Bible Verses for Men: 31 Important Scriptures for Men

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The world today has a lot of things to say about men. What should a man be like? What attitudes are manly? How should a man act?

God’s Word answers these questions for us. These Bible verses for men should be a foundation of who a man should be who wants to follow God and honor Him.

Let these Scriptures inform your heart to what it means to be a man, and what a godly man should do. Don’t miss out on the free Printable Bible Verses for Men Reading Plan at the end of this post.

Bible Verses for Men: 31 Encouraging Scriptures for Men

The Bible speaks out on what a man should be. 

Some of these Scriptures apply to all people, both men and women, while others apply specifically to what roles God wanted men to fulfill in society.

Some Bible verses say the word “man” or “men” and mean something closer to “humankind” or “people”. 

The Bible can challenge society’s ideas on what strength is, what it means to be a leader, and what a husband and father’s role is. The Bible also discusses pride, purpose, and integrity differently than what the world might say today.

Let the Word of God shape your thoughts and attitudes towards what a real man should be.Take a look at these Bible verses for men from both the Old Testament and the New Testament.

What is man?

The emphasis on what a man should be seems to concentrate on what a Christian should be. Those who believe in Jesus and have a personal relationship with Him are children of God. Here are Bible verses about characteristics of children of God.

Genesis 1:27

“God created man in his own image. In God’s image he created him; male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:27

First of all, just as a person, God created man in his own image. Man is not entitled to this, but privileged to be a reflection of the image of God.

What man does with this often does not live up to God’s holiness and perfection. But with the Holy Spirit within us as Christians, we can live the righteous lives God intended for us.

God did distinctly create people as male or female, to fulfill different roles and purposes in His kingdom. Some of these roles have overlap and some don’t, depending on what God’s purpose is.

Psalm 144:3

“LORD, what is man, that you care for him? Or the son of man, what do you think of him?” Psalm 144:3 WEBBE

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In Psalm 144, the psalmist David wonders why we are even worthy of a thought of our Heavenly Father. While he prays for rescue from his enemies, David acknowledges that we are like a “mere breath” and “passing shadow” (v. 4). 

While today’s culture can try to convince us that we are all-powerful and capable of all understanding (especially if you purchase what they are selling!), we fall short of those claims.

This verse reminds us of our humble place in this life, and that we are not God. We live to serve for the glory of God.

Genesis 2:18 

“The LORD God said, ‘It is not good for man to be alone. I will make him a helper comparable.’” Genesis 2:18 WEBBE

God created woman to go along with man, to be a helper comparable, corresponding to, or suitable to him. He knew that man needed woman, and that they needed to be together (v. 24 & 25).

Many of the Scriptures in the Word of the Lord are specific to men when they are referring to man’s role as husband or father. God’s design for the family is meant to provide a place to grow in faith and knowledge of Him.

The Bible verses in this next section remind us of that role that men fill as husband and/or father.

How should a godly husband and father act?

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The Christian family structure is set up in a patriarchy. This is meant to reflect God as our Father, leading us in our lives.

This can be difficult news for those who have struggled with an absent or unkind father, for those who have been hurt by a men-oriented society, or those otherwise discouraged by what males have done.

Or you might think, “What an outdated point of view! This traditional view is not a good idea today.”

It is true that some have used the patriarchy model to further their own preferences and desires, some of them sinful. But it does not invalidate the model. 

God designed the family, as well as the church, to have the father as a servant leader, serving his family as Christ served the church and gave Himself up for His children.

This isn’t lived out perfectly on earth. Not every kid has a dad, not every mom has a husband by her side. God doesn’t leave them on their own, and can provide other people to supplement what is needed.

But He shows us the model in these Bible verses for men to ponder what a good husband and father should be.

Ephesians 5:23-25 

“For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the assembly, being himself the savior of the body. But as the assembly is subject to Christ, so let the wives also be to their own husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the assembly, and gave himself up for it.” Ephesians 5:23-25 

This can be a hard verse for women to hear, and for men to use responsibly. It can seem like women are being asked to give up a lot, being subject to their husbands. But men are being asked to take on a huge responsibility in loving his wife as much as Christ loved the church.

