The AA Promises are a short passage in the Big Book that describes the changes members can expect once they work seriously at making amends. They appear in Chapter 6, “Into Action,” on pages 83 to 84 of the fourth edition, right after the discussion of the Ninth Step. Because of that placement, many members call them the 9th Step promises. This post covers where the Promises sit in the Big Book, what each one means in plain language, why they are tied to Step 9, and how people use them in daily recovery.
Key Takeaways
- The AA Promises are found on pages 83 to 84 of the Big Book, inside Chapter 6, “Into Action.”
- They follow the Ninth Step discussion, so members often call them the 9th Step promises.
- Most members count twelve promises, which is why you also hear “the 12 promises of AA.”
- The Big Book says the Promises come true for members at different speeds, some quickly and some slowly, as long as the work continues.
- A separate passage on pages 84 to 85, often called the Tenth Step promises, describes how the urge to drink can stop being a daily fight.
What are the AA promises
The AA Promises are a list of changes the Big Book says members begin to notice when they work the program with care. They describe emotional and practical shifts, not rewards handed out at a milestone.
The passage opens with a condition: if you are painstaking about this stage of your recovery, you will be surprised by the results before you are halfway through. What follows is a run of short statements about freedom, peace, usefulness to others, less fear, and a changed outlook. You can read the full text of Chapter 6 on aa.org, which AA makes freely available.
The Promises are copyrighted Big Book text, so this post paraphrases them instead of reprinting them. If you go to meetings, you will likely hear them read word for word. Some groups read them as a closing, and some read them at Step study meetings when the group reaches Step 9.
Where are the promises in the big book
The Promises are on pages 83 to 84 of Alcoholics Anonymous, the Big Book, in Chapter 6, “Into Action,” which runs from page 72 to page 88 in the fourth edition. The Big Book was first published in 1939.
Chapter 6 walks the reader through Steps 5 to 11. The pages just before the Promises deal with amends at home. They describe amends as a long period of rebuilding, not a quick apology, and they urge the reader to own their part without blaming others. They also note that some wrongs can never be fully repaired, and that a sincere letter may be the right amends in some cases.
The Promises come at the end of that section. Their position matters. They are not presented as a reward for joining AA. They are described as what tends to follow once a person has done the hard, humbling work of setting things right. The Big Book then moves straight on to Step 10.
What does each AA promise mean in plain language
Each promise describes a change in how you feel, think, or act. The table below paraphrases each one in the order it appears and shows what it can look like in an ordinary day.
| Promise (paraphrased) | What it can look like day to day |
|---|---|
| You will be surprised by the change before you are halfway through | Noticing progress while amends are still in motion |
| A new freedom and a new happiness | Waking up without dread about what you did the night before |
| No regret over the past and no wish to hide it | Being able to talk about your history at a meeting without shame running the show |
| Understanding serenity and knowing peace | Staying steady when plans fall through |
| Seeing how your experience can help others, however low you went | Sharing your story with a newcomer who feels the way you once did |
| Feelings of uselessness and self-pity fade | Taking on a chore or service role and finishing it |
| Less interest in selfish things, more interest in other people | Asking a housemate how their day went and listening to the answer |
| Self-seeking slips away | Doing the right thing when no one is watching or keeping score |
| Your whole attitude and outlook change | Seeing problems as things to work on instead of reasons to drink |
| Fear of people and of money worries leaves | Making a hard phone call or opening the bills you used to avoid |
| Knowing by instinct how to handle situations that used to baffle you | Responding calmly to a conflict that once ended in a drink |
| Realizing God is doing for you what you could not do alone | Recognizing that your sobriety rests on more than willpower |
Why are the promises tied to step 9
The Promises are tied to Step 9 because they appear at the close of the Big Book’s discussion of making amends. They describe what tends to happen once a person stops carrying the weight of unfinished business with the people they harmed.
Step 9, as AA states it, asks members to make direct amends wherever possible, except when doing so would injure the other person or someone else. That step comes after a written inventory and a list of people harmed, so by the time a member reaches it, they have looked hard at their own conduct.
