Achieve mind, body, & spirit wellness with these inspiring Bible verses about being healthy. Build a foundation for lasting health.
God wants us to be healthy. He’s designed us as complex beings who operate physically, emotionally, and spiritually, and He’s shown us, through His Word, His design for how we can obtain optimum health.
And while that can feel incredibly overwhelming and impossible some days, God doesn’t want it to feel that way. He has given us some simple and practical ways to implement healthy practices in every facet of our lives.
And, when we make the decision to follow God’s plan for our lives, we will find that we are much more fulfilled and joyful than ever before. Following Biblical principles and God’s design for our lives will set us on the path to ultimate health.
Using discernment, God will help us navigate the plethora of diet advice that we are bombarded with and help us make good choices in light of His Word. Also, we can rely on His wisdom to help guide us as we seek medical advice and treatments.
Continue reading to discover Bible verses about physical health.
God’s Design for Healthy Bodies
Bible Verses About Healthy Bodies as God’s Temples
The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 6:19–20:
“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies.”
1 Corinthians 6:19–20
Once we have accepted Jesus as the Lord and Savior of our lives, the Holy Spirit comes and dwells inside of us. We are, quite literally, the temple of God’s Holy Spirit. And, as the temple of the Most High, we should treat our bodies accordingly.
We are also reminded that we have been bought at a price and are no longer our own. Jesus paid the price for our redemption from sin with His life on the cross. This means that we now belong to Him, and we’re under His rule and authority for our lives.
The verse concludes with this command, “Therefore, honor God with your body.”
In 3 John 1:2, we see John greeting his friend and fellow believer, Gaius, as follows:
“Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.”
3 John 1:2
John is wishing his good friend and fellow believer good health, both physically and spiritually. Something we should all strive for in our own lives.
The fact is, God created us as physical and spiritual beings. And the health of both parts is important to Him.
Therefore, it is our duty to take care of our bodies and maintain them in accordance with God’s will and His Word. We are to take seriously the command to honor God with our bodies and to treat His holy temple with the respect and reverence it deserves.
This means we must be conscious of what we put into our bodies. The food we eat, being cautious to abstain from harmful substances, and even the music we listen to and the books we read.
Realizing that the health of our bodies is both physical and spiritual, we need to be mindful of everything we allow to come inside of us. Making sure that, whatever we take in, will be things that honor and glorify God.
Explore more Bible verses about what God has to say about our Body Image.
Bible Verses About Healthy Eating and Nourishment
If what we put into our physical bodies is so important, then what does the Bible have to say about it?
Proverbs 23:2 says:
“and put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony.”
Proverbs 23:2
Those are some pretty powerful words! It’s very evident that we can see how God feels about avoiding gluttony.
The definition of the word “gluttony” is:
“Habitual greed or excess in eating”
God created us to enjoy good food. He gave us the ability to taste delicious dishes, the sense to smell savory aromas, and the eyesight to see beautifully arranged platters and tables.
He also created us to exercise self control and restraint. It’s ok to enjoy the good things He has given us, but be mindful to stop before you enter the realm of gluttony.
In the beginning of the book of Daniel, we see the Israelites being taken into captivity by the King of Babylon. Among those taken, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah were chosen specifically to be trained for the king’s service.
These young men, who had grown up in good Jewish homes, knew they should not be partaking in the food and wine that would be abundant at the king’s table. In Daniel 1:8 it says:
“But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.”
Daniel 1:8
Daniel approaches one of the officials and asks to be allowed to eat the food of his choosing. God causes the official to show favor and compassion towards Daniel and his three friends, and allows them a ten day trial period, eating only vegetables and drinking only water.
At the end of the ten days, the young men looked healthier and more vibrant than those who had drank the wine and eaten the “best food.” Daniel and his friends could have given in and enjoyed the benefits of the rich food and wine around them, but they chose to honor God in the midst of their captivity.
And God richly blessed them because of it. They were allowed to continue to eat the food they knew would glorify God and bring the most nutrition to their own bodies.
Why were these dietary restrictions so important to Daniel? It’s because these devout Jews knew what God had established in His law hundreds of years beforehand.
In Leviticus 11 we see God giving the Israelites a very detailed list of what was, and was not, ok to eat. Some animals were considered “clean” and could be consumed by the Jewish people, and others were considered “unclean” and unfit for their consumption.
A book I would recommend, if you’d like to delve into possible reasons God had for the restrictions in the law is “None Of These Diseases: The Bible’s Health Secrets For The 21st Century” by S.I. McMillen M.D. and David E. Stern, M.D. This book examines the health benefits the Israelites received from the do’s and don’ts laid out in Leviticus.
Everything God told them had a direct health or spiritual implication, protecting them from illness and disease that wouldn’t be discovered by scientists for thousands of years to come. God’s plan for health protected His chosen people from disease by establishing laws to live by.