Christ loved the church so much that He gave Himself up for it. He died on the cross to save it.

Christ’s life wasn’t exemplified by a bossy leadership and demanding His own way for no reason. It was serving, healing, spreading hope through the Good News of salvation, and ultimately, giving Himself up.

He did insist on His own way at times but it was for good reasons and for God’s purposes.

“Well, my husband doesn’t live up to THAT, so I don’t have to follow what he says,” a wife might say.

No man can live up to that, but no woman is perfect either. We are all just doing our best to live a godly life. Both a husband and wife should make every effort to obey these verses, even if their spouse isn’t living up to that standard.

And men would do good to remember the words of 1 Corinthians 11:3a. “But I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ.”

Men are meant to lead their families with Christ at the center of it. Men are not at the head of the families to serve themselves, but to serve Christ.

Read on to learn more about what a godly husband should be.

Genesis 2:23-24

The man said, “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh. She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken out of Man.” Therefore a man will leave his father and his mother, and will join with his wife, and they will be one flesh. Genesis 2:23-24

A man who is married is meant to be part of his new family with his wife. It doesn’t mean that he ignores his parents completely, but his first allegiance beyond God is to his wife.

Colossians 3:21

“Fathers, don’t provoke your children, so that they won’t be discouraged.” Colossians 3:21

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This Bible verse for fathers reminds them to not make it hard for their children to obey what they tell them. 

When men are serving their family with servant leadership, they are less likely to give self-centered or unwise direction to their children.

Ephesians 6:4

“You fathers, don’t provoke your children to wrath, but nurture them in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:4

This Bible verse for dads gives further insight into dads not provoking their children, making it difficult for the child to obey or respect the father’s leadership.

It adds that fathers should nurture them in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Fathers have the responsibility to guide their children to the Lord, showing them who God is not only through their words but their actions.

What does it mean to be strong and courageous?

The stereotypical view of men is that they should be strong and courageous. Is this biblical?

There are many times where God calls His people to be strong and courageous. One occasion is highlighted in the popular Bible verse, Joshua 1:9. 

“Haven’t I commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 WEBBE

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While the context is the Israelites headed to claim the land promised to them by God, we can learn from the example of this situation. it is true that God will be with you as you go where He has called you. All Christians should be strong and courageous in serving God.

And as the servant leader of the family, a man should protect his family, and this can mean that he needs to be strong and courageous.

This doesn’t mean that a man needs to be able to bench press 400 pounds. Physical strength is one way a man can be strong, but it definitely isn’t the only way.

A man is also strong as he leads his family through trials, as he supports his family financially, and as he ultimately shoulders the burden of protecting his family.

He is courageous, even when he is afraid, by doing what God calls him to do for each circumstance.

Read more in these Bible verses for men about strength and courage.

1 Corinthians 16:13 

“Watch! Stand firm in the faith! Be courageous! Be strong!” 1 Corinthians 16:13 

Paul was writing to the church of Corinth in this verse, encouraging them to be diligent and strong in their faith. 

The New American Standard Bible 1995 translation is“act like men” instead of “be courageous.” This might seem like an outdated phrase to some, but the original word in Greek, ἀνδρίζομαι,  for “act like men” is translated “to make a man of or make brave”.

Our Christian faith can often call us to be on guard as we stay strong against temptation, false doctrine, and other corruption of our Christian walk.

Psalm 27:14 

“Wait for the LORD. Be strong, and let your heart take courage. Yes, wait for the LORD.” Psalm 27:14

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As a man leads his family, he needs to be strong as he waits for answers to his prayers. He may see those answers in minutes, days, or years, and much strength may be required. But his strength comes from the Lord.

When we wait on the Lord, we may have to resist temptation to find another way or manipulate a situation. We may have to hold off on what feels like a good thing to us but might be the wrong thing to do. God will give us the strength and encouragement to wait on Him.

