Patience

James 1:2–5 ESV

2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

God’s patience

“Slow to anger”

Exodus 34:6

6 The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,

Numbers 14:18

18 ‘The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, to the third and the fourth generation.’

Nehemiah 9:17

17 They refused to obey and were not mindful of the wonders that you performed among them, but they stiffened their neck and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt. But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and did not forsake them.

Psalm 86:15

15 But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious,

slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.

Psalm 103:8

8 The Lord is merciful and gracious,

slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

Psalm 145:8

8 The Lord is gracious and merciful,

slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

Joel 2:13

13 and rend your hearts and not your garments.”

Return to the Lord your God,

for he is gracious and merciful,

slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love;

and he relents over disaster.

Jonah 4:2

2 And he prayed to the Lord and said, “O Lord, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster.

Nahum 1:3

3 The Lord is slow to anger and great in power,

and the Lord will by no means clear the guilty.

His way is in whirlwind and storm,

and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

“Patience”

Romans 2:4

4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?

Romans 9:22

22 What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction,

1 Timothy 1:16

16 But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.

1 Peter 3:20

20 because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.

2 Peter 3:15

15 And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him,

Patient / Patiently

2 Peter 3:9

9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

Human examples of patience

‌‌2 Timothy 3:10

10 You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness,

Hebrews 6:12

12 so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

James 5:10

10 As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

Hebrews 6:15

15 And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise.

Noah

Abraham

Job

Joseph

Moses

David

Jesus

Our patience

“Slow to anger”

Proverbs 14:29

29 Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding,

but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.

Proverbs 15:18

18 A hot-tempered man stirs up strife,

but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.

Proverbs 16:32

32 Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty,

and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.

Proverbs 19:11

11 Good sense makes one slow to anger,

and it is his glory to overlook an offense.

James 1:19

19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;

“Patience”

Proverbs 25:15

15 With patience a ruler may be persuaded,

and a soft tongue will break a bone.

Matthew 18:26

26 So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’

Matthew 18:29

29 So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’

Luke 8:15

15 As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.

Romans 2:7

7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life;

Romans 8:25

25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

2 Corinthians 6:6

6 by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love;

2 Corinthians 12:12

12 The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works.

Galatians 5:22

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

Ephesians 4:2

2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,

Colossians 1:11

11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy;

Colossians 3:12

12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,

2 Timothy 4:2

2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.

“Patient”

Job 6:11

11 What is my strength, that I should wait?

And what is my end, that I should be patient?

Psalm 37:7

7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;

fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,

over the man who carries out evil devices!

Psalm 40:1

1 I waited patiently for the Lord;

he inclined to me and heard my cry.

Ecclesiastes 7:8

8 Better is the end of a thing than its beginning,

and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

Acts 26:3

3 especially because you are familiar with all the customs and controversies of the Jews. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.

Romans 12:12

12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

1 Corinthians 13:4

4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant

2 Corinthians 1:6

6 If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer.

1 Thessalonians 5:14

14 And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.

2 Timothy 2:24

24 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil,

James 5:7

7 Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains.

James 5:8

8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

Revelation 1:9

9 I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

Revelation 2:2

2 “ ‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false.

Revelation 2:3

3 I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary.

Revelation 2:19

19 “ ‘I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first.

Revelation 3:10

10 Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth.

Wait

Genesis 8:10

10 He waited another seven days, and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark.

Genesis 8:12

12 Then he waited another seven days and sent forth the dove, and she did not return to him anymore.

Genesis 49:18

18 I wait for your salvation, O Lord.

Exodus 24:12

12 The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and wait there, that I may give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.”

Ruth 1:13

13 would you therefore wait till they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, for it is exceedingly bitter to me for your sake that the hand of the Lord has gone out against me.”

1 Samuel 10:8

8 Then go down before me to Gilgal. And behold, I am coming down to you to offer burnt offerings and to sacrifice peace offerings. Seven days you shall wait, until I come to you and show you what you shall do.”

1 Samuel 13:8

8 He waited seven days, the time appointed by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from him.

2 Kings 6:33

33 And while he was still speaking with them, the messenger came down to him and said, “This trouble is from the Lord! Why should I wait for the Lord any longer?”

Job 30:26

26 But when I hoped for good, evil came,

and when I waited for light, darkness came.

Job 32:4

4 Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because they were older than he.

Job 32:11

11 “Behold, I waited for your words,

I listened for your wise sayings,

while you searched out what to say.

Job 32:16

16 And shall I wait, because they do not speak,

because they stand there, and answer no more?

Job 35:14

14 How much less when you say that you do not see him,

that the case is before him, and you are waiting for him!

Psalm 25:3

3 Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame;

they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.

Psalm 25:5

5 Lead me in your truth and teach me,

for you are the God of my salvation;

for you I wait all the day long.

Psalm 25:21

21 May integrity and uprightness preserve me,

for I wait for you.

