Self-examination

Self-examination is testing one's own heart and ways, and believers are told to examine themselves while asking God to search them. This page lists verses on examining yourselves, asking God to search the heart, God who tries the heart, considering one's ways, judging oneself first, and a clear conscience.

Examine yourselves

• 2 Corinthians 13:5
  Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Can’t you see for yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you—unless you actually fail the test?
  Show context · Read 2 Corinthians 13 →
• Lamentations 3:40
  Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord.Let us examine and test our ways, and turn back to the LORD.
  Show context · Read Lamentations 3 →
• Galatians 6:4
  But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.Each one should test his own work. Then he will have reason to boast in himself alone, and not in someone else.
  Show context · Read Galatians 6 →
• 1 Corinthians 11:28
  But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.Each one must examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.
  Show context · Read 1 Corinthians 11 →
• Psalm 4:4
  Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.Be angry, yet do not sin; on your bed, search your heart and be still. Selah
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Asking God to search the heart

• Psalm 139:23-24
  ²³Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. ²⁴And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the way everlasting.
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• Psalm 26:2
  Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.Test me, O LORD, and try me; examine my heart and mind.
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• Psalm 19:12-14
  ¹²Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.Who can discern his own errors? Cleanse me from my hidden faults. ¹³Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.Keep Your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless and cleansed of great transgression. ¹⁴Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.
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• Job 13:23
  How many are mine iniquities and sins? make me to know my transgression and my sin.How many are my iniquities and sins? Reveal to me my transgression and sin.
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God tries the heart

• Jeremiah 17:10
  I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.I, the LORD, search the heart; I examine the mind to reward a man according to his way, by what his deeds deserve.
  Show context · Read Jeremiah 17 →
• 1 Chronicles 28:9
  And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.As for you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve Him wholeheartedly and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands the intent of every thought. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.
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• Proverbs 20:27
  The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly.The spirit of a man is the lamp of the LORD, searching out his inmost being.
  Show context · Read Proverbs 20 →
• Hebrews 4:12-13
  ¹²For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it pierces even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart. ¹³Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight; everything is uncovered and exposed before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
  Show context · Read Hebrews 4 →
• 1 Corinthians 4:4-5
  ⁴For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.My conscience is clear, but that does not vindicate me. It is the Lord who judges me. ⁵Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.
  Show context · Read 1 Corinthians 4 →

Considering one's ways

• Psalm 119:59-60
  ⁵⁹I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.I considered my ways and turned my steps to Your testimonies. ⁶⁰I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments.I hurried without hesitating to keep Your commandments.
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• Haggai 1:5-7
  ⁵Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways.Now this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Consider carefully your ways. ⁶Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.You have planted much but harvested little. You eat but never have enough. You drink but never have your fill. You put on clothes but never get warm. You earn wages to put into a bag pierced through.” ⁷Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways.This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Consider carefully your ways.
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• Ezekiel 18:28
  Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.Because he considered and turned from all the transgressions he had committed, he will surely live; he will not die.
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Judging oneself first

• Matthew 7:3-5
  ³And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but fail to notice the beam in your own eye? ⁴Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ while there is still a beam in your own eye? ⁵Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.You hypocrite! First take the beam out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
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• Romans 2:1
  Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on another. For on whatever grounds you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.
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• 1 Corinthians 11:31
  For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.Now if we judged ourselves properly, we would not come under judgment.
  Show context · Read 1 Corinthians 11 →
• Galatians 6:1
  Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.Brothers, if someone is caught in a trespass, you who are spiritual should restore him with a spirit of gentleness. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.
  Show context · Read Galatians 6 →

A heart that does not condemn

• 1 John 3:20-21
  ²⁰For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.Even if our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts, and He knows all things. ²¹Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God,
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• Acts 24:16
  And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.In this hope, I strive always to maintain a clear conscience before God and man.
  Show context · Read Acts 24 →
• 2 Corinthians 1:12
  For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.And this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in relation to you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God—not in worldly wisdom, but in the grace of God.
  Show context · Read 2 Corinthians 1 →

See also

• Repentance
• Confession
• Heart
• Conscience
• Mind and thoughts
• Self-deception

Notes

1. Verses are quoted in the translation chosen in the Translation menu at the top of the page. See Translations for sources and copyright notices.
2. Each reference links to the full chapter so the verse can be read in context.