15 Bible Verses About Attitude

Romans 12:2

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Reflection: Paul makes this appeal “in view of God’s mercy,” straight after asking the Romans to offer their bodies “as a living sacrifice” (12:1). The change he asks for starts with the mind, and he names what it makes possible: being able to “test and approve” God’s will. The verse sets two patterns against each other, the world’s and a renewed mind.

Ephesians 4:22-24

“You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”

Reflection: The NIV uses the word attitude here, in the middle of three steps: put off the old self, be made new in the attitude of the mind, put on the new self. Paul sets this against the Gentiles’ “futility of their thinking” (4:17). The verses that follow turn it into particulars: speaking truthfully to a neighbour, not letting the sun go down on anger, working in place of stealing (4:25-28).

Colossians 3:2

“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”

Reflection: The verse before gives the reason: “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is.” Paul asks for both heart and mind to be set there. Verse 5 names what belongs to the “earthly nature” that is to be put to death: “sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.”

Philippians 4:8

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

Reflection: Paul’s list of what to think about comes straight after his instruction not to be anxious but to pray “with thanksgiving,” and his promise that God’s peace “will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (4:6-7). Verse 9 adds practice to thought: “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice.”

Isaiah 26:3

“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.”

Reflection: The line belongs to a song that, according to verse 1, “will be sung in the land of Judah” in that day, about a strong city whose walls and ramparts are salvation. The steady mind in the verse is tied to trust, and verse 4 gives the reason for trusting: “for the LORD, the LORD himself, is the Rock eternal.”

Proverbs 23:7

“for as he thinks in his heart, so is he.”

Reflection: The line is quoted here from the New King James Version, and in its setting it describes a miser. The saying warns against eating at a stingy man’s table (23:6), because his words and his heart do not match: “‘Eat and drink!’ he says to you, But his heart is not with you.” The NIV translates the line “for he is the kind of person who is always thinking about the cost.”

Philippians 2:3-5

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.”

Reflection: Paul has just asked the church to be “like-minded” and “of one mind” (2:2). Verses 3 and 4 describe the mindset in practice: no selfish ambition, others valued above oneself, attention to their interests. Verses 6 to 8 then describe Christ, who “made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant” and “humbled himself by becoming obedient to death.”

Romans 12:3

“For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.”

Reflection: The verse follows the call for a renewed mind (12:2) and applies it to how a person thinks of himself. Paul asks for “sober judgment,” and he gives the measure: “the faith God has distributed to each of you.” He also says on what footing he gives the instruction, “by the grace given me.”

1 Peter 5:5

“In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, ‘God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.’”

Reflection: Peter speaks first to elders, who are to lead “not lording it over those entrusted to you” (5:3), then to the younger, then to everyone. Humility is worn toward one another, and the next verses turn it toward God: “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (5:6-7).

Ephesians 4:32

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

Reflection: The verse before lists what is to go: “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.” Kindness, compassion and forgiveness take their place, and the measure for forgiving others is God’s forgiveness in Christ. Earlier in the chapter anger is given a limit: “Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry” (4:26).

Galatians 5:22-23

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

Reflection: Paul sets the fruit of the Spirit against “the acts of the flesh,” a list that includes hatred, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition and envy (5:19-21). Several of the qualities he names, such as forbearance, kindness and gentleness, are ways of treating other people. The chapter closes with the attitudes that do not fit: “Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other” (5:26).

James 1:2-4

“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. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

Reflection: James asks for trials to be counted as joy and gives the reason: testing produces perseverance, and perseverance, left to finish its work, makes a person “mature and complete.” The next verse offers help to anyone who lacks wisdom in the middle of it: “you should ask God, who gives generously to all” (1:5).

2 Corinthians 4:17-18

“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

Reflection: Paul writes that “we are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair” (4:8). After naming the hope that “the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us” (4:14), he draws the conclusion: “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day” (4:16). The troubles are called light and momentary when weighed against an eternal glory.

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.”

Reflection: These three commands sit in a run of instructions to the church at Thessalonica that begins with life together, respect for those who lead, patience with everyone, no paying back wrong for wrong (5:12-15), and continues with “Do not quench the Spirit” (5:19). The thanks is to be given “in all circumstances,” and Paul calls it “God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Matthew 6:34

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Reflection: Jesus ends his teaching on worry about food and clothing with this verse, after pointing to the birds the Father feeds and the flowers he clothes (6:26-30). He asks, “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” (6:27), and the verse before this one gives the alternative to worry: “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”