How many times is power mentioned in the Bible?
The word power appears 272 times in the King James Version, in 260 verses. Counting every form (power, powers, powerful), it appears 289 times in 275 verses across 48 of the 66 books. The World English Bible uses power 237 times (255 with every form).
Power in the King James Version and the World English Bible
Each form of power counted in each translation.
| Form | KJV | WEB |
|---|---|---|
| power | 272 | 237 |
| powers | 14 | 12 |
| powerful | 3 | 6 |
| Total | 289 | 255 |
Which books mention power most
Power appears in 48 books of the 66 in the King James Version. Revelation has the most (32), then Psalms (23) and 1 Corinthians (21).
Also in: Isaiah (6), Deuteronomy (5), Colossians (5), Hebrews (5), Genesis (4), Exodus (4), Esther (4), Jeremiah (4), 2 Thessalonians (4), 1 Chronicles (3), Ezekiel (3), Hosea (3), Habakkuk (3), 2 Timothy (3), 2 Peter (3), Leviticus (2), Numbers (2), Joshua (2), 1 Samuel (2), 2 Kings (2), Ezra (2), Nehemiah (2), Proverbs (2), Micah (2), Nahum (2), Zechariah (2), 1 Peter (2), 2 Samuel (1), Philippians (1), 1 Thessalonians (1), 1 Timothy (1), Titus (1), Jude (1).
First and last mention of power
And ye know that with all my power I have served your father.
Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
The verse that uses it most is Romans 13:1, 3 times:
Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
Where the two translations differ
67 verses match in the KJV but not in the World English Bible, and 37 verses match only in the World English Bible, usually because the other translation chose a different word there.
Genesis 31:6: counted in the KJV only
And ye know that with all my power I have served your father.
You know that I have served your father with all of my strength.
Genesis 32:28: counted in the KJV only
And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.
He said, “Your name will no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have fought with God and with men, and have prevailed.”
Deuteronomy 28:32: counted in the World English Bible only
Thy sons and thy daughters shall be given unto another people, and thine eyes shall look, and fail with longing for them all the day long: and there shall be no might in thine hand.
Your sons and your daughters will be given to another people. Your eyes will look, and fail with longing for them all day long. There will be no power in your hand.
Nehemiah 9:37: counted in the World English Bible only
And it yieldeth much increase unto the kings whom thou hast set over us because of our sins: also they have dominion over our bodies, and over our cattle, at their pleasure, and we are in great distress.
It yields much increase to the kings whom you have set over us because of our sins. Also they have power over our bodies and over our livestock, at their pleasure, and we are in great distress.
Verses with power on our topic pages
46 verses that use power in the World English Bible are in our topic collections.
For God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.
On: Anxiety, Worry, Courage, Self Control
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, in the power of the Holy Spirit.
On: Peace, Hope, Depression, Joy
For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,
On: Depression, Loneliness, Death, God's Love
He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me.
On: Strength, Depression, Grace, Hard Times
“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are expedient. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be brought under the power of anything.
On: Tattoos, Addiction, What Does the Bible Say About Gluttony? 26 Verses, What Does the Bible Say About Smoking? 24 Verses
He gives power to the weak. He increases the strength of him who has no might.
On: Strength, Comfort, Depression, Loneliness
For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world’s rulers of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
On: Demons, Spiritual Warfare, What Does the Bible Say About Witchcraft? 25 Verses, What Does the Bible Say About War? 27 Verses
But you shall remember Yahweh your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth; that he may establish his covenant which he swore to your fathers, as it is today.
Don’t withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do it.
Death and life are in the power of the tongue; those who love it will eat its fruit.
On: Gossip, Self Control, What Does the Bible Say About Cussing and Swearing? 26 Verses
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
For by him all things were created, in the heavens and on the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and for him.
On: Creation, What Does the Bible Say About Dinosaurs? 26 Verses, Nature
Common questions
How many times is power in the Old Testament and the New Testament?
In the King James Version, counting every form, 121 of the 289 uses are in the Old Testament and 168 in the New Testament. Power appears in 48 books of the 66 in the King James Version. Revelation has the most (32), then Psalms (23) and 1 Corinthians (21).
Where is power first mentioned in the Bible?
The first use in the King James Version is Genesis 31:6: "And ye know that with all my power I have served your father." The last is Revelation 20:6.
More word counts: wedding, Seir, Gibeon, Abiathar, Hur, Barzillai, river, Asia, or all 635 words.
Counted by Bible Says About from the full public-domain text of the King James Version (1769 edition) and the World English Bible. Verse text only: headings and psalm titles are left out. A word is a run of letters: a hyphenated name like Beer-sheba counts as two, and an apostrophe stays inside its word (LORD'S is one). Matching ignores capital letters. Data compiled 2026-10-24.