What does the Bible say about rewards? Does God provide rewards to His children? Is it possible to earn rewards for certain behaviors? The Bible mentions the word “REWARD” 75 times in the New International Version (NIV). Let’s review thirty-three of these bible verses. Some will come from the Old Testament and others from the New Testament.
God is a rewarder of His children. In fact, one verse indicates that He rewards those who diligently seek Him.
Here are thirty-three of the most popular Bible verses about rewards.
Enjoy!
Bible Verses About Rewards In The Law
Genesis 15:1 After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.”
This verse (Genesis 15:1) has some subtle financial undertones. Abram was already rich (Genesis 13:2) and had just given away a ton of money from a battle. Most preachers only focus on the ten percent that was given to Melchizedek. He essentially gave the remaining 90% to the king of Sodom. I wonder why no one builds a doctrine around that act of generosity.
Here’s an article about the blessing of the Lord that you don’t want to miss!
Numbers 22:16-17 They came to Balaam and said: “This is what Balak son of Zippor says: Do not let anything keep you from coming to me, because I will reward you handsomely and do whatever you say. Come and put a curse on these people for me.”
Balaam loved playing “Let’s Make A Deal” and it cost him dearly.
Bible Verses About Rewards In Historical Books
Ruth 2:12 May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.”
I Samuel 26:23 The Lord rewards everyone for their righteousness and faithfulness. The Lord delivered you into my hands today, but I would not lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed.
II Samuel 22:25 The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness in his sight.
II Chronicles 15:7 But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.”
Job 17:5 If anyone denounces their friends for reward, the eyes of their children will fail.
What Does The Bible Say About Rewards In The Psalms
Psalm 37:6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.
Psalm 58:11 Then people will say, “Surely the righteous still are rewarded; surely there is a God who judges the earth.”
God rewards the righteous.
Psalm 127:3 Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him.
Rewards In The Proverbs
Proverbs 9:12 If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer.
Wisdom is vital!
Proverbs 11:18 A wicked person earns deceptive wages, but the one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.
Proverbs 13:21 Trouble pursues the sinner, but the righteous are rewarded with good things.
Rewards and righteousness are linked in many Bible verses.
Proverbs 19:17 Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done.
Proverbs 25:22 In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you.
Ecclesiastes 9:5 For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no further reward, and even their name is forgotten.
What Do The Prophets Say About Rewards
Isaiah 40:10 See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power, and he rules with a mighty arm. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.
Isaiah 61:8 For I, the Lord, love justice; I hate robbery and wrongdoing. In my faithfulness, I will reward my people and make an everlasting covenant with them.
Jeremiah 17:10 I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.
Jeremiah 31:16 This is what the Lord says: “Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, for your work will be rewarded,” declares the Lord. “They will return from the land of the enemy.
Daniel 5:17 Then Daniel answered the king, “You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the writing for the king and tell him what it means.
What Did Jesus Say About Rewards
Matthew 5:12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Matthew 6:1 Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
Once again there is a connection between rewards and righteousness.
Matthew 6:5-6 And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
God rewards prayer.
Matthew 6:16 When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.
God rewards fasting.
Matthew 10:41 Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward.
Matthew 16:27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.
Luke 6:35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.
Rewards in the Epistles
I Corinthians 3:8 The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor.
I am with Greg Koukl on this subject. Not everyone can be a harvester (Billy Graham, Ray Comfort, etc.) Most of us are farmers. If you have not read any of Greg Koukl’s writing or heard him speak you’re missing out.
I Corinthians 9:17 If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me.
Colossians 3:23-24 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
Hebrews 11:6 And without faith, it is impossible to please God because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
2 John 8 Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully.
It’s rare that one gets to use a verse from John’s second epistle. Score!!
The Unveiling
Revelation 22:18 “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done.