Here are 38 Bible verses for the new year, all from the King James Version and grouped by theme: new beginnings, hope, guidance, strength, and blessing for the year ahead. Each one is short enough to copy into a card, a text message or your phone's lock screen. Choose one for yourself to carry through 2027, or send one to someone who needs it in January.
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New beginnings
For the first days of January, when you want to leave last year behind.
"Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert." Isaiah 43:18–19 (KJV)
"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)
"It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness." Lamentations 3:22–23 (KJV)
"A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh." Ezekiel 36:26 (KJV)
"And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful." Revelation 21:5 (KJV)
"Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:13–14 (KJV)
"Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them." Isaiah 42:9 (KJV)
"And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord." Psalm 40:3 (KJV)
Hope for the year ahead
For when the new year feels uncertain.
"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." Jeremiah 29:11 (KJV)
"Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost." Romans 15:13 (KJV)
"Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord." Psalm 31:24 (KJV)
"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." Romans 8:28 (KJV)
"Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil…" Hebrews 6:19 (KJV)
"But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." Isaiah 40:31 (KJV)
"Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God." Psalm 42:11 (KJV)
Guidance and wisdom
For decisions, plans and new-year goals.
"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:5–6 (KJV)
"I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye." Psalm 32:8 (KJV)
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." Psalm 119:105 (KJV)
"And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left." Isaiah 30:21 (KJV)
"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." James 1:5 (KJV)
"Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established." Proverbs 16:3 (KJV)
"Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass." Psalm 37:5 (KJV)
"A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps." Proverbs 16:9 (KJV)
Strength and courage
For the hard parts of the year you can already see coming.
"Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest." Joshua 1:9 (KJV)
"Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." Isaiah 41:10 (KJV)
"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Philippians 4:13 (KJV)
"And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed." Deuteronomy 31:8 (KJV)
"And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 2 Corinthians 12:9 (KJV)
"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." Psalm 46:1 (KJV)
"…for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength." Nehemiah 8:10 (KJV)
"The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" Psalm 27:1 (KJV)
Blessing for the new year
To pray over the year, or to write in a card for someone else.
"The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace." Numbers 6:24–26 (KJV)
"Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness." Psalm 65:11 (KJV)
"A land which the Lord thy God careth for: the eyes of the Lord thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year." Deuteronomy 11:12 (KJV)
"So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom." Psalm 90:12 (KJV)
"This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24 (KJV)
"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Matthew 6:33 (KJV)
"Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ…" Philippians 1:6 (KJV)
How to use a verse through the whole year
A verse helps most when you keep it in front of you after January. A few simple ways:
- Pick one. Read through the list and choose the verse that speaks to where you are right now, not the one that sounds most impressive.
- Write it where you'll see it. On a card in your wallet, on the bathroom mirror, as your phone's lock screen.
- Memorize it in the first week. Say it out loud each morning until you can say it without looking. Our guide on how to memorize Scripture has nine simple methods.
- Read it in context. Look up the chapter it comes from, so you know what the verse meant first. Our Bible reading plan for 2027 will take you through every one of these chapters during the year.
- Come back to it monthly. On the first of each month, write a line about where you've seen the verse come true, or where you need it most. A Bible journal is a good place for that.
If you'd like to study your verse a little deeper, Sermon Keeper can help. Take a photo of the Bible page, pick the verse, and you get a SOAP study card in about 30 seconds: the verse, an observation, an application, cross-references and a prayer, which you can edit in your own words. Try it free for 3 days.
If your church starts the year with a fast, many of these verses work well as daily prayers. Our guide to 21 days of prayer and fasting has a prayer focus and a short reading for each day.
Frequently asked questions
Isaiah 43:19 is a natural choice: "Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth." Lamentations 3:22–23 ("They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness") and 2 Corinthians 5:17 ("old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new") also fit a fresh start well.
Yes. Deuteronomy 11:12 describes the land God cares for, where "the eyes of the Lord thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year." Psalm 65:11 says, "Thou crownest the year with thy goodness."
All of them are from the King James Version (KJV), which is in the public domain in the United States, so you can copy and share them freely in cards, posts, church slides or bulletins.
Pick one verse, write it somewhere you'll see every day, and memorize it in the first week of January. Come back to it each month and write down where you've seen it come true. Our guide on how to memorize Scripture has simple methods.
Yes. In the United States the KJV text is in the public domain. Copy the verse and the reference, and add "(KJV)" so others can look it up.
