ItsBible
Menu

Bible Verses for Worry, Quoted in Full, and When Each One Helps

By the ItsBible team · Updated November 8, 2026 · Facts checked November 8, 2026 · How we check our guides

The Bible verses people turn to most for worry are Matthew 6:25 to 34, Philippians 4:6 to 7, 1 Peter 5:7, Psalm 55:22 and John 14:27. In them Jesus speaks to worry directly, Paul shows how to turn it into prayer, and the psalms show people handing a heavy load to God.

Each verse below is quoted from the World English Bible, a modern translation in the public domain. Where it says “anxious,” many other English Bibles say “worry.” The meaning is the same. Every reference links to its chapter, so you can read the verses around it, which is often where the comfort is.

Bible verses for worry at a glance

VerseWhat it says, in shortWhen it may help
Matthew 6:25 to 34Look at the birds. Don’t be anxious for tomorrow.Worry about money, food or the future
Luke 12:22 to 31Consider the ravens. God feeds them.Feeling you must hold everything together
Philippians 4:6 to 7In nothing be anxious. Pray, with thanksgiving.When your mind keeps circling
1 Peter 5:7Cast all your worries on him.Wanting to hand a worry to God
Psalm 55:22Cast your burden on Yahweh.Carrying something heavy
John 14:27Don’t let your heart be troubled.A troubled heart, or a long night
Psalm 94:19Your comforts delight my soul.Racing thoughts
Isaiah 41:10Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.Worry mixed with fear
Matthew 11:28Come to me, and I will give you rest.Worn out from carrying it alone

What Jesus said about worry: Matthew 6

Jesus speaks about worry at length in the Sermon on the Mount, in Matthew 6:25 to 34. It opens, “Therefore I tell you, don’t be anxious for your life: what you will eat, or what you will drink; nor yet for your body, what you will wear” (verse 25). Then he points to ordinary things anyone can see:

The passage turns on verse 33: “But seek first God’s Kingdom and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well.” It ends with the line many people know by heart, verse 34: “Therefore don’t be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Each day’s own evil is sufficient.”

Notice what Jesus does not say. He does not call food and clothing unimportant. He says, “your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things” (verse 32). The answer he gives to worry is not pretending the need away, but trusting the one who already knows it, one day at a time.

The same teaching in Luke, and a word to Martha

Luke records the same teaching in Luke 12:22 to 31, with one small change: instead of birds in general, Jesus names ravens. “Consider the ravens: they don’t sow, they don’t reap, they have no warehouse or barn, and God feeds them. How much more valuable are you than birds!” (Luke 12:24). Luke’s version of the saying about adding to your life reads, “Which of you by being anxious can add a cubit to his height?” (verse 25).

Two chapters earlier, Luke tells a short story worth reading if your worry is about getting everything done. Martha is busy serving while her sister Mary sits and listens to Jesus, and he says, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is needed” (Luke 10:41 to 42). He says her name twice. Many readers hear it less as a scolding than as an invitation to sit down.

Do not worry, but pray: Philippians 4:6 to 7

If you are looking for the verse that says “don’t worry, pray,” it is Philippians 4:6 to 7:

> “In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.”

Paul does not ask you to keep quiet about the worry. He asks for the specific request, said to God, with thanks alongside it. The promise is not that every problem disappears, but that God’s peace will stand guard over your heart and your thoughts.

Verses for giving your worries to God

The clearest verse for handing a worry over is 1 Peter 5:7, which finishes a sentence that begins in verse 6: “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time, casting all your worries on him, because he cares for you.”

The same picture appears in Psalm 55:22: “Cast your burden on Yahweh and he will sustain you. He will never allow the righteous to be moved.” The World English Bible writes God’s name as Yahweh where many English Bibles print LORD.

Jesus makes the invitation personal in Matthew 11:28: “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Verses for a worried heart or a racing mind

When worry sits in your chest, or keeps your thoughts going at night, these are good to read slowly:

Is “don’t worry, be happy” in the Bible?

No. It is a popular saying, not a verse. But the Bible does put calm and joy side by side. Just before “In nothing be anxious,” Paul writes, “Rejoice in the Lord always! Again I will say, ‘Rejoice!’” (Philippians 4:4). And Proverbs 17:22 says, “A cheerful heart makes good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”

If you want the closest words to “don’t worry,” they are Matthew 6:34 and Philippians 4:6.

How to use a verse when you are worried

  1. Name the worry in one sentence. Philippians 4:6 asks for requests, and a request is specific.
  2. Choose one passage, not ten. Matthew 6:25 to 34 for the future, Psalm 94:19 for racing thoughts, 1 Peter 5:7 for something you want to hand over.
  3. Read the whole passage, not just the line. In Matthew 6, verse 33 sits between the birds and tomorrow for a reason.
  4. Pray it back. Put the verse in your own words to God, and add one thing you are thankful for.
  5. Come back tomorrow. Matthew 6:34 is an invitation to take one day at a time.

Scripture can steady a worried heart, and it sits well alongside other help. If worry is constant, keeps you from sleeping or working, or comes with panic, talk with a doctor or counselor as well as a pastor or a friend you trust. Asking for help is not a lack of faith.

Reading these verses on ItsBible

ItsBible is a quiet place to read the Bible free in the World English Bible, with no account and no ads. Its verses for when you feel anxious are a good next step, and every chapter is explained free if you want the setting of a passage like Matthew 6. English chapters can also be read aloud to you, which helps on a tired night.

If a worry raises a question of your own, you can ask it, with three free answers a day. The AI points to passages and ItsBible prints them from the World English Bible, so every verse shown is the real text. It is a place to start reading, not a replacement for a pastor or for the people who know you.

If you feel overwhelmed right now, this guide may help too: how to find what the Bible says about worry and anxiety when you feel overwhelmed.

Questions people ask

What is the best Bible verse for worry?

Many people start with Philippians 4:6 to 7, “In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God,” or with Matthew 6:25 to 34, where Jesus speaks about worry directly. The best one is the one that fits what you are carrying today.

Where does the Bible say not to worry about tomorrow?

Matthew 6:34: “Therefore don’t be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Each day’s own evil is sufficient.”

Which Bible verse says worry cannot add to your life?

Matthew 6:27: “Which of you by being anxious, can add one moment to his lifespan?” Luke 12:25 has the same saying: “Which of you by being anxious can add a cubit to his height?”

What Bible verse talks about birds and worry?

Matthew 6:26 says the birds of the sky don’t sow or reap, yet “Your heavenly Father feeds them.” Luke 12:24 gives the same teaching with ravens.

What verse tells us to give our worries to God?

1 Peter 5:7 speaks of “casting all your worries on him, because he cares for you.” Psalm 55:22 says, “Cast your burden on Yahweh and he will sustain you.”

Is “don’t worry, be happy” a Bible verse?

No, it is a popular saying, not a verse. The closest Bible words are Philippians 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord always!”, and Philippians 4:6, “In nothing be anxious.”

Why do these verses say “anxious” instead of “worry”?

They are quoted from the World English Bible, a public domain translation, which often says “anxious” where other English Bibles say “worry.” The meaning is the same.

Sources