Bible verses about friendship

A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

Proverbs 17:17

A real friend's love does not depend on the season; it holds at all times.

A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

Proverbs 18:24

Friendship takes being friendly, and some friends stay closer than family.

Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

Proverbs 27:6

A friend's honest words can hurt, but they are faithful, unlike an enemy's flattery.

Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty counsel.

Proverbs 27:9

Good counsel from a friend is as sweet as perfume.

Thine own friend, and thy father’s friend, forsake not; neither go into thy brother’s house in the day of thy calamity: for better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off.

Proverbs 27:10

Don't abandon old friends, including your father's friends; a near neighbour beats a distant brother.

Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

Proverbs 27:17

Friends sharpen each other the way iron sharpens iron.

He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.

Proverbs 17:9

Love covers an offence, but repeating it can split close friends.

Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Two are better than one, and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

1 Samuel 18:1

After David's victory over Goliath, Jonathan's soul was knit with David's, and he loved him as his own soul.

And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the LORD, saying, The LORD be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever. And he arose and departed: and Jonathan went into the city.

1 Samuel 20:42

As David flees Saul, he and Jonathan part with a covenant sworn in the LORD's name.

I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.

2 Samuel 1:26

David's lament for Jonathan after his death in battle on Mount Gilboa.

Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him.

Job 2:11

Job's three friends travel from their homes to mourn with him and comfort him.

And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.

Job 42:10

Job's restoration came when he prayed for the same friends who had argued with him.

And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.

Mark 2:3-5

Four men carry their friend to Jesus and break open a roof to get him there.

These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.

John 11:11

Jesus calls Lazarus our friend before going to raise him.

Jesus wept. Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!

John 11:35-36

Jesus wept over Lazarus, and the onlookers said, Behold how he loved him.

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

John 15:13-15

Jesus defines the greatest love as laying down one's life for friends, then calls his disciples friends, not servants.

And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

James 2:23

Abraham's faith led to his being called the Friend of God.

And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle.

Exodus 33:11

The LORD spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.

He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.

Proverbs 13:20

You become like the people you walk with, wise or foolish.

Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.

Proverbs 22:24-25

Don't befriend an angry man, or you may learn his ways.

Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.

1 Corinthians 15:33

Paul warns that bad company corrupts good character.

A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.

Proverbs 16:28

A whisperer can separate even the closest friends.

For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him: But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance. We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.

Psalm 55:12-14

The psalmist says betrayal by a close companion hurts more than an enemy's insult.

To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.

Job 6:14

Job says a suffering man should be shown pity by his friend.

Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

Romans 12:15

Share both joy and grief: rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.

Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

Galatians 6:2

Carrying one another's burdens fulfils the law of Christ.

Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

Romans 12:10

Brotherly love means putting others ahead of yourself in honour.

Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour’s house; lest he be weary of thee, and so hate thee.

Proverbs 25:17

Practical advice: don't wear out your welcome at a neighbour's house.