50 Bible Verses about Joy, Of The Church

Now there were shepherds in the same part of the country, keeping watch over their sheep by night in the open fields, when suddenly an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone round them; and they were filled with terror. But the angel said to them, "Put away all fear; for I am bringing you good news of great joy--joy for all the People.read more.
For a Saviour who is the Anointed Lord is born to you to-day, in the town of David.

"A man cannot obtain anything," replied John, "unless it has been granted to him from Heaven. You yourselves can bear witness to my having said, 'I am not the Christ,' but 'I am His appointed forerunner.' He who has the bride is the bridegroom; and the bridegroom's friend who stands by his side and listens to him, rejoices heartily on account of the bridegroom's happiness. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete.

Abraham your forefather exulted in the hope of seeing my day: and he saw it, and was glad."

The Spirit, on the other hand, brings a harvest of love, joy, peace; patience towards others, kindness, benevolence;

"The Kingdom of the Heavens is like treasure buried in the open country, which a man finds, but buries again, and, in his joy about it, goes and sells all he has and buys that piece of ground.

When the Seventy returned, they exclaimed joyfully, "Master, even the demons submit to us when we utter your name." "I saw Satan fall like a lightning-flash out of Heaven," He replied. "I have given you power to tread serpents and scorpions underfoot, and to trample on all the power of the Enemy; and in no case shall anything do you harm.read more.
Nevertheless rejoice not at this, that the spirits submit to you; but rejoice that your names are registered in Heaven." On that same occasion Jesus was filled by the Holy Spirit with rapturous joy. "I give Thee fervent thanks," He exclaimed, "O Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, that Thou hast hidden these things from sages and men of understanding, and hast revealed them to babes. Yes, Father, for such has been Thy gracious will.

"Which of you men, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in their pasture and go in search of the lost one till he finds it? And when he has found it, he lifts it on his shoulder, glad at heart. Then coming home he calls his friends and neighbours together, and says, 'Congratulate me, for I have found my sheep--the one I had lost.'read more.
I tell you that in the same way there will be rejoicing in Heaven over one repentant sinner--more rejoicing than over ninety-nine blameless persons who have no need of repentance. "Or what woman who has ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully till she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbours, and says, "'Congratulate me, for I have found the coin which I had lost.' "I tell you that in the same way there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one repentant sinner."

What do you yourselves think? Suppose a man gets a hundred sheep and one of them strays away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go and look for the one that is straying? And if he succeeds in finding it, in solemn truth I tell you that he rejoices over it more than he does over the ninety-nine that have not gone astray. Just so it is not the will of your Father in Heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.

"My food," said Jesus, "is to be obedient to Him who sent me, and fully to accomplish His work. Do you not say, 'It wants four months yet to the harvest'? But look round, I tell you, and observe these plains-- they are already ripe for the sickle. The reaper gets pay and gathers in a crop in preparation for the Life of the Ages, that so the sower and the reapers may rejoice together.

In most solemn truth I tell you that you will weep aloud and lament, but the world will be glad. You will mourn, but your grief will be turned into gladness. A woman, when she is in labour, has sorrow, because her time has come. But when she has given birth to the babe, she no longer remembers the pain, because of her joy at a child being born into the world. So you also now have sorrow; but I shall see you again, and your hearts will be glad, and your gladness no one will take away from you.read more.
You will put no questions to me then. "In most solemn truth I tell you that whatever you ask the Father for in my name He will give you. As yet you have not asked for anything in my name: ask, and you shall receive, that your hearts may be filled with gladness.

"But now I am coming to Thee, and I speak these words while I am in the world, in order that they may have my gladness within them filling their hearts.

full of joyful hope, patient under persecution, earnest and persistent in prayer.

For the Kingdom of God does not consist of eating and drinking, but of right conduct, peace and joy, through the Holy Spirit; and whoever in this way devotedly serves Christ, God takes pleasure in him, and men highly commend him.

Be always joyful. Be unceasing in prayer. In every circumstance of life be thankful; for this is God's will in Christ Jesus respecting you.

As the Father has loved me, I have also loved you: continue in my love. If you obey my commands, you will continue in my love, as I have obeyed my Father's commands and continue in His love. "These things I have spoken to you in order that I may have joy in you, and that your joy may become perfect.

"Blessed are you when they have insulted and persecuted you, and have said every cruel thing about you falsely for my sake. Be joyful and triumphant, because your reward is great in the Heavens; for so were the Prophets before you persecuted.

"Blessed are you when men shall hate you and exclude you from their society and insult you, and spurn your very names as evil things, for the Son of Man's sake. "Be glad at such a time, and dance for joy; for your reward is great in Heaven; for that is just the way their forefathers behaved to the Prophets!

And, day by day, attending constantly in the Temple with one accord, and breaking bread in private houses, they took their meals with great happiness and single-heartedness, praising God and being regarded with favour by all the people. Also, day by day, the Lord added to their number those whom He was saving.

But certain persons who had come down from Judaea tried to convince the brethren, saying, "Unless you are circumcised in accordance with the Mosaic custom, you cannot be saved." Between these new comers and Paul and Barnabas there was no little disagreement and controversy, until at last it was decided that Paul and Barnabas and some other brethren should go up to consult the Apostles and Elders in Jerusalem on this matter. So they set out, being accompanied for a short distance by some other members of the Church; and as they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told the whole story of the conversion of the Gentiles and inspired all the brethren with great joy.

asking that I may escape unhurt from those in Judaea who are disobedient, and that the service which I am going to Jerusalem to render may be well received by the Church there, in order that if God be willing I may come to you with a glad heart, and may enjoy a time of rest with you.

And I write this to you in order that when I come I may not receive pain from those who ought to give me joy, confident as I am as to all of you that my joy is the joy of you all.

