Bible verses about love
The Bible's central verses on love are John 3:16, "For God so loved the world," 1 John 4:8, "God is love," and 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, which describes what love does. Jesus named loving God and loving your neighbour as the two greatest commandments (Matthew 22:37-39).
Love is one of the most repeated themes in Scripture. The Bible describes God's love for people first, then calls people to love God and one another in return. As 1 John 4:19 puts it, "We love him, because he first loved us."
In the King James Version, the Greek word agape is often translated 'charity,' especially in 1 Corinthians 13. Where you see charity in the verses below, it means love, not giving to the poor.
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
1 John 4:8 · KJV
God's love for us
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:16The best-known verse in the Bible measures God's love by what he gave: his only begotten Son.
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8God showed his love while we were still sinners, not after we had improved.
In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
1 John 4:9-10John defines love by God's action first, not by our love for him.
The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.
Jeremiah 31:3God tells Israel his love is everlasting and that it is what drew them to him.
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39Paul lists everything he can think of, from death to angels to height and depth, that cannot separate us from God's love.
But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
Ephesians 2:4-5God's great love is the reason he gave life to people who were dead in sins.
The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.
Zephaniah 3:17A rare picture of God rejoicing over his people with singing and resting in his love.
Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
1 John 3:1The Father's love is so great that he calls believers his sons.
For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee.
Isaiah 54:10Even if mountains move, God says his kindness will not depart.
The greatest commandments
Jesus said all the law hangs on love for God and love for neighbour.
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Matthew 22:37-39Asked for the greatest commandment, Jesus gives two: love God with all your heart, and love your neighbour as yourself.
And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
Deuteronomy 6:5The Old Testament source of the first great commandment, part of the Shema.
Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.
Leviticus 19:18The Old Testament source of 'love thy neighbour,' given in the same breath as a command not to bear a grudge.
Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
Romans 13:8-10Paul says love fulfils the law because love works no ill to a neighbour.
If ye love me, keep my commandments.
John 14:15Jesus links loving him with keeping his commandments.
What love looks like
In the KJV, 'charity' in these verses means love.
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7Paul's description of love: patient, kind, not envious or proud, and enduring all things.
And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
1 Corinthians 13:13Of faith, hope and love, Paul says love is the greatest.
And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
Colossians 3:14Love is put on over every other virtue as the bond that holds them together.
And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
1 Peter 4:8Fervent love covers a multitude of sins, an echo of Proverbs 10:12.
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
1 John 4:18Perfect love casts out fear, because fear has torment.
Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned.
Song of Solomon 8:6-7The Bible's great love poem says many waters cannot quench love.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Galatians 5:22Love comes first in Paul's list of the fruit of the Spirit.
Loving one another
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
John 13:34-35Jesus' new commandment: love one another as he loved them, which is how others will know his disciples.
This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
John 15:12-13Jesus says there is no greater love than laying down one's life for one's friends.
Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
1 John 4:7-8Love comes from God, and anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
1 John 3:18Love is to be shown in deed and in truth, not only in words.
If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
1 John 4:20-21John says no one can claim to love God while hating his brother.
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Matthew 5:44Jesus extends love even to enemies and those who persecute you.
Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
Romans 12:9-10Love without pretence, shown in brotherly affection and putting others first.
With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
Ephesians 4:2Love is how believers bear with one another's faults.
Let all your things be done with charity.
1 Corinthians 16:14A one-line rule: let everything you do be done with love.
How well do you know Love in the Bible?
7 questions, every answer checked against the King James text. Play it here, then try a full book quiz.
Common questions
What does the Bible say love is?
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 is the Bible's fullest description: love "suffereth long, and is kind," does not envy or boast, and "beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things." 1 John 4:8 goes further and says "God is love."
Why does the KJV say charity instead of love?
The KJV translators sometimes rendered the Greek word agape as charity, which in 1611 English meant love. Modern translations usually say love in the same places.
What is the greatest commandment?
Jesus said the first and great commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind, and the second is to love your neighbour as yourself (Matthew 22:37-39).
Is John 3:16 about love?
Yes. It begins "For God so loved the world" and shows that love by the gift of his only begotten Son.
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