Isaiah 41:10

“Don’t you be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. Yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness.” Isaiah 41:10 

While the context of this is for the Israelites who were coming up against those who worshiped idols instead of the one true God, we can learn from the principles of it today.

Our God will be with us as we depend on Him, upholding us with His righteous right hand as we forsake the idols in our lives. While it doesn’t mean smooth sailing for our lives, it does mean that we have God with us, strengthening us and helping us.

A man can remember this verse as he goes through life’s challenges and trials, knowing that as a child of God, The Lord is with him.

2 Corinthians 4:16

“Therefore we don’t faint, but though our outward person is decaying, yet our inward person is renewed day by day.” 2 Corinthians 4:16 

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The bravado and courage that comes from being a strong young man can sometimes result in taking foolish risks, relying on his own strength of his outer self to save him.

As a man ages, his outer self “decays” in decreasing strength and other changes. But when he is a man of God, he can rejoice that God is renewing the inward man each day.

This inward strength of character is often accumulated in the inner self through age or trial, a result of perseverance through problems or simply time.

Psalm 23:4

“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 23:4

Man can face anything with the Lord by his side. This scripture from the 23rd psalm reminds us that we can depend on the Lord to be with us through any circumstance. 

His presence does not guarantee what we would consider a positive outcome, especially in this broken and dying world. But we can face what comes our way with him.

What does it mean to be a responsible leader?

Men are called to be leaders in their own home, and are often called to lead in other areas, whether at work, at church, or in the community.

As discussed earlier, men should not do this to serve themselves, but to serve the structure (family, church, committee, community, etc.) that they are leading. 

Reflect on these Bible verses about the character and actions of a godly and responsible leader.

Proverbs 16:9

“A man’s heart plans his course, but the LORD directs his steps.” Proverbs 16:9 WEBBE

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This proverb reminds a man that he ultimately is not the one in control. He can make a plan, but the Lord decides what will happen.

This should prompt a servant leader to be in prayer about his plans, to make wise decisions, and to consider his actions carefully.

Colossians 3:23

“And whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord, and not for men.” Colossians 3:23

A servant leader should ultimately serve the Lord and his purposes, not to please others or himself.

This makes each task, no matter how big or small, worthy of attention as it serves the Lord. Your work is what God has given you to do at that moment, and it is worthy of doing well.

Titus 2:2,6

“That older men should be temperate, sensible, sober minded, sound in faith, in love, and in perseverance…Likewise, exhort the younger men to be sober minded.” Titus 2:2,6

This passage in Titus 2 was an instruction from Paul to Titus on how the men and women in his church should act. In verses 2 and 6, Paul described the desired characteristics of the older and younger men, probably prompted by some issues in that congregation.

One thing in common is to be sober minded. This suggests that men should put off foolishness. True leaders step up to their responsibilities.

What is a man of God’s purpose?

There are many ways that a man can serve the Lord. Spending time in prayer, being open to opportunities, and seeking guidance from other godly Christians can help a man find God’s specific purpose for him for that season.

But there are many Bible verses that generally address God’s purposes for man, which include living a godly life and telling others about Jesus.

Matthew 4:19

“He said to them, ‘Come after me, and I will make you fishers for men.’” Matthew 4:19

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God wants each of us to follow Him. He is the true source of hope for this life and eternal life as well.

As children of God, we have the privilege to share the gospel with others, being “fishers for men.” Each of us, no matter our specific calling, should be sharing our faith and testimony with others.

2 Timothy 2:1-2 

“You therefore, my child, be strengthened in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. The things which you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit the same things to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.” 2 Timothy 2:1-2

We are not meant to hoard our knowledge of the Bible or our experiences that can encourage others. In this passage, Paul encourages Timothy to take what he has learned, in the presence of many witnesses, and pass it on.

Historically, there are things that are unknown because people didn’t have a way to record it, or didn’t bother to. This can be mystifying today in this over-documented culture.