The Big Book’s reasoning is practical. Unfinished business with people you harmed keeps guilt and shame alive, and the chapter presents amends as the way to start clearing it. If you want a fuller picture of the step itself, the guide to making amends in Step 9 covers how members plan and carry out amends. The emotional side is covered in coping with shame and guilt in recovery.
The Promises describe what can grow once the weight of old harm starts to lift, not a prize for finishing a step.
Do the AA promises really come true
The Big Book itself answers this. Right after the list, it asks whether these are extravagant promises and says they are not. It adds that the Promises are being fulfilled among members, “sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly,” and that they will come true if you work for them.
That timing phrase is worth taking seriously. Some people feel lighter within weeks of starting amends. Others notice change over months or years, often in hindsight. Early relief can also be confused with lasting change, which is why it helps to understand the pink cloud stage in sobriety and how it differs from steady growth.
No passage in any book can guarantee a result, and the Big Book frames the Promises as conditional on continued effort. Recovery also rarely moves in a straight line. If the Promises feel far off, that is common, and it is not a sign that the program has failed you.
How do people use the promises in daily recovery
People use the Promises as a measuring stick and a source of hope. Reading them every so often lets you check where you have grown and where you still feel stuck.
- Morning reading: some members read the passage at the start of the day as a reminder of what the work is for.
- Self-check: pick one promise and ask whether it showed up today, even in a small way.
- Sponsor conversations: talking through a promise that feels out of reach often points to amends or inventory work still to do.
- Meeting closings: many groups read the Promises aloud to end a meeting on a hopeful note.
In a sober living home, the Promises often show up in shared moments: a resident who once avoided everyone starts cooking for the house, or someone who feared every phone call starts making them. Seeing those changes in people around you makes the passage feel concrete.
Conclusion
The AA Promises are a short Big Book passage on pages 83 to 84, in Chapter 6, that describes the changes members can expect after working Step 9. Members usually count twelve promises, covering freedom, peace, usefulness to others, less fear, and a new outlook. The Big Book says they come true for members at different speeds and depend on continued work. A separate passage after Step 10 describes the urge to drink losing its grip. Living among people who are working the Steps alongside you, with regular group support, makes it easier to keep doing the work that lets these changes take hold.
Do the Work of Step 9 With People Who Understand
The Promises take shape when you have steady support while you face amends and rebuild trust. At DJ Housing in Kinnelon, NJ, we provide a structured sober home where residents encourage each other through Group Support built around meetings, shared experience, and honest check-ins. Call +1 973-397-5978 to ask about a place in the house and what daily life there looks like.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are the 12 Promises in AA?
The 12 promises in AA are a series of statements on pages 83 to 84 of the Big Book about what members can expect after working the amends steps. In paraphrase, they include being surprised by progress early on, a new freedom and happiness, no regret about the past, serenity and peace, and seeing how your story can help others. They also include losing self-pity and self-seeking, a changed outlook, less fear of people and money worries, handling hard situations by instinct, and recognizing help beyond yourself. The exact count depends on how the sentences are split, but twelve is the common count.
What Are the 10th Step Promises of AA?
The 10th Step promises are a passage on pages 84 to 85 of the Big Book, right after the Big Book introduces Step 10. It says that by this point, sanity has returned and the person seldom wants a drink. If tempted, they react by pulling away from it, almost automatically. It also says the person has stopped fighting anything or anyone, including alcohol, and is neither cocky nor afraid. Many members refer to this passage as the Tenth Step promises.
What Are the Promises Made in the AA Big Book?
The best-known promises in the Big Book are the Ninth Step promises on pages 83 to 84 of Chapter 6, “Into Action.” Members also point to the passage on pages 84 to 85 after Step 10, which describes the obsession to drink being lifted. Both depend on continued work, and the Big Book says members see them come true at different speeds. You can read Chapter 6 in full on aa.org.
What Are the Ninth Step Promises in AA?
The Ninth Step promises are another name for the AA Promises. They get that name because they appear right after the Big Book’s discussion of Step 9, making direct amends to people you have harmed. They describe a new freedom, peace of mind, less fear, and a deeper interest in other people. The Big Book presents them as what tends to follow once a person has taken amends seriously.