"Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
— 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NIV)
People who search bible verses about gratitude want Scripture for thanksgiving — saying thank you to God in ordinary days and hard ones, not only when life feels easy. This page is a numbered list of fifteen passages with the NIV text and a short note on each. Gratitude and love together are gathered under Love and gratitude. Kindness that gratitude fuels is under Bible verses about kindness. Faith that trusts God enough to give thanks is under Bible verses about faith. For Scripture to read at the table on Thanksgiving Day, see Thanksgiving Bible verses.
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15 Bible verses about gratitude
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." Thanksgiving is named as God's will — not only when circumstances feel thankful.
Philippians 4:6. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Requests go up with thanksgiving, not instead of it.
Colossians 3:15. "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful." Peace and thankfulness belong together in the body of Christ. See Colossians 3:14.
Colossians 3:17. "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Ordinary words and deeds can carry thanksgiving.
Psalm 100:4. "Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name." Coming near to God starts with thanksgiving and praise.
Psalm 107:1. "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever." Thanks is grounded in God's goodness and enduring love. See Bible verses about God's love.
Psalm 118:24. "The Lord has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad." Gratitude notices what God has done today, not only someday.
Ephesians 5:20. "always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Thanksgiving is a steady habit, aimed at the Father through Jesus.
James 1:17. "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." Gratitude names the Giver behind good gifts.
Psalm 9:1. "I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds." Wholehearted thanks includes telling what God has done.
1 Chronicles 16:34. "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever." The same refrain as Psalm 107 — goodness and lasting love as reasons to thank him.
Hebrews 12:28. "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe." An unshakable kingdom fuels thankful worship.
Luke 17:15-16. "One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan." Gratitude returns to Jesus; nine others kept walking.
Colossians 2:6-7. "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness." A rooted life overflows with thankfulness. See Bible verses about faith.
Psalm 136:1. "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever." The refrain repeats: thanks because he is good, and his love does not quit. See Love and gratitude.
How to use these verses
Pick one verse for a meal prayer, a journal line, or a hard day when thanks feels unnatural — not fifteen. Read it out loud. If anxiety is loud, pair Philippians 4:6 with thanksgiving. For kindness toward others that gratitude can fuel, see Bible verses about kindness. For loving people well out of what you have received, see Bible verses about loving others. For a daily verse, open Bible verse of the day. For thanksgiving as a year begins, see Bible verses for the New Year. For a Thanksgiving table, see Bible verses for Thanksgiving.
Questions people ask
What is the best Bible verse about gratitude?
1 Thessalonians 5:18 and Psalm 107:1 are strong starting places: give thanks in all circumstances, and give thanks because the Lord is good.
Does the Bible say to give thanks even in hard times?
Yes — 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says give thanks in all circumstances. That is not pretending pain is fine; it is refusing to stop naming God's goodness. See Bible verses for encouragement.
How is gratitude connected to God's love?
Psalm 107:1 and Psalm 136:1 ground thanksgiving in God's goodness and enduring love. See Bible verses about God's love and Love and gratitude.
What is the difference between gratitude and praise?
They overlap. Psalm 100:4 pairs thanksgiving and praise as ways to enter God's presence. Gratitude often names gifts received; praise names who God is.
Where should I read next?
Read Love and gratitude, Bible verses about faith, and Bible verses about kindness. Open-handed giving, a different search, is Bible verses about generosity. For the gifts themselves (not the thanks), see Bible verses about blessings. Enough under God, distinct from thanks, is Bible verses about contentment. For a daily verse, open Bible verse of the day.