While we, on this side of the cross, do not live under the law, we can still look at it and see God’s heart written in the words in Leviticus. We can take a deeper dive, understand why God said what He did, and learn from the ways in which He guided His people.
The Power of a Healthy Mind
Bible Verses about Healthy Minds and Positive Thinking
It’s not just our bodies that we need to take care of. Our minds also need the same amount of care and attention. Remember, it’s our entire being that is the temple of the Holy Spirit.
Philippians 4:8 instructs us on what we should be thinking:
“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.”
Philippians 4:8
Meaning, if what your thoughts are fixed on doesn’t fall into these categories, they aren’t healthy and profitable for you.
Proverbs 17:22 tells us:
“A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”
Proverbs 17:22
Like taking something for pain, or syrup for a cold, a cheerful heart will be good medicine for your entire body. Yet, on the flip side, a hurt spirit will quickly dry you up and leave you empty and fruitless.
So much of our physical health is rooted in our spiritual health. You need to be healthy spiritually and emotionally in order to be completely healthy physically. And all of that starts with Jesus.
Make Him your center. Make Him your focus. Feast your heart and mind on Him, His Word, His precepts, and His desire for your life.
The rest will follow.
Bible Verses About Healthy Emotions and Inner Peace
Another component of physical health is having healthy emotions and inner peace. And this is also possible through Jesus and what has been laid out in the Bible.
We read in Psalms 37:7-8 that:
“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil.”
Psalms 37:7-8
The biggest part of being healthy emotionally, and thereby in every other way, is going to be trusting what God says in His Word.
And what we see here is that we need to be still and wait patiently. Which is really hard. But it gets harder. Not only do we need to practice patience, but we also need to not get all anxious and upset when wicked people succeed in their plans.
And if that’s not hard enough, God continues and says that we shouldn’t even get angry about it because anger will only lead to evil. We need to exercise complete trust that God is sovereign and in control. He’s got it.
When you get to the point where you can totally relax in His ability to handle everything, then you will find the secret to emotional peace, and that will manifest in your physical health.
Matthew 6:25–34 continues this vein about worry. Jesus says, in the Sermon on the Mount, that it doesn’t do any good to worry. He talks about the birds and how God takes care of them,
“are you not of more value?”
Matthew 6:25–34
He asks.
He continues, in Matthew 6:31–34:
“So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Matthew 6:31-34
A huge part of our physical health is trusting that God is who He said He is and that He will do what He said He will do. And that includes taking care of our needs. Worrying won’t change a single aspect of your life, it will only rob you of joy and peace.
Take each day, maybe even each moment, at a time. Remind yourself of the promises God has made to you in His Word. Repeat them to yourself and back to God. Rest in those promises, and allow His peace to wash over you.
Bible Verses About Rest and Renewal
God designed us to rest. In fact, it’s the first thing He models for us after He created our world and everything in it. God didn’t need to rest, but He knew we needed it.
It’s important to prioritize rest in our lives. Our health depends on it. Psalm 127:2 says:
“In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat—for he grants sleep to those he loves.”
Psalm 127:2
How often is this happening? How often do we forsake the rest we need in order to work more to make more? Burning the candle at both ends will just result in burning you out faster.
When Jesus walked the earth, He was fully God and fully human. He understood in a very real way the need to take time to rest His physical body, to fuel it with good food, and to spend time alone in the presence of God.
In Mark 6:31, we read:
“Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”
Mark 6:31
Jesus and the disciples had been so busy ministering to the crowds that Jesus told them to take some time away. It’s okay to stop. It’s okay to rest. It’s okay to say no once in a while and prioritize the physical needs you have as a human being.
We were never made to go non-stop.
Spiritual Health as the Foundation
Bible Verses About Healthy Spirits and a Connection with God
In order to live to our fullest, and healthiest, we need to increase the health of our spiritual lives first and foremost. If we are healthy physically but lack a spiritual connection with God, then we really aren’t all that healthy.
Below are some Bible verses about spiritual health.
Jeremiah 29:11 tells us:
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11
God has amazing plans for you. He wants good and wonderful things for you. Those things may look a lot different than the things you have in mind for yourself, but it’s important to trust that God’s ways are higher and better than anything you can come up with.
John 10:10 says:
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
John 10:10
God desires that we have an abundant life… in Him. When we follow the guidelines He’s laid out for us in the Bible, we will have the abundant and full life He’s promised.
Bible Verses About Healthy Living Through God’s Guidance
If we are going to experience healthy living through God’s guidance, we need to allow Him to direct our steps and follow His plan for our lives.
Proverbs 3:5–6 says:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
Proverbs 3:5-6
It’s imperative to trust God and not rely on the strength of our own wisdom, because we don’t have any. If we submit to Him and His plan for our lives, we will find that everything works out a lot better.