Sharing our knowledge and testimony is a responsibility of each believer to strengthen the faith of those generations ahead of them. While the Bible will not be forgotten to history, not sharing the faith with younger generations can be damaging to the church at large.

1 Timothy 2:8 

“I desire therefore that the men in every place pray, lifting up holy hands without anger and doubting.” 1 Timothy 2:8

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In this passage, Paul encourages prayer by every man. 

Prayer might not be a priority for some men. They might think it’s just talking, not enough action. They could misunderstand and think it’s just praying out loud at church and they don’t like praying out loud. Or they might not know how to develop a prayer life.

The truth is, prayer is just conversation with God. There are many prayer resources out there today, including a simple ACTS prayer model.

Men should be praying, whether or not they think they are good at prayer, as a way to serve and obey the Lord.

1 Timothy 6:12

“Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you confessed the good confession in the sight of many witnesses.” 1 Timothy 6:12

This is another scripture that encourages men to share their testimony. Telling Timothy to fight the good fight of the faith, Paul encourages him to stay faithful.

1 Timothy 4:8

“Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.” 1 Timothy 4:8 NLT

This illustration is a relatable one for the athlete, knowing that the perseverance, faithfulness, and dedication of physical training produces results.

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How much more will training for godliness produce invaluable benefits both for this life and our eternal life?

Training for godliness can include prayer, Bible reading, and service, among many other spiritual disciplines.

Men can benefit from being reminded of this relatable example of being dedicated to a goal.

What does it mean to be a man of integrity?

In a culture where it seems to be “every man for himself,” a man of integrity will stand out. 

Doing the right thing, according to the Bible’s standards, seems to get further and further away from the world’s idea of doing the right thing.

Just because everyone else is doing it doesn’t make it right. Just because other people struggle with it doesn’t mean that it’s OK to give into that temptation. God will always provide a way out (1 Corinthians 10:13.)

These Bible verses about integrity and righteousness are helpful in living a life that honors God.

Proverbs 20:7 

“A righteous man walks in integrity. Blessed are his children after him.” Proverbs 20:7 

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This proverb tells us that a righteous man lives a life of integrity, and his children will be blessed.

While proverbs are not promises, we can learn from the principle in this Bible verse for men. Setting an example of integrity for your children is a way to bless your children. They can learn from your experiences and want the same for their future families.

1 Timothy 6:11

“But you, man of God, flee these things, and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.” 1 Timothy 6:11

This verse is preceded by Paul listing out the pitfalls of loving money and being greedy. Instead, he encourages Timothy to run away from these temptations, and pursue righteousness.

Following these things for the sake of glorifying God will strengthen your Christian walk, and encourage you to be a man of integrity.

Psalm 119:9 

“How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word.” Psalm 119:9 

The world, and even sometimes the Christian community, has lowered its expectations for men to live pure lives. God hasn’t lowered His standards or changed His mind about wanting His children to live holy lives.

We won’t be perfect, but we can take steps to live pure lives. Staying in God’s Word and living what we’ve learned in it will help us as we strive to live lives of integrity. And we aren’t on our own – the Holy Spirit will also help us stay strong against temptation.

Proverbs 3:5-6

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and don’t lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6 WEBBE

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When left to our own understanding, we can rationalize away many sins. There can be really good-sounding, understandable, or relatable ways to justify what you are doing.

We can also lean on our own understanding when we have a question about or a doubt about God, and decide on our own “truth” that does not agree with God’s truth.

Instead, trust in the Lord with all of your heart, and ask Him to guide you and show you what to do.

Proverbs 14:16 

“A wise man fears and shuns evil, but the fool is hot headed and reckless.” Proverbs 14:16 

What should a wise man not pursue? The answer the Bible gives, again and again, is don’t pursue evil. A wise man will carefully consider a situation and reject it; a fool will rush into situations carelessly and arrogantly. 

The arrogance is an interesting take on this situation, that the fool might know he is in over his head and not want to admit it to save face. A wise man will be humble and not worry about his appearance to others when he is choosing to do the right thing to honor God.

