What Does the Bible Say About Desire?
Here are 22 Bible verses about desire, ordered by how relevant readers found them, with the King James Version and the modern Berean Standard Bible side by side.
- #1Psalms 37:4-5
Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
BSBDelight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him, and He will do it.
- #2Psalms 37:4
Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
BSBDelight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart.
- #3Matthew 6:33
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
BSBBut seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.
- #4Proverbs 10:24
The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him: but the desire of the righteous shall be granted.
BSBWhat the wicked man dreads will overtake him, but the desire of the righteous will be granted.
- #5Psalms 20:4
Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel.
BSBMay He give you the desires of your heart and make all your plans succeed.
- #6James 1:14-15
But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
BSBBut each one is tempted when by his own evil desires he is lured away and enticed. Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
- #7Jeremiah 29:13
And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
BSBYou will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.
- #8Matthew 5:6
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
BSBBlessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
- #9Ephesians 4:22-24
That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
BSBto put off your former way of life, your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be renewed in the spirit of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
- #10Isaiah 55:8-9
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
BSB“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.
- #11Proverbs 2:3-5
Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.
BSBif you truly call out to insight and lift your voice to understanding, if you seek it like silver and search it out like hidden treasure, then you will discern the fear of the LORD and discover the knowledge of God.
- #121 Corinthians 10:13
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
BSBNo temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide an escape, so that you can stand up under it.
- #13Psalms 145:16
Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.
BSBYou open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.
- #14Psalms 145:19
He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.
BSBHe fulfills the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cry and saves them.
- #15Luke 10:42
But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
BSBBut only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, and it will not be taken away from her.”
- #16Romans 13:13-14
Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
BSBLet us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Instead, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.
- #17Lamentations 3:25
The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
BSBThe LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him.
- #18Hosea 6:6
For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
BSBFor I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.
- #19Psalms 55:22
Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.
BSBCast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken.
- #202 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
BSBTherefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!
- #21John 13:15
For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
BSBI have set you an example so that you should do as I have done for you.
- #22Mark 11:24-25
Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
BSBTherefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand to pray, if you hold anything against another, forgive it, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your trespasses as well.”
Verse rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY). Scripture: KJV & BSB (public domain).