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Bible Verses About Obedience

“Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.”

— Genesis 6:22

"To obey is better than sacrifice" — Samuel's line to a king who tried to substitute ritual for compliance sums up the Bible's whole theology of obedience. The fifteen verses below are the Bible's direct address to that situation, shown in full KJV text from Genesis 6:22 to 1 John 5:3.

Quick answer: The best-known verse about obedience here is Genesis 6:22: "Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he." Exodus 19:5 follows close behind: "Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:" Both are public-domain translations, shown in full on the cards below with a modern-English toggle.

The 15 verses, in full text

01 · King James Version

Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.

Genesis 6:22

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02 · King James Version

Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:

Exodus 19:5

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03 · King James Version

Ye shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess.

Deuteronomy 5:33

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04 · King James Version

And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

1 Samuel 15:22

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05 · King James Version

If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:

Isaiah 1:19

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06 · King James Version

But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.

Jeremiah 7:23

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07 · King James Version

But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.

Luke 11:28

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08 · King James Version

If ye love me, keep my commandments.

John 14:15

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09 · King James Version

Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

John 14:23

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10 · King James Version

If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.

John 15:10

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11 · King James Version

Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

Acts 5:29

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12 · King James Version

But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.

Romans 6:17

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13 · King James Version

And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Philippians 2:8

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14 · King James Version

And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

Hebrews 5:9

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15 · King James Version

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

1 John 5:3

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When to read these verses

These verses are read at beginnings — of faith, of practice, of return — and at the points where faith needs verses because feelings have run out. They read best aloud and slowly; most were written to be heard first.

How to use this list

Each card shows the King James text with a World English Bible toggle — "faith" and "believe" share one Greek root, and seeing both renderings side by side often settles a question definitions argue about. Copy the verse you are standing on.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best Bible verse about obedience?
Genesis 6:22 is the one most readers land on: "Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he." Exodus 19:5 is the usual second: "Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:" The full list of fifteen is on this page — there is no single required verse, and different seasons call for different texts.
How should a beginner use a list like this?
Start with one verse, not fifteen. Read it aloud once a day for a week — public-domain text, no permission needed, and the copy button will place it wherever you will actually see it. Scripture was written to be heard and repeated; a list like this is a shelf, not a syllabus.
Where in the Bible does it talk about obedience?
The verses on this page come from 13 books of the Bible — most notably Genesis, Exodus, Deuteronomy and 10 more — spanning both Old and New Testaments. The distribution itself is worth noticing: Scripture addresses obedience in more than one voice, which is why the page shows whole verses rather than a single proof text.
How do I use a list of verses about obedience?
Read the list once slowly, then keep the one verse that fits your situation close — the copy button places it wherever you will actually see it. Every card can be switched to the World English Bible for modern wording, and the random verse tool at the top of the page can draw one verse from this theme at a time if the whole list is more than today needs.

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