James 1:2-3

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” James 1:2-3 NIV

A righteous man usually has gone through trials, because righteousness usually requires endurance and perseverance. A righteous man will consider trials worthwhile because of the results it produces, even if it is a challenging time in his life.

Proverbs 20:29

“The glory of young men is their strength. The splendor of old men is their gray hair.” Proverbs 20:29

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While young men take pride in their muscles, old men can take pride in their gray hair for the many things it represents.

If an older man has lived a righteous life, he can share a testimony of how he has seen God work in His life over the years, and can be thankful for the work he has done for the kingdom.

If an older man has struggled to serve the Lord throughout his life, he can speak of God’s great compassion and grace for him, and that it’s never too late to seek salvation through Jesus Christ.

Romans 12:1

“Therefore I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service.” Romans 12:1

Righteous men are called to live a life of holiness. This means that being a Christian isn’t just something done on Sundays, but a part of your whole life.

Righteous men serve God with their whole lives, being the same person at church, home, work, and the community.

Should men be humble and compassionate?

The world’s idea of a man is often prideful, either to his credit or his detriment. What does God want a man to be like?

God wants all of His children to have a humble and servant heart. When we think of how Jesus humbled himself to serve us, even to the point of death on the cross (Philippians 2:8), we can’t help but take on a humble heart.

These Scriptures about humility and compassion inform us of the character God wants man to have.

Micah 6:8 

“He has shown you, O man, what is good. What does the LORD require of you, but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6:8 WEBBE

The Bible verse gives a short list of what we need to do as Christians. Do what is right, be merciful, and walk humbly with God. If we follow these instructions, it encompasses most of our Christian walk.

The fact that walking humbly with God is on this short list tells us that being humble, especially before the Lord, is very important as we acknowledge our smallness and place in God’s presence. 

Philippians 2:3-4 

“Doing nothing through rivalry or through conceit, but in humility, each counting others better than himself; each of you not just looking to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others.” Philippians 2:3-4

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“Every man for himself”, “dog-eat-dog world”, and “I gotta look out for #1” are phrases you hear from competitive people who are only looking out for themselves. Are these godly attitudes for men to have?

Philippians 2:3-4 answers this by reminding people to:

  • not to consider themselves better than others, 
  • not to look out only for themselves, and 
  • not to be motivated by rivalry or pride. 

A humble heart is more desirable to God than a proud one.

Galatians 5:22-23 

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23 

This list is what is produced when we work with the Holy Spirit in our lives to obey the Lord. One of these traits is gentleness.

The word gentleness in Galatians 5:23 is sometimes translated as humility, as well as meekness and lowliness. If humility is one of the byproducts of walking by the Holy Spirit, then it is a priority to God.

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Being a righteous man who honors God is being a Christian who walks closely with God. It doesn’t look the same as what the world says is a “good” man or a “manly” man. But it is worth it, in the present life and the one to come, to live for Christ and not the world.

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Free Printable Bible Reading Plan about Godly Characteristics for Men

Read through these favorite Bible verses about men in this free printable Bible reading plan about Godly Characteristics for Men.

Bible verses for men reading plan preview

Download it for free here.

If you like these, you may like the printable Bible verses for Men, which are available for purchase in my Etsy shop or my Gumroad shop. They make a great gift for a man’s birthday, Father’s Day, or to use at a men’s event at church. They are a selection of 20 Bible verses for men from this article.

printable bible verse cards for men preview

Even though we took a look at this collection of Bible verses for men on leadership, integrity, humility, and more, there is so much more in the Bible to examine about a man’s walk with God.

Staying in the Word of God for daily encouragement, praying, and being part of a Bible-believing church can encourage men to live a Christian life that honors the Lord.

May God bless you as you serve Him today.

If you enjoyed reading Bible Verses for Men, you may also like Biblical Christian Affirmations, Prayers for Marriage Protection, and Bible Verses about Storms of Life.

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