Psalm 27:14

14 Wait for the Lord;

be strong, and let your heart take courage;

wait for the Lord!

Psalm 31:24

24 Be strong, and let your heart take courage,

all you who wait for the Lord!

Psalm 33:20

20 Our soul waits for the Lord;

he is our help and our shield.

Psalm 37:7

7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;

fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,

over the man who carries out evil devices!

Psalm 37:9

9 For the evildoers shall be cut off,

but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.

Psalm 38:15

15 But for you, O Lord, do I wait;

it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.

Psalm 39:7

7 “And now, O Lord, for what do I wait?

My hope is in you.

Psalm 40:1

1 I waited patiently for the Lord;

he inclined to me and heard my cry.

Psalm 52:9

9 I will thank you forever,

because you have done it.

I will wait for your name, for it is good,

in the presence of the godly.

Psalm 62:1

1 For God alone my soul waits in silence;

from him comes my salvation.

Psalm 62:5

5 For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,

for my hope is from him.

Psalm 69:3

3 I am weary with my crying out;

my throat is parched.

My eyes grow dim

with waiting for my God.

Psalm 106:13

13 But they soon forgot his works;

they did not wait for his counsel.

Psalm 130:5

5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,

and in his word I hope;

Psalm 130:6

6 my soul waits for the Lord

more than watchmen for the morning,

more than watchmen for the morning.

Proverbs 8:34

34 Blessed is the one who listens to me,

watching daily at my gates,

waiting beside my doors.

Proverbs 20:22

22 Do not say, “I will repay evil”;

wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.

Isaiah 8:17

17 I will wait for the Lord, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope in him.

Isaiah 25:9

9 It will be said on that day,

“Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us.

This is the Lord; we have waited for him;

let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”

Isaiah 26:8

8 In the path of your judgments,

O Lord, we wait for you;

your name and remembrance

are the desire of our soul.

Isaiah 30:18

18 Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you,

and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you.

For the Lord is a God of justice;

blessed are all those who wait for him.

Isaiah 33:2

2 O Lord, be gracious to us; we wait for you.

Be our arm every morning,

our salvation in the time of trouble.

Isaiah 40:31

31 but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;

they shall mount up with wings like eagles;

they shall run and not be weary;

they shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 42:4

4 He will not grow faint or be discouraged

till he has established justice in the earth;

and the coastlands wait for his law.

Isaiah 49:23

23 Kings shall be your foster fathers,

and their queens your nursing mothers.

With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you,

and lick the dust of your feet.

Then you will know that I am the Lord;

those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.”

Isaiah 51:5

5 My righteousness draws near,

my salvation has gone out,

and my arms will judge the peoples;

the coastlands hope for me,

and for my arm they wait.

Isaiah 64:4

4 From of old no one has heard

or perceived by the ear,

no eye has seen a God besides you,

who acts for those who wait for him.

Lamentations 3:25

25 The Lord is good to those who wait for him,

to the soul who seeks him.

Lamentations 3:26

26 It is good that one should wait quietly

for the salvation of the Lord.

Daniel 12:12

12 Blessed is he who waits and arrives at the 1,335 days.

Hosea 12:6

6 “So you, by the help of your God, return,

hold fast to love and justice,

and wait continually for your God.”

Micah 7:7

7 But as for me, I will look to the Lord;

I will wait for the God of my salvation;

my God will hear me.

Habakkuk 2:3

3 For still the vision awaits its appointed time;

it hastens to the end—it will not lie.

If it seems slow, wait for it;

it will surely come; it will not delay.

Habakkuk 3:16

16 I hear, and my body trembles;

my lips quiver at the sound;

rottenness enters into my bones;

my legs tremble beneath me.

Yet I will quietly wait for the day of trouble

to come upon people who invade us.

Zephaniah 3:8

8 “Therefore wait for me,” declares the Lord,

“for the day when I rise up to seize the prey.

For my decision is to gather nations,

to assemble kingdoms,

to pour out upon them my indignation,

all my burning anger;

for in the fire of my jealousy

all the earth shall be consumed.

Luke 1:21

21 And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple.

Luke 2:25

25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

Luke 2:38

38 And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

Luke 12:36

36 and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks.

Acts 1:4

4 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me;

Acts 17:16

Paul in Athens

16 Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols.

Acts 20:5

5 These went on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas,

Romans 8:19

19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.

Romans 8:23

23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

Romans 8:25

25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

1 Corinthians 1:7

7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ,

1 Corinthians 11:33

33 So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another—

Galatians 5:5

5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.

1 Thessalonians 1:10

10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

Titus 2:13

13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,

Hebrews 6:15

15 And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise.

Hebrews 9:28

28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

Hebrews 10:13

13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet.

2 Peter 3:12

12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn!

2 Peter 3:13

13 But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

2 Peter 3:14

14 Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.

Jude 21

21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.