Love and friendship are two of the most cherished and transformative aspects of our lives. They bring joy, support, and companionship, and they have the power to uplift and strengthen us in times of joy and adversity. The Bible, a sacred text revered by millions, contains numerous verses that illuminate the beauty and significance of love and friendship. These verses offer guidance, inspiration, and encouragement, reminding us of the profound love of God and the importance of cultivating loving and supportive relationships with others.
Bible Verses Of Love And Friendship
In this article, we will explore a selection of Bible verses that celebrate love and friendship, providing insight into the divine nature of love and offering wisdom for nurturing and cherishing the bonds of friendship in our lives.
Friendship in the Bible
1. Proverbs 18:24
“A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
2. Proverbs 27:17
“Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.”
3. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
“Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!”
4. John 15:13
“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”
5. Proverbs 17:17
“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”
6. James 2:23
“And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God.”
7. Proverbs 27:9
“Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel.”
8. 1 Samuel 18:1
“As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.”
9. Job 6:14
“He who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty.”
10. Proverbs 22:24-25
“Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man, lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.”
Love Beyond Words
11. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”
12. John 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
13. Romans 12:9-10
“Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honour.”
14. 1 John 4:18
“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.”
15. Ephesians 5:25
“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,”
16. Colossians 3:14
“And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”
17. 1 John 4:7
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.”
18. 1 John 4:19
“We love because he first loved us.”
19. 1 Peter 4:8
“Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.”
20. Song of Solomon 8:7
“Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a man offered for love all the wealth of his house, he would be utterly despised.”
The Power of Biblical Love
21. 1 Corinthians 13:13
“So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”
22. Romans 13:10
“Love does no wrong to a neighbour; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”
23. 1 John 3:18
“Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.”
24. 1 Corinthians 16:14
“Let all that you do be done in love.”
25. Galatians 5:13
“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”
26. Ephesians 4:2
“With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,”
27. 1 Peter 3:8
“Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.”
28. Ephesians 3:17-19
“So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have the strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”
29. 1 John 4:11
“Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”
30. Matthew 5:43-44
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,”
Friendship Redefined
31. Proverbs 13:20
“Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.”
32. Proverbs 27:6
“Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy.”
33. Proverbs 18:24
“A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
34. Proverbs 12:26
“One who is righteous is a guide to his neighbour, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.”
35. Proverbs 17:17
“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”
36. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
“Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!”
37. John 15:13
“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”
38. Proverbs 27:9
“Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel.”
39. Job 6:14
“He who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty.”
40. Proverbs 22:24-25
“Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man, lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.”
Love’s Many Faces
41. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.”
42. John 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
43. Romans 8:38-39
“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
44. Ephesians 2:4-5
“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—”
45. 1 John 4:9-10
“In this, the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”
46. Romans 5:8
“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
47. 1 John 4:19
“We love because he first loved us.”
48. Zephaniah 3:17
“The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.”
49. Jeremiah 31:3
“The LORD appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.”
50. 1 John 4:7-8
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.”
Friendship’s Strength
51. Proverbs 17:17
“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”
52. Proverbs 18:24
“A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
53. Proverbs 27:6
“Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy.”
54. Proverbs 27:9
“Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel.”
55. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
“Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!”
56. John 15:13
“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”
57. Proverbs 27:10
“Do not forsake your friend and your father’s friend, and do not go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity. Better is a neighbour who is near than a brother who is far away.”
58. Proverbs 22:24-25
“Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man, lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.”
59. Job 6:14
“He who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty.”
60. Proverbs 13:20
“Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.”
Conclusion
The Bible is a wellspring of wisdom and guidance, and its verses on love and friendship remind us of the transformative power of these relationships. They serve as a source of inspiration, comfort, and encouragement, reminding us of God’s unconditional love and the importance of fostering deep connections with others. As we reflect on these verses, may they inspire us to love one another, extend grace and forgiveness, and cultivate friendships that enrich our lives.
Let us embrace the divine love that transcends all boundaries and strive to be a source of love and support for our friends and loved ones. In doing so, we can experience the profound joy and fulfilment that comes from living out the principles of love and friendship as exemplified in the Bible.
