Jesus Receives Worship
9 Passages Showing Worship Given to Jesus
God alone is to be worshiped (Exodus 20:3-5; Matthew 4:10). Angels refuse worship (Revelation 19:10; 22:8-9). Yet Jesus accepts worship.
Matthew 2:11 — The Magi Worshiped Him
“And after coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him.”
— LSB
Why It Matters:
Even as an infant, Jesus received worship. The Greek word is proskyneō (προσκυνέω), the same word used for worship of God.
Matthew 14:33 — Those in the Boat Worshiped Him
“And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, 'You are certainly God's Son!'”
— LSB
Why It Matters:
After Jesus walked on water and calmed the storm, the disciples worshiped Him. They recognized Him as God's Son and responded with worship.
Matthew 28:9 — They Took Hold of His Feet and Worshiped Him
“And behold, Jesus met them and said, 'Rejoice!' And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him.”
— LSB
Why It Matters:
After the resurrection, the women worshiped Jesus. He did not refuse their worship.
Matthew 28:17 — When They Saw Him, They Worshiped Him
“When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful.”
— LSB
Why It Matters:
The risen Christ received worship from His disciples. This is appropriate only if He is God.
Hebrews 1:6 — Let All the Angels of God Worship Him
“And when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says, 'AND LET ALL THE ANGELS OF GOD WORSHIP HIM.'”
— LSB
Why It Matters:
God the Father commands all angels to worship the Son. Angels are not to be worshiped (Revelation 19:10), and angels do not worship other angels. If angels worship Jesus, Jesus must be God.
NWT Note: Earlier editions of the NWT used 'worship' here; later editions changed it to 'do obeisance' to obscure Jesus' deity.
John 9:38 — He Worshiped Jesus
“And he said, 'Lord, I believe.' And he worshiped Him.”
— LSB
Why It Matters:
The man born blind, after being healed and learning that Jesus is the Son of Man, worshiped Him. Jesus accepted this worship.
Revelation 5:13-14 — Worship to the Lamb
“And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, 'To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.' And the four living creatures kept saying, 'Amen.' And the elders fell down and worshiped.”
— LSB
Why It Matters:
The Lamb (Jesus) receives the same worship, blessing, honor, glory, and dominion as 'Him who sits on the throne' (the Father). All creation worships both equally. Note: 'every created thing' worships — Jesus is not among the created things.
Acts 7:59-60 — Stephen Prayed to Jesus
“They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!' Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, 'Lord, do not hold this sin against them!' Having said this, he fell asleep.”
— LSB
Why It Matters:
Stephen prayed to Jesus as he was dying. This parallels Jesus' own prayer to the Father as He was dying: 'Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit' (Luke 23:46). Prayer is an act of worship directed to God alone.
Key Points:
- •Stephen 'called on' (Greek: epikaloumenon) the Lord — the same word used for calling on God in prayer (Romans 10:12-14; Acts 2:21)
- •He addressed Jesus directly: 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit'
- •He asked Jesus to forgive his killers — a divine prerogative
- •The Watchtower acknowledged this in February 1, 1959 (p. 96): 'Obviously, then, Stephen's words... were a prayer'
2 Corinthians 12:8-9 — Paul Prayed to the Lord Jesus
“Concerning this I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.'”
— LSB
Why It Matters:
Paul prayed three times to 'the Lord' about his thorn in the flesh, and the Lord (Jesus) answered him personally. In context, 'the Lord' refers to Jesus (see 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, where Paul speaks of 'the power of Christ' and 'for Christ's sake'). This is another clear example of prayer to Jesus.
What These Passages Prove
The Bible is clear: worship belongs to God alone. Angels refuse worship. Peter refused worship. Paul and Barnabas refused worship. Yet Jesus consistently accepts worship — from the magi, from His disciples, from the healed blind man, and from all creation in heaven. If Jesus is not God, then He violated the first commandment by accepting worship that belongs to God alone.