Isaiah 40:31 tells us that:
“but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
Isaiah 40:31
Allow God to be the source of your strength. When it comes to trying to be healthy physically, emotionally, or spiritually, we cannot do it apart from Him.
Good health, in every area, starts with Biblical principles. Take your advice from the one who fashioned and created you. From the One who knit you together in your mother’s womb and who saw you when you were made in secret.
Current health fashions change daily. Root and ground yourself in the One who does not change.
Practical Applications of Biblical Health
Balancing Biblical Wisdom and Modern Health Practices
Obviously, these verses are not meant as a substitute for medical advice. God has given us access to great medical advancements as well as a discerning spirit.
Instead, these verses are meant to be a blueprint and a foundation for healthy living. It doesn’t mean that, if you do these things, you’ll never experience illness. We live in a sinful world, and we deal with the effects of that sin daily.
But, if we follow God’s design for our lives, we will experience the greatest joy and peace in our lives. Not because we won’t have problems, but because we will be walking hand-in-hand with the One who has the power to overcome those problems.
Implementing Bible Verses for Healthy Living
How does all of this fit into healthy eating? What are some ways we can implement these Bible verses in practical ways on our health journey?
Remembering that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, we need to take care to fuel our “temple” with food that is honoring to God.
We need to take care not to overeat, but to practice mindfulness when eating and stop eating when we reach fullness.
We need to take strides to keep our minds pure and fixed on things that glorify God. We also need to practice trusting God and what He says in His Word, allowing Him to direct our steps and the pathways of our lives.
We need to remember to take time to rest and rejuvenate in the Lord. We are not machines, and we need to treat our bodies with care. There is a time to work, and there is a time to rest.
We need to remember to practice gratitude for what God has so generously given to us and allow Him to be the source of all our stress management.
We need to see God’s Word as our first resource to Christian health and wellness and base everything else we read and hear on it first.
Explore more practical ways to practice mindful eating
How faith communities can support healthy habits. Join our FREE Christian Weight Loss Group.
Frequently Asked Question
Do Bible Verses About Healthy Living Guarantee Physical Health?
God’s ways are not our ways. We can do everything laid out in God’s Word and still have health problems. We can, and will, struggle with sickness and disease. We live in a fallen and sinful world and, until Jesus comes back, we will continue to experience the effects of sin in our lives.
Can Bible Verses About Healing Help Cure Physical Ailments?
God is our great Physician. Many Bible verses tell us to bring Him our physical problems and ask for healing. He can absolutely heal our bodies of sickness and disease. But that doesn’t always mean it’s in God’s will to heal us.
This is a tough topic and one that can be hard to wrestle with and understand. Why does God allow suffering in our lives and in the lives of those we love? Ultimately, it comes down to trusting that He loves us, His ways are higher than ours, and He is in control, even when circumstances do not go the way we want them to.
How Does Forgiveness as a Biblical Concept Impact Health?
They say that unforgiveness is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. The inability to forgive someone in your life will build a wall between you and God and cause a wedge in your spiritual life. This will, in turn, begin to affect your physical health.
On the flip side, allowing God’s love to flow through you and forgiving those who have hurt and wronged you will allow peace to reign in your life, affecting your health in many positive ways.
Are There Specific Foods Mentioned in the Bible for Optimal Health?
There are various verses about healthy food in the Bible. For a more extensive list, check out this article:
Fairchild, Mary. (2020, November 10). All the Foods of the Bible. Retrieved from Learn Religions.
What Bible Verses Address Mental Health Challenges?
Some Bible verses about mental health:
- 2 Timothy 1:7: You are not given a spirit of fear, but of sound mind.
- Psalm 34:17: The Lord will deliver you from your trouble.
- Philippians 4:6-7: Be anxious for nothing.
- Psalm 40:1-3: God hears you when you cry.
- Isaiah 43:1: You belong to God.
…and so many more.
If you’re looking to begin or continue your journey to health, I encourage you to dive into Scripture and allow it to be the foundation you build everything else on.
Start with God’s design for your health and your life, and seek to follow the blueprint He has outlined in the pages of His Word.
Seek Him first as you set out on your path to inner and outer healing and wellness. Ask for wisdom and discernment as you evaluate medical advice and the latest dietary information.
Grounding yourself firmly in God’s Word will give you the resilience to continue your path to health and healing and will bless you in ways you can only begin to fathom.
More Helpful Posts About Healthy Eating
Ask Becky and Sara: What is the Best Diet Plan for Weight Loss?
7 Healthy Grocery Shopping Tips for Weight Loss
A Weight Loss Prayer for Food Obsession
Grow Your Faith, Lose the Weight Free 5 Day Challenge
Greta is a Faithful Finish Lines member and a mom of 3 from Florida. She enjoys homeschooling her kids and baking and writes to women who want to know God and make Him known.