Did Jesus ever claim to be God? Is the deity of Christ biblical?

from the old testament

• Jesus claimed to be the Messiah God, using references from the Old Testament. He claimed titles such as Lord (see Matthew 22:43–44 and Psalm 110:1), Ancient of Days (see Mark 14:61–64 and Daniel 7:9), and Messiah (see John 4:26 and Matthew 21:1–17 compared to Isaiah 9:6–7; 32:1; Jeremiah 23:5; and Zechariah 9:9). These references affirm the biblical deity of Christ.
• The writer of Hebrews refers to Psalm 45:6 in speaking of Jesus as the Son of God (Hebrews 1:8).

from the new testament

• Jesus claimed to be equal with God when He claimed He could forgive sin, something only God could do (Mark 2:5–12).
• Jesus claimed power to raise the dead (John 5:25–29).
• He claimed to be honored as God (John 5:18, 23) as well as to be equal with the Father (John 10:30).
• Jesus claimed to be the great "I Am." John 8:58 states, "Jesus said to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.'" This "I Am" reference is made in connection with Exodus 3:14 where God revealed His name to Moses as "I Am." Jesus' statement, then, is a biblical claim for the deity of Christ.
• Jesus claimed to be Yahweh God, the same God of Israel from the Old Testament. This included His claim to have eternal glory with the Father (John 17:5), His claim to be the first and the last (Revelation 1:17), His claim to be judge of all humanity (John 5:27), His claim to be the Good Shepherd (John 10:11), His claim to be the Bridegroom (Matthew 25:1; see Isaiah 62:5), and His claim to be the light of the world (John 8:12; see Psalm 27:1).
• Jesus accepted worship as God. Though the Old Testament commanded not to worship anyone but God alone, Jesus accepted worship, a primary example being His entry into Jerusalem prior to His crucifixion (Matthew 21; Mark 11; Luke 19; John 12).
• Jesus' followers recognized Jesus as God. They called Him God on multiple occasions (John 20:28; Colossians 2:9), referred to Jesus by other names used only of deity, such as Savior of the world (John 4:42), and prayed to or worshiped Jesus as part of the Godhead (Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14).
• During His public ministry, several demon-possessed people recognized Jesus as God (Mark 1:34; 5:6–7), and He silenced them.
• Jesus told His disciples that He is the only way to God (John 14:6) and that they could pray in His name (John 14:13–14; 15:7). After His resurrection, believers in Jesus prayed to Him (Acts 7:59).
• John taught that Jesus was with God in the beginning as "the Word" and that "the Word was God" (John 1:1).
• While the New Testament never makes the direct statement "Jesus is God," it is clear that He is referred to as deity in a variety of ways. Colossians 2:9 confirms, "For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily." Also see Philippians 2:6.

implications for today

Jesus being God should change everything. If Jesus is truly God, then His words carry divine authority, His promises are unbreakable, and His sacrifice has eternal power to save. Our salvation is not based on the efforts of a good teacher or prophet but on the finished work of the all-powerful Creator stepping into human history to rescue us. His deity assures us that He alone is worthy of our worship, trust, and obedience, and that to know Him is to know God Himself.

This truth also transforms how we live day to day. When we face fear, doubt, or suffering, we’re not following a distant figure—we’re walking with God in the flesh who understands our pain and has overcome it. Because Jesus is God, we can trust His ability to forgive our sins, lead us in truth, and give us eternal life. Knowing Jesus as God draws us into deeper awe, greater hope, and fuller surrender. It compels us not just to admire Him but to worship Him with our whole lives.