'd, I am: moreover I declare to you, within a while ye shall see the son of man sitting on the right hand of God, and coming on the clouds of heaven.

you call me master, and lord: and you are in the right; for so I am.

but God hath chosen those who are foolish in the opinion of the world, to confound the wise; and the weak men of the world to confound the mighty: those who were looked upon by the world as vile, as despicable, as nothing, these has God chosen to reduce their sufficiency to nothing. that no man might glory before God;read more.
for from him it is that ye believe in Christ Jesus, whom God has made to us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: that, according as it is written, "he that glorieth, should glory in the Lord."