Suffering is a universal human experience, touched upon in many books of the Bible. While it can be difficult to understand, several Bible verses offer insight into the purpose, nature, and response to suffering. From Job’s trials to Paul’s epistles, the Bible throws light on how suffering, though intrinsically challenging, can lead to spiritual growth, resilience, and compassion for others.
What Bible Says about Suffering
In the Bible, suffering is depicted with complexity and profundity. There isn’t a simplistic one-to-one cause and effect explanation. There are instances, as in the story of Job, where suffering seems inexplicable and unfair. Simultaneously, it is revealed how it can function as a refiner’s fire, purifying and strengthening individuals for spiritual transformation. Drawing strength from Biblical accounts, believers are often able to better cope with life’s trials, envisioning them not merely as punishments, but also as catalysts for spiritual maturation.
Where Suffering Finds Purpose in the Bible
Suffering, as presented in the Bible, is not devoid of purpose. Though it’s not always clear in the midst of trouble, various passages suggest that pain and hardship can serve in honing individuals’ faith and perseverance. The Bible indicates how adversity contributes to character development, compassionate understanding and deeper faith. In these rough terrains, individuals often find their peaceful valleys, discovering the power of forgiveness, resilience and unconditional love.
Why Bible Calls for Endurance During Suffering
The Bible repeatedly calls for endurance and patience when faced with suffering. It highlights the inspiring examples of followers who trusted God through their trials, illustrating that spiritual rewards often come after enduring hardship. It underscores the idea that enduring suffering faithfully could serve as a testament to one’s profound faith in God. Additionally, endurance molds a stronger character capable of facing future trials with grace and fortitude.
When Suffering is Represented in the Bible
The Bible does not shy away from illustrating suffering in various forms. It reveals suffering through stories of loss, betrayal, illness, oppression, and even death. From the bitterness of Job’s plight, the betrayal endured by Joseph, to Christ’s ultimate sacrifice, the Bible vividly portrays suffering as a key aspect of human existence. It is these representations that offer comfort, solace, courage, and perspective to believers as they navigate through their personal trials.
Who Provides Comfort in Suffering According to the Bible
In instances of suffering, the Bible shows God as a compassionate listener and comforter. He is portrayed as being keenly aware of human pain and being ever-present with those who suffer. God’s comfort is concurrently tender and miraculous, focusing not on eradicating pain instantly but on imparting strength, peace, and hope to bear it. Through divine comfort, individuals are often able to find hope amidst despair, courage amidst fear, and strength amidst weakness, thus transforming their suffering into experiences of profound spiritual enrichment.
Below is the full list of bible verses on suffering (King James Version – KJV). The list is ranked in order of popularity and we hope you find the inspiration you need.
Most Popular Bible Verses About Suffering
1 Peter 5:10
“10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.”
Related Themes: Hope Restoration Addiction Anxiety
Romans 8:18
“18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”
Related Themes: Hope Business Creativity Lust
Romans 5:3-5
“3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”
Related Themes: Perseverance Patience Hope
Romans 8:28
“28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
Related Themes: Frustration Sovereignty Complaining Life
James 1:2-4
“2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”
Related Themes: Joy Perseverance Frustration Complaining
John 16:33
“33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
Related Themes: Frustration Peace Homelessness Bitterness
Psalm 34:19
“19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.”
Related Themes: Persecution Omnipotence Affliction Adversity
Revelation 21:4
“4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”
Related Themes: Hope Frustration Tears Repentance
2 Timothy 3:12
“12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”
Related Themes: Persecution Lust Reaping What You Sow Reaping
Romans 5:3-4
“3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:”
Related Themes: Perseverance Patience Hope
Philippians 1:29
“29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;”
Related Themes: Persecution Sovereignty Faith
2 Corinthians 4:17
“17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;”
Related Themes: Hope Glorification Sickness
Philippians 3:10
“10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;”
Related Themes: Resurrection
Isaiah 53:3
“3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.”
Related Themes: Loneliness Rejection
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
“3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”
Related Themes: Loneliness Comfort
1 Peter 4:1
“1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;”
Romans 8:35
“35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?”
Related Themes: Loneliness Persecution Loneliness Persecution
Galatians 6:2
“2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.”
Related Themes: Strangers Community Justice Homelessness
1 Peter 3:14
“14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;”
Related Themes: Persecution Respecting Your Parents Righteousness Fear
1 Peter 4:12-19
“12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters.16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.”
Related Themes: Persecution Persecution
James 1:12
“12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.”
Related Themes: Perseverance Lust Life Addiction
Isaiah 53:4
“4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.”
Related Themes: Healing Health Loneliness
1 Corinthians 10:13
“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.”
Related Themes: Lust Self-Control Addiction Strength Temptation
2 Corinthians 4:8-10
“8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.”
Related Themes: Adversity Persecution Despair Persecution
Hebrews 2:10
“10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.”
Related Themes: Lust Glorification
Isaiah 43:2
“2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.”
Related Themes: Omnipresence Loneliness Water Omnipotence
1 Peter 2:21
“21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:”
2 Corinthians 1:5
“5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.”
Romans 8:28-29
“28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”
Related Themes: Frustration Sovereignty Complaining Life
1 Peter 1:6-7
“6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:”
