98 Bible Verses about Lost Souls

James 5:20 ESV / 164 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

1 John 1:9 ESV / 110 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Luke 15:4 ESV / 110 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 ESV / 92 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. ...

Jeremiah 1:5 ESV / 90 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

John 14:6 ESV / 81 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

1 Timothy 2:4 ESV / 78 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Mark 16:16 ESV / 71 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Matthew 10:6 ESV / 60 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Luke 19:9-10 ESV / 52 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

John 14:15 ESV / 50 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

Ezekiel 36:25-27 ESV / 48 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.

Jeremiah 17:9-10 ESV / 42 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? “I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”

Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV / 40 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

2 Corinthians 4:1-4 ESV / 38 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Luke 15:1-32 ESV / 36 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” So he told them this parable: “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. ...

Luke 15:1-10 ESV / 33 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” So he told them this parable: “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. ...

2 Corinthians 4:4 ESV / 32 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Revelation 3:20 ESV / 31 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

Luke 19:10 ESV / 30 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Psalm 22:1-4 ESV / 27 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

To the choirmaster: according to The Doe of the Dawn. A Psalm of David. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest. Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them.

Hebrews 13:4 ESV / 23 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.

Job 10:8-12 ESV / 23 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Your hands fashioned and made me, and now you have destroyed me altogether. Remember that you have made me like clay; and will you return me to the dust? Did you not pour me out like milk and curdle me like cheese? You clothed me with skin and flesh, and knit me together with bones and sinews. You have granted me life and steadfast love, and your care has preserved my spirit.

Acts 17:16 ESV / 21 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols.

Genesis 1:27 ESV / 19 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

Jude 1:22-23 ESV / 18 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.

Romans 1:18-32 ESV / 17 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, ...

John 3:14 ESV / 17 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,

Ezekiel 34:16 ESV / 17 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.

Genesis 3:1 ESV / 17 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?”

Acts 5:42 ESV / 16 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.

Job 2:1-13 ESV / 15 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the Lord. And the Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil? He still holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to destroy him without reason.” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Skin for skin! All that a man has he will give for his life. But stretch out your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face.” ...

John 3:16 ESV / 14 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Exodus 20:13 ESV / 13 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“You shall not murder.

Isaiah 10:1-34 ESV / 11 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Woe to those who decree iniquitous decrees, and the writers who keep writing oppression, to turn aside the needy from justice and to rob the poor of my people of their right, that widows may be their spoil, and that they may make the fatherless their prey! What will you do on the day of punishment, in the ruin that will come from afar? To whom will you flee for help, and where will you leave your wealth? Nothing remains but to crouch among the prisoners or fall among the slain. For all this his anger has not turned away, and his hand is stretched out still. Woe to Assyria, the rod of my anger; the staff in their hands is my fury! ...

1 Corinthians 11:1-34 ESV / 10 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you. But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God. Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven. ...

Mark 2:17 ESV / 10 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Matthew 28:18-20 ESV / 10 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Ezekiel 37:15-28 ESV / 9 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, take a stick and write on it, ‘For Judah, and the people of Israel associated with him’; then take another stick and write on it, ‘For Joseph (the stick of Ephraim) and all the house of Israel associated with him.’ And join them one to another into one stick, that they may become one in your hand. And when your people say to you, ‘Will you not tell us what you mean by these?’ say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am about to take the stick of Joseph (that is in the hand of Ephraim) and the tribes of Israel associated with him. And I will join with it the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, that they may be one in my hand. ...

Revelation 19:7-9 ESV / 8 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”

Titus 1:9 ESV / 8 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.

1 Corinthians 13:8 ESV / 8 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.

2 Peter 3:9 ESV / 7 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

1 Timothy 4:10 ESV / 7 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.

Exodus 21:22-25 ESV / 7 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“When men strive together and hit a pregnant woman, so that her children come out, but there is no harm, the one who hit her shall surely be fined, as the woman's husband shall impose on him, and he shall pay as the judges determine. But if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.

Romans 9:1-5 ESV / 6 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit— that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh. They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.

John 3:3 ESV / 6 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

John 1:5 ESV / 6 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Luke 15:7 ESV / 6 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

Proverbs 11:30 ESV / 6 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and whoever captures souls is wise.

Revelation 1:1 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,

Romans 1:16 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Luke 15:6 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’

Ezekiel 25:17 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

I will execute great vengeance on them with wrathful rebukes. Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I lay my vengeance upon them.”

1 Peter 2:25 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Philippians 4:13 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Ephesians 6:1-24 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, ...

Romans 10:9 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Acts 17:26 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place,

Acts 4:12 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

John 10:10 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

Matthew 22:37 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.

Isaiah 53:6 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Isaiah 41:10 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Proverbs 22:6 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Joshua 1:9 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

2 Corinthians 4:3 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.

Acts 2:38 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

John 14:27 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

John 3:16-17 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

John 3:15 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

That whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

John 1:6 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

Luke 15:24 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.

Matthew 15:24 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

Matthew 6:33 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Ezekiel 36:26 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

Lamentations 3:22 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;

Jeremiah 29:11 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Psalm 23:4 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Psalm 23:1 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Revelation 21:8 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

1 Peter 5:10 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

1 Thessalonians 4:13 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.

Philippians 4:6-7 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication 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 minds in Christ Jesus.

2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Romans 8:18 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

Romans 5:8 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Acts 3:19-21 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.

John 3:29 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete.

Luke 15:32 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”

Luke 15:28 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him,

Luke 15:27 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’

Luke 15:15 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs.

Matthew 25:41 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

Matthew 18:11 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 11:28 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Isaiah 40:31 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

Psalm 23:1-6 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. ...