Twenty Scriptural Benedictions

Benedictions are the last word every week to your congregation, and the crucial word from the Lord to send out the worshipers. It is what congregants use to motivate them into worship outside of the corporate worship meeting. Choosing the right Scripture for the right occasion will give you congregation reason to keep on worshiping even outside of the church walls.

1. Numbers 6:24-26

"The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace."

This Aaronic blessing encourages the congregation that the Lord will always keep them, no matter the circumstance. The Lord will provide, be gracious, and ultimately give peace to the weary.

2. Jude 24-25

"Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen."

This benediction might be my favorite in Scripture, because if we have the hope that God will keep us from stumbling, we have absolutely nothing to fear. There is no better news to send out a congregation on. All the glory belongs to Him!

3. Revelation 22:20-21

"He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen."

These words from Revelation leave us with hope to look forward to Christ's second coming, because these are the very words of Christ Himself! This is a sure promise to hold on to as we leave to go to our weeks.

4. Philippians 4:19-20

"And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen."

Here we have a precious promise that the Lord will supply us with everything we need in Christ. So whatever was preached on and whatever convicted the worshiper in the service, God will supply the power for that!

5. 1 Corinthians 15:58

"Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain."

This verse gives the believer hope that whatever convicted them in the service or encouraged them, that their labor to accomplish this is not in vain. The work of the Lord is always the most precious, and the Lord will bless those efforts to His glory.

6. 2 Corinthians 13:14

"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all."

This Trinitarian benediction gives us the hope we need to apply what we just learned through the preaching of God's Word. With Christ's grace, the Father's love, and the Spirit's fellowship in our hearts, we have everything we need.

7. 1 Peter 1:8-9

"Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls."

This verse gives voice to the inexpressible hope and love we have in Christ, which sends the congregation out with immense hope in the source of our salvation, Jesus Christ.

8. Psalm 31:24

"Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!

A great call to lean on the Lord in the midst of our sanctification pursuits, the encouragement to the believer is to wait for the Lord. Whatever the believer needs strength or help for, the believer should wait on the Lord to provide this strength.

9. Psalm 19:14

"Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer."

This word gives the believer a proper focus going into the week, focusing on the importance of setting our mouths and hearts on God-honoring things.

10. Psalm 46:10-11

"Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress."

What a comfort to the congregation as they leave, that the Lord alone is our fortress. All we need to do is be still and remember who the Lord is.

11. Psalm 13:5-6

"But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me."

This verse leaves the believer of the great hope we have in the Lord. Our ultimate source of hope is found in Christ and His salvation He has brought.

12. Titus 3:4-7

"But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life."

This passage acts as a great gospel summary that will leave the hearts of the congregation encouraged as they being their new week.

13. 2 Timothy 4:18

"The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen."

We have comfort in Christ because He will ultimately save us from every evil deed, whether that is on earth or in the next heavenly kingdom to come.

14. 2 Timothy 2:11-13

"If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful."

Despite our shortcomings and failures, this encouragement gives the believer hope as they leave that the Lord will keep them because He is the faithful one.

15. 1 Corinthians 1:4-8

"I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ"

This Pauline prayer is a prayer for the believer from the Lord that the Lord will supply our needs and sustain us until the end.

16. Romans 16:25-27

"Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen."

This word leaves the congregation with the glory of Christ in mind, and reminding them that the Lord will strengthen us in the gospel as we head home.

17. Romans 15:13

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope."

This simple benediction sends the believer with real hope; hope that is only found in the joy and peace of belief in the solid rock of Christ.

18. 2 Corinthians 4:17-18

"For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."

As believers, when we encounter trials, these actually give us greater hope for the future. This passage reminds us as we leave that whatever trial we may encounter, we should use to grow our desire for the unseen, eternal realm.

19. Hebrews 13:20-21

"Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen."

The Great Shepherd, Jesus Christ, will equip us with everything we need leaving the gathering to our home contexts. Whatever our need is, the Great Shepherd has enabled our access to Him through Him for His glory.

20. 1 Peter 5:10-11

"And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen."

Whatever suffering or situation the believer enters into when they leave the gathering, the God of all grace will be there to strengthen and establish the believer. In this is great hope!