Nay, even if my life is to be poured as a libation upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I rejoice, and I congratulate you all. And I bid you also share my gladness, and congratulate me.

Him you love, though your eyes have never looked on Him. In Him, though at present you cannot see Him, you nevertheless trust, and triumph with a joy which is unspeakable and is crowned with glory, while you are securing as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.

"If you continue in me and my sayings continue in you, ask what you will and it shall be done for you. By this is God glorified--by your bearing abundant fruit and thus being true disciples of mine. As the Father has loved me, I have also loved you: continue in my love.read more.
If you obey my commands, you will continue in my love, as I have obeyed my Father's commands and continue in His love. "These things I have spoken to you in order that I may have joy in you, and that your joy may become perfect.

On the contrary you have come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the ever-living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to countless hosts of angels, to the great festal gathering and Church of the first-born, whose names are recorded in Heaven, and to a Judge who is God of all, and to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, and to Jesus the negotiator of a new Covenant, and to the sprinkled blood which speaks in more gracious tones than that of Abel.

Let us rejoice and triumph and give Him the glory; for the time for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His Bride has made herself ready."

Then he took them, even at that time of night, washed their wounds, and he and all his household were immediately baptized; and bringing the Apostles up into his house, he spread a meal for them, and was filled with gladness, with his whole household, his faith resting on God.

So he stopped the chariot; and both of them--Philip and the eunuch--went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. But no sooner had they come up out of the water than the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again. With a glad heart he resumed his journey;

And not only so, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now obtained that reconciliation.

They, therefore, left the Sanhedrin and went their way, rejoicing that they had been deemed worthy to suffer disgrace on behalf of the NAME.

Dear friends, do not be surprised at finding that that scorching flame of persecution is raging among you to put you to the test--as though some surprising thing were accidentally happening to you. On the contrary, in the degree that you share in the sufferings of the Christ, rejoice, so that at the unveiling of His glory you may also rejoice with triumphant gladness.

I have great confidence in you: very loudly do I boast of you. I am filled with comfort: my heart overflows with joy amid all our affliction.

But we desire to let you know, brethren, of the grace of God which has been bestowed on the Churches of Macedonia; how, while passing through great trouble, their boundless joy even amid their deep poverty has overflowed to increase their generous liberality.

And judging by the stupendous grandeur of the revelations--therefore lest I should be over-elated there has been sent to me, like the agony of impalement, Satan's angel dealing blow after blow, lest I should be over-elated. As for this, three times have I besought the Lord to rid me of him; but His reply has been, "My grace suffices for you, for power matures in weakness." Most gladly therefore will I boast of my infirmities rather than complain of them--in order that Christ's power may overshadow me.read more.
In fact I take pleasure in infirmities, in the bearing of insults, in distress, in persecutions, in grievous difficulties--for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

and it is a joy to us when we are powerless, but you are strong. This we also pray for--the perfecting of your characters.

Now I can find joy amid my sufferings for you, and I fill up in my own person whatever is lacking in Christ's afflictions on behalf of His Body, the Church.

And you followed the pattern set you by us and by the Master, after you had received the Message amid severe persecution, and yet with the joy which the Holy Spirit gives,

For you not only showed sympathy with those who were imprisoned, but you even submitted with joy when your property was taken from you, being well aware that you have in your own selves a more valuable possession and one which will remain.

Reckon it nothing but joy, my brethren, whenever you find yourselves hedged in by various trials. Be assured that the testing of your faith leads to power of endurance.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in His great mercy has begotten us anew to an ever-living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance imperishable, undefiled and unfading, which has been reserved in Heaven for you, whom God in His power is guarding through faith for a salvation that even now stands ready for unveiling at the End of the Age.read more.
Rejoice triumphantly in the prospect of this, even if now, for a short time, you are compelled to sorrow amid various trials.

Your fidelity to the truth is everywhere known. I rejoice over you, therefore, but I wish you to be wise as to what is good, and simple-minded as to what is evil.

I am in a dilemma, my earnest desire being to depart and be with Christ, for that is far, far better. But for your sakes it is more important that I should still remain in the body. I am convinced of this, and I know that I shall remain, and shall go on working side by side with you all, to promote your progress and joy in the faith;read more.
so that, as Christians, you may have additional reason for glorying about me as the result of my being with you again.

Therefore, my brethren, dearly loved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand firm in the Lord, my dearly-loved ones.

For although, as you say, I am absent from you in body, yet in spirit I am present with you and am delighted to witness your good discipline and the solid front presented by your faith in Christ.

For what is our hope or joy, or the crown of which we boast? Is it not you yourselves in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His Coming? Yes, you are our glory and our joy.

For what thanksgiving on your behalf can we possibly offer to God in return for all the joy which fills our souls before our God for you,

but also by the fact that he had felt comforted on your account, and by the report which he brought of your eager affection, of your grief, and of your jealousy on my behalf, so that I rejoiced more than ever.

Therefore, though I wrote to you, it was not to punish the offender, nor to secure justice for him who had suffered the wrong, but it was chiefly in order that your earnest feeling on our behalf might become manifest to yourselves in the sight of God. For this reason we feel comforted; and--in addition to this our comfort--we have been filled with all the deeper joy at Titus's joy, because his spirit has been set at rest by you all.

If then I can appeal to you as the followers of Christ, if there is any persuasive power in love and any common sharing of the Spirit, or if you have any tender-heartedness and compassion, make my joy complete by being of one mind, united by mutual love, with harmony of feeling giving your minds to one and the same object.

always when offering any prayer on behalf of you all, finding a joy in offering it. I thank my God, I say, for your cooperation in spreading the Good News, from the time it first came to you even until now. For of this I am confident, that He who has begun a good work within you will go on to perfect it in preparation for the day of Jesus Christ.