Benedictions: 30 Scripture Blessings to Close Your Worship Service
A benediction is the spoken blessing that sends a congregation out at the end of worship — not a closing prayer, but a pronouncement of God's favor over his people.
Where it goes in the service
At the very end of the service, after the final song and any announcements, spoken by the presiding pastor or elder. Traditionally the congregation stands, and the minister raises or extends both hands. Nothing follows it except dismissal — a benediction is weakened when a housekeeping announcement comes after it.
What is a benediction?
A benediction (from the Latin *bene* "well" + *dicere* "to speak") is a good word spoken over the congregation as they are sent out. It is the last thing most people hear on a Sunday morning, and it is doing something specific: it declares what is already true of the people of God rather than asking God for something new.
That distinction matters in practice. A closing prayer is addressed to God on behalf of the people ("Lord, go with us this week"). A benediction is addressed to the people on behalf of God ("The Lord bless you and keep you"). Most benedictions are therefore written in the second person — you, your — and spoken with hands raised or extended toward the congregation.
The form is ancient. The Aaronic blessing of Numbers 6:24–26 was given to Aaron and his sons as the words by which they would "put my name on the children of Israel," and nearly every New Testament letter closes with a benediction of its own. Because these texts are scripture, they carry an authority that an improvised sign-off does not.
12 benedictions you can use this Sunday
Free to copy, print, and project. Scripture is quoted from public-domain translations, so no permission is required.
The Aaronic Blessing
All-purposeYahweh bless you, and keep you. Yahweh make his face to shine on you, and be gracious to you. Yahweh lift up his face toward you, and give you peace.
— Numbers 6:24–26 (WEB)
The Grace
All-purposeThe grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, God's love, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.
— 2 Corinthians 13:14 (WEB)
The God of Peace
All-purposeNow may the God of peace, who brought again from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep with the blood of an eternal covenant, our Lord Jesus, make you complete in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
— Hebrews 13:20–21 (WEB)
Now Unto Him Who Is Able
All-purposeNow to him who is able to keep them from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory in great joy, to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.
— Jude 24–25 (WEB)
Abounding in Hope
HopeNow 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.
— Romans 15:13 (WEB)
Peace That Surpasses Understanding
ComfortAnd the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.
— Philippians 4:7 (WEB)
Sanctified Completely
All-purposeMay the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who will also do it.
— 1 Thessalonians 5:23–24 (WEB)
Advent Benediction
AdventGo now into the waiting weeks, watchful for the light that is coming. And may the God who kept his promise to Israel keep his promise to you; may Christ the Morning Star rise in your hearts; and may the Spirit make you people of patient hope.
— Original
Christmas Benediction
ChristmasGo in the joy of the God who did not stay far off, but came near, and was laid in a manger, and was called Emmanuel. And may the Word made flesh dwell among you, full of grace and truth, this day and always.
— Original
Easter Benediction
EasterGo out as people of the empty tomb. May the God who raised Jesus from the dead raise your hopes, raise your courage, and raise your eyes; and may the life that death could not hold be at work in you until he comes.
— Original
Benediction for a Grieving Congregation
Funeral / GriefGo gently. May the God of all comfort hold what you cannot carry, may Christ who wept at a graveside weep with you, and may the Spirit keep watch through the long nights until joy comes in the morning.
— Original
Benediction for a Sending or Commissioning
CommissioningGo — you are sent. May the God who called you go before you, may Christ who is with you to the end of the age walk beside you, and may the Spirit give you words when you have none. And may the work of your hands outlast you.
— Original
How to write your own
- 1Start from the sermon text. The strongest benedictions echo a phrase the congregation just heard preached, so the sending feels like the conclusion of the message rather than a detached formality.
- 2Write in the second person. "May God give you…" not "Lord, give us…". If your draft is addressed to God, you have written a closing prayer — which is fine, but file it under that name and pick a benediction as well.
- 3Keep it to 40–70 words. It is spoken from memory or read once, over a standing congregation, often with children getting restless. Long benedictions lose the room.
- 4Use trinitarian shape if you want it to feel historic. Many classic benedictions name Father, Son, and Spirit in turn — it gives a natural three-beat rhythm and a clear ending.
- 5Read it aloud before Sunday. Benedictions are heard, never read, by the congregation. Anything that trips your tongue in the study will trip it in the pulpit.
- 6End on a word worth carrying out the door — peace, hope, joy, glory. The final noun is the one people take to the parking lot.
How different traditions handle it
Lutheran, Anglican, and Presbyterian orders of worship name the benediction explicitly and often prescribe the text — the Aaronic blessing and the Apostolic "Grace" are near-universal. Baptist and non-denominational churches more often let the preacher choose freely or improvise. Roman Catholic and Orthodox liturgies use a final blessing with the sign of the cross. In traditions that distinguish between a blessing (which an ordained minister pronounces) and a prayer (which anyone may lead), a lay leader will typically say "May the Lord bless us…" rather than "…bless you."
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a benediction and a closing prayer?
A closing prayer speaks to God on behalf of the people. A benediction speaks to the people on behalf of God — it pronounces blessing rather than requesting it. Many services include both: a pastoral prayer near the end, then a benediction as the final word.
Who is allowed to give the benediction?
Practice varies. In liturgical traditions it is reserved for an ordained minister, who pronounces it in the second person ("The Lord bless you"). In most free-church settings any service leader may give it, and lay leaders often shift to the first person plural ("The Lord bless us") to avoid claiming a priestly role.
Should the congregation stand for the benediction?
Usually yes. Standing signals sending rather than reflection. Some congregations also lift open hands to receive the blessing, and the minister raises or extends both hands over the people.
Can I use the same benediction every week?
Yes — and there is a real argument for it. A repeated benediction becomes memorized scripture that people carry for decades. A common compromise is one fixed benediction most weeks and a seasonal one during Advent, Lent, and Easter.
What is the most-used benediction?
The Aaronic blessing of Numbers 6:24–26 and the Apostolic benediction of 2 Corinthians 13:14 are the two most widely used across traditions. Both are short, trinitarian in feel, and directly scriptural.
Keep a record of what was actually said
The benediction you wrote is in your notes. The sermon that went with it usually isn't. Transcribe every service and build a searchable archive your congregation can go back to — the Church Plan is $19/month for as many sermons as you preach.
Related parts of the service
Calls to Worship
A call to worship is the opening words of a service — a summons, usually from the Psalms, that tells a gathered crowd it has become a worshiping congregation.
Closing Prayers for Church Services
A closing prayer gathers up what happened in a service and sends the congregation into the week with it.
Pastoral Prayers
A pastoral prayer is the long prayer of the service, in which one voice carries the whole congregation's thanksgiving, grief, and intercession to God.
Affirmations of Faith
An affirmation of faith is the moment a congregation says aloud, together, what it believes — usually a historic creed.
Everything else in the service
Planning the rest of the service
- Sermon resources for all 66 books — themes, famous chapters, and preaching notes to pair with the readings.
- Sermon length calculator — check the service fits the time you actually have.
- Sermon outline generator — turn a text and a big idea into a preaching outline.
- Sermon series ideas — plan a season, then build the liturgy around it.