Bible Verses About Backsliding

"Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the Lord our God."

"The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself."

"I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him."

"Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works."

"Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God."

"I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee."

"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."

"Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins."

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

"Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me."

What does the Bible say about backsliding?

Backsliding is a gradual drifting away from God—a cooling of devotion, a compromise of convictions, a return to old patterns. It rarely happens overnight. Key King James Version passages include Jeremiah 3:22, Proverbs 14:14, Hosea 14:4. This page collects 10 KJV verses about backsliding, each quoted in full.

What does backsliding mean?

Backsliding refers to a believer gradually drifting away from God through spiritual neglect, unrepentant sin, or worldly compromise. The term appears in Jeremiah and Hosea, where God pleads with His people to return. It is not loss of salvation but a loss of fellowship and spiritual vitality.

Can a backslider be restored?

Absolutely. God invites backsliders to return and promises healing (Jeremiah 3:22, Hosea 14:4). The prodigal son's story (Luke 15:11-24) illustrates God's eager welcome of the repentant. 1 John 1:9 assures that confession brings forgiveness and cleansing.