Bible Verses on Love: What is a good Bible Verse for Love?
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NIV): “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”
John 3:16 (NIV): “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
1 John 4:7–8 (CSB): Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
These are perhaps the most known Bible verses on love. However, love is a fundamental and pervasive theme in the Bible. It encompasses a range of expressions, from God’s profound love for humanity to the love expected among people and within marriages. You can also read more for a fuller explanation of what the Bible says about love.
God’s Love for Us
- Romans 5:8 (NIV): “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
- 1 John 4:9-10 (NIV): “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”
- Psalm 136:26 (NIV): “Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever.”
- Ephesians 2:4-5 (NIV): “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”
These verses illustrate the profound and undeserved love God has for humanity. His love is demonstrated most clearly through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, affirming that God’s love is enduring, merciful, and life-giving. God’s love can be endlessly explored.
Our Love for God
- Matthew 22:36–40 (CSB): “Teacher, which command in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.”
- Deuteronomy 6:5 (NIV): “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”
- 1 John 4:19 (NIV): “We love because he first loved us.”
- Psalm 18:1 (NIV): “I love you, Lord, my strength.”
Loving God is a central commandment in the Bible. Believers are called to love God wholeheartedly, reflecting the love that He has shown. This love for God is the greatest commandment we have, foundational to the Christian faith and life.
Love for One Another
- John 13:34-35 (NIV): “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
- 1 Peter 4:8 (NIV): “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”
- 1 John 4:7 (NIV): “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.”
- Romans 12:10 (NIV): “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”
- Matthew 22:36–40 (CSB): “Teacher, which command in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.”
The Bible emphasizes the importance of loving others as a reflection of God’s love. This is the second greatest commandment, summing up all our ethical instructions to one another. This love is to be deep, selfless, and a defining characteristic of Christian fellowship.
Love in Marriage
- Ephesians 5:25 (NIV): “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.”
- Proverbs 31:10 (NIV): “A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.”
- Song of Solomon 8:6-7 (NIV): “Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame.”
- 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NIV): “[Love] is patient, love is kind… It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”
In the context of marriage, the Bible speaks of love as a deep, enduring, and sacrificial commitment. These verses underscore the importance of love in the marital relationship, paralleling the love of Christ for the church.
Unconditional Love
- 1 John 4:8 (NIV): “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”
- Romans 8:38-39 (NIV): “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
- Luke 15:20 (NIV): “So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.”
- Matthew 5:44-45 (NIV): “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.”
Agape, or unconditional love, is a key concept in the Bible. It is a love that is selfless, sacrificial, and unconditional, mirroring the love God has for us. This love extends to all, including enemies and those who persecute us.
Love and Forgiveness
- Colossians 3:13 (NIV): “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
- Ephesians 4:32 (NIV): “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
- Luke 6:37 (NIV): “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”
- 1 Peter 4:8 (NIV): “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”
The Bible closely associates love with forgiveness. Love manifests in the willingness to forgive others, just as God, in His love, forgives our transgressions. This aspect of love is fundamental to healthy relationships and community life.
The Characteristics of Love
- 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NIV): “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.”
- 1 Corinthians 13:13 (NIV): “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
- 1 John 4:18 (NIV): “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.”
- Proverbs 10:12 (NIV): “Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs.”
The Bible provides a clear description of love’s attributes. Love, as portrayed in scripture, is patient, kind, selfless, and forgiving. It is the foundation for many virtues and is considered the greatest of them.
Love as a Fulfillment of the Law
- Romans 13:10 (NIV): “Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”
- Galatians 5:14 (NIV): “For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
- Matthew 22:39-40 (NIV): “And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
- John 15:12 (NIV): “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”
In the Bible, love is seen as the fulfillment of God’s law. The commandments and teachings of scripture all hinge on the principle of love – love for God and love for others. This makes love the highest and most essential of all commandments. It also means that love can only be rightly defined if it is consistent with God’s law.
Key Takeaways
- Love is a multifaceted and central theme in the Bible, encompassing God’s love for us, our love for God, and our love for one another.
- God’s love is unconditional, demonstrated profoundly through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
- Believers are commanded to love God wholeheartedly and to extend this love to others, reflecting the nature of God’s love.
- Love in marriage is portrayed as a deep, enduring commitment, mirroring Christ’s love for the church.
- The characteristics of love, as described in the Bible, include patience, kindness, selflessness, and forgiveness.
- Love is the fulfillment of the law, encompassing all commandments and guiding believers in their relationships and actions.
