28 Bible Verses for the New Year

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

Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV

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

The voice in Lamentations 3 has seen Jerusalem fall and says so at length. Out of that grief comes the claim that the steadfast love of the LORD never ceases and that his mercies are new every morning, grounded in the greatness of his faithfulness. A new year offers one fresh start. This passage offers one every morning. If January's resolutions break in the second week, the mercy described here does not.

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

2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV

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

Paul writes that anyone in Christ is a new creation. The old has passed away and the new has come, or in the KJV's wording all things have become new. The newness he describes does not come from a date on the calendar or a fresh notebook. It comes from belonging to Christ. That means it is as available on an ordinary day in March as it is on the first of January.

“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

Isaiah 43:18-19 ESV

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

These lines are spoken to Israel. God tells his people not to dwell on the former things, because he is doing a new thing that is already springing up, and he asks whether they perceive it. He promises a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. The same chapter recalls God making a path through mighty waters, so the past is not dismissed. The point is that God's newest work may outstrip even his old ones.

Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:13-14 ESV

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

Paul admits he has not arrived. He describes forgetting what lies behind, straining toward what lies ahead, and pressing on toward the upward call of God in Christ. In the same chapter he lists his impressive credentials and counts them as loss. Read that way, what lies behind includes past successes as well as past failures. A new year can be a chance to stop leaning on either.

Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen and called its name Ebenezer; for he said, “Till now the LORD has helped us.”

1 Samuel 7:12 ESV

Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us.

1 Samuel 7:12 KJV

After Israel's victory over the Philistines, Samuel sets up a stone and names it Ebenezer. The text explains the name as a confession that the LORD has helped them up to this point. It is a marker for looking back. Most year-end reviews are about what we achieved or failed to achieve. This one is about where God helped. Someone closing out a hard year can still set down a stone, even a small one.

Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,

Psalm 103:2 ESV

Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

Psalm 103:2 KJV

The psalm speaks to its own soul. It tells that soul to bless the LORD and not to forget all his benefits, and the surrounding lines go on to name some of them: forgiveness, healing, redemption and steadfast love. Forgetting is treated as the natural drift, which is why the command is needed. Before setting goals for a new year, the psalm suggests a different first step: remembering, deliberately and in detail, what has already been received.

So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.

Psalm 90:12 ESV

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

Psalm 90:12 KJV

Psalm 90 is headed as a prayer of Moses. It sets the brevity of human life against God's everlasting existence, and the contrast is sobering. Out of it comes a request that God would teach us to number our days so that we gain a heart of wisdom. Counting days here is meant to bring clarity, not dread. The turn of a year is a natural moment to ask what this limited time is for, and to ask God rather than only yourself.

The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.

Proverbs 16:9 ESV

A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.

Proverbs 16:9 KJV

A person's heart plans their way, but the LORD establishes their steps. The proverb does not tell anyone to stop planning. It assumes they will. What it adds is a second actor: people make the plans, God establishes the steps, and the two do not always line up. Holding a new year's plans with that awareness can keep them from becoming either an idol or a source of crushing guilt when they change.

Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established.

Proverbs 16:3 ESV

Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.

Proverbs 16:3 KJV

The proverb asks the reader to commit their work to the LORD and promises that their plans will be established. The KJV speaks of works and thoughts. Committing comes first in the sentence, before any plan is established. Read alongside the rest of Proverbs, this is not a promise that every goal will succeed exactly as written. It reads more like an invitation to place the whole project in God's hands at the start and let him reshape it.

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”

James 4:13-15 ESV

Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.

James 4:13-15 KJV

James addresses people who announce that they will go to a certain town, spend a year there, trade and make a profit. He does not condemn the trading. He points out that they do not know what tomorrow holds, that life is a mist, or a vapour in the KJV, and that they should plan with the words if the Lord wills. It reads almost as if it were written for anyone drafting goals for the year.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV

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

The proverb asks for trust in the LORD with the whole heart rather than leaning on one's own understanding. It asks for acknowledging him in every path, and it promises that he will make those paths straight. This is not a call to stop thinking. It asks the reader not to rest their full weight on their own judgement, and to bring God into every area of a year's plans rather than only the obviously spiritual ones.

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.

Jeremiah 29:11 ESV

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

The promise of plans for welfare and not for evil, plans to give a future and a hope, comes in a letter to people carried into exile in Babylon. In the same letter they are told to build houses, plant gardens and seek the welfare of the city where they live. The hope is real, but it was not a promise of quick rescue. It speaks to anyone beginning a year somewhere they did not choose to be.

What does Jeremiah 29:11 mean? →

My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!

Psalm 31:15 ESV

My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.

Psalm 31:15 KJV

My times are in your hand. The line sits in a psalm full of distress, with enemies, grief and the fear of being forgotten. It is offered as an act of trust, not as a summary of good circumstances. Both the ESV and the KJV speak of times in the plural. Whatever the coming months hold, the psalm places every one of them in God's hand, including the ones that will be hard.

It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

Deuteronomy 31:8 ESV

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

Moses speaks to Joshua, who is about to lead Israel into the land Moses himself will not enter. He tells him that the LORD goes before him and will be with him, that God will not leave him or forsake him, and that he need not fear or be dismayed. The promise is given to a new leader at a threshold. A new year is a smaller threshold, but the passage pictures God walking into the unknown first.

