# Is “Patience is a virtue” in the Bible?

> No. “Patience is a virtue” is not in the Bible.

Source: https://www.lumin.faith/is-it-in-the-bible/patience-is-a-virtue
By Andrew Kittridge · November 9, 2026

The Bible does prize patience. It is part of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), and James tells believers to be patient like a farmer waiting for rain (James 5:7-8).

Not in the Bible. Origin: Medieval English poetry: versions of it are in William Langland’s Piers Plowman and Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales.

## What the Bible says instead

> But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. No law stands against such things.
>
> — [Galatians 5:22-23](https://www.lumin.faith/read/galatians/5#22) (Lumin Translation)

> So be patient, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its precious crop, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and the late rains. You too must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, because the Lord’s coming is near.
>
> — [James 5:7-8](https://www.lumin.faith/read/james/5#7) (Lumin Translation)

## Common questions

### Is “Patience is a virtue” in the Bible?

No. “Patience is a virtue” is not in the Bible. The Bible does prize patience. It is part of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), and James tells believers to be patient like a farmer waiting for rain (James 5:7-8).

### Where does “Patience is a virtue” come from?

Medieval English poetry: versions of it are in William Langland’s Piers Plowman and Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales.

### What does the Bible say instead?

Read Galatians 5:22-23, James 5:7-8. The Bible does prize patience. It is part of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), and James tells believers to be patient like a farmer waiting for rain (James 5:7-8).

## More

- [Is “Count your blessings” in the Bible?](https://www.lumin.faith/is-it-in-the-bible/count-your-blessings.md)
- [Is “The blind leading the blind” in the Bible?](https://www.lumin.faith/is-it-in-the-bible/the-blind-leading-the-blind.md)
- [Is “Eat, drink and be merry” in the Bible?](https://www.lumin.faith/is-it-in-the-bible/eat-drink-and-be-merry.md)
- [Is “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” in the Bible?](https://www.lumin.faith/is-it-in-the-bible/father-forgive-them.md)
- [Is “Go the extra mile” in the Bible?](https://www.lumin.faith/is-it-in-the-bible/go-the-extra-mile.md)
- [Is “Iron sharpens iron” in the Bible?](https://www.lumin.faith/is-it-in-the-bible/iron-sharpens-iron.md)
- [Is “A law unto themselves” in the Bible?](https://www.lumin.faith/is-it-in-the-bible/a-law-unto-themselves.md)
- [Is “Love is patient, love is kind” in the Bible?](https://www.lumin.faith/is-it-in-the-bible/love-is-patient-love-is-kind.md)
- [Check any word or a whole song](https://www.lumin.faith/bible-verse-checker)