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.

Isaiah 41:10 ESV

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

God tells Israel not to fear, because he is with them, and not to be dismayed, because he is their God. Then the promises pile up: he will strengthen, help and uphold them with his righteous right hand. The reason given for not fearing is not that nothing bad will happen. It is that God will be present in whatever does. For anyone anxious about the year ahead, that is a sturdier comfort than optimism.

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Matthew 6:34 ESV

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Matthew 6:34 KJV

Jesus tells his listeners not to be anxious about tomorrow, because tomorrow will have its own anxieties and each day has enough trouble of its own. In context he has been speaking about birds, lilies and a Father who knows what his children need. A new year can invite months of worrying in advance. This verse narrows the field back to today, which is the only day anyone is actually given to live.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Hebrews 13:8 ESV

Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

Hebrews 13:8 KJV

Jesus Christ is described as the same yesterday, today and forever. In the letter this sits among practical instructions, including a call to remember those who spoke God's word and to imitate their faith. Leaders change, years turn over and circumstances shift, and the verse names what does not. Whatever is different in the year ahead, the Christ who met people last year is the same one who meets them in this one.

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Romans 12:2 ESV

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Romans 12:2 KJV

Paul asks his readers not to be conformed to this world but to be transformed by the renewal of their minds, so that they can discern God's will. Many resolutions aim at behaviour first. Paul begins with the mind, with what shapes how a person sees everything else. He also puts the change in the passive, being transformed. It is something God does, though the reader is invited to take part.

to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Ephesians 4:22-24 ESV

That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Ephesians 4:22-24 KJV

Paul uses the picture of changing clothes. The old self, corrupted by deceitful desires, is to be put off. The reader is to be renewed in the spirit of the mind and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God. Taking off and putting on are deliberate acts, repeated daily. A new year is a natural time to ask what needs removing, but the passage gives equal weight to what is put on instead.

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.

Psalm 1:1-3 ESV

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Psalm 1:1-3 KJV

The blessed person in this psalm delights in the law of the LORD and meditates on it day and night. That person is pictured as a tree planted by streams of water, bearing fruit in its season. A tree does not grow in a single burst of effort. It grows by staying planted near water. For anyone hoping to read Scripture more this year, the psalm treats that less as a target to hit and more as a place to put down roots.

Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

1 Timothy 4:7-8 ESV

But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

1 Timothy 4:7-8 KJV

Paul tells Timothy to train himself for godliness. He grants that bodily training has some value, but says godliness is valuable in every way, holding promise for this life and the life to come. The picture is athletic, which suits a season full of gym memberships and fitness goals. Paul does not dismiss physical training. He asks which kind of training has the longer reach.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:1-2 ESV

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:1-2 KJV

Surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, readers are urged to lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely. They are to run with endurance the race set before them, looking to Jesus. The race is set before them, not invented by them, and what is asked for is endurance rather than speed. A year will contain good weeks and bad ones, and this is a realistic picture of faithfulness across both.

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

Philippians 1:6 ESV

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

Paul is confident that the one who began a good work in the Philippians will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. The work is God's: he begins it and he finishes it. Anyone starting the year discouraged by how little they seem to have changed can take this as a reminder that their growth never rested on their own consistency alone. The one who started it has not lost interest.

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:

Ecclesiastes 3:1 ESV

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

Ecclesiastes 3:1 KJV

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven. The surrounding lines pair opposites: birth and death, weeping and laughing, mourning and dancing. The Teacher does not promise a year of only planting and laughter. He names the whole range as part of life. In the same chapter he says God has made everything beautiful in its time, which leaves room for seasons we would not have chosen.

a land that the LORD your God cares for. The eyes of the LORD your God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year.

Deuteronomy 11:12 ESV

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

Moses describes the land Israel is about to enter as a land the LORD cares for, with his eyes on it from the beginning of the year to the end of the year. The promise was spoken about a particular land and people, and it should not be lifted out as a guarantee about anyone's next twelve months. It does show the kind of attention God gives to what he cares for: constant, not only at the start.

You crown the year with your bounty; your wagon tracks overflow with abundance.

Psalm 65:11 ESV

Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness.

Psalm 65:11 KJV

The psalm says God crowns the year with his bounty. The KJV speaks of crowning it with goodness. It is a harvest psalm, full of rain, grain, meadows and hills pictured as rejoicing. God's generosity marks a whole year here, not only its highlights. Looking ahead, it is a prayer worth borrowing for the months to come. Looking back, it is a way of noticing what grew, even in a year that felt lean.

The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

Numbers 6:24-26 ESV

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

The LORD gives Moses a blessing for Aaron and his sons to speak over Israel. It asks that the LORD bless and keep them, make his face shine on them and be gracious, lift up his countenance on them and give them peace. It is still spoken in many churches. It is a blessing given, not earned, which makes it a fitting word to hear, or to say over someone else, at the start of a year.

And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

Revelation 21:5 ESV

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

The one seated on the throne declares that he is making all things new. Both the ESV and KJV put it in the present tense, and many readers hear in that a work already under way as well as one still to be finished. The same chapter pictures God dwelling with people and wiping away their tears. Every new year is a small and partial newness, and this verse points to the complete one.