True friendship is one of the sweetest things in life. Friends are chosen family; they cheer us on through discouraging seasons, celebrate with us on joyous occasions, and lift our heads and hearts like no one else can. Life’s special moments are made brighter by the presence of our dearest friends. Whether you’re looking for advice on strengthening your current friendships or simply seeking guidance for developing new ones, these Bible verses about friendship are sure to push you in the right direction.
The Bible offers life-changing wisdom surrounding the topic of prayer for a friend. It teaches readers to carry each other’s burdens through challenging situations, to always choose love and patience even when faced with adversity, and to treat others how we would hope to be treated. No matter if your friends are near or far, these encouraging Bible verses will help you feel connected with them in a new way.
The Importance of Friendship in the Bible
Friendship is a significant theme throughout the Bible, with many verses emphasizing the importance of companionship and loyalty. The idea that “there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother” is a powerful reminder of the unique bond that can exist between friends. Here are 10 Bible verses that further explain the topic of friendship:
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. John 15:13 – “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
3. Ecclesiastes 4:10 – “If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!”
4. Psalm 133:1 – “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!”
5. Proverbs 27:17 – “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.”
6. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 – “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.”
7. Proverbs 17:17 – “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.”
8. James 2:23 – “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,’ and he was called God’s friend.”
9. Galatians 6:2 – “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
10. Proverbs 27:9 – “Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel.”
Friendship is a gift from God and a relationship that should be cherished and nurtured. These verses highlight the value of true friendship and the importance of having supportive and loving companions in our lives. As we journey through life, may we be blessed with friends who stick closer than brothers and who lift us up in times of need.
Bible Verses on Being a Good Friend
We all know a good friend when we see it—they are caring, generous, and don’t pass judgment every time you stumble. The love and support they provide are immeasurable. These Bible verses remind us what being a good friend is all about.
- “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” —Luke 6:31
- “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” —Colossians 3:12-14
- “Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it.” —James 4:11
- “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” —John 15:12-15
- “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.” —Philippians 2:3
- “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ.” —Galatians 6:2
- “A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends.” —Proverbs 16:28
- “Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other.” —1 John 4:11
- “Anyone who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty.” —Job 6:14
- “My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God; on behalf of a man he pleads with God as one pleads for a friend.” —Job 16:20-21
- “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” —1 Thessalonians 5:11
- “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” —1 Peter 4:8-10
- “One who forgives an affront fosters friendship, but one who dwells on disputes will alienate a friend.” —Proverbs 17:9
Bible Verses on the Value of Friendship
A good friend is worth more than gold. They celebrate our successes and show up whenever we face adversity. Share one of these heartfelt verses with a friend to let them know how much they mean in your life.
- “Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise.” —Proverbs 19:20
- “A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” —Proverbs 17:17
- “Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.” —Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
- “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” —Proverbs 27:17
- “When Job prayed for his friends, the LORD restored his fortunes, giving him twice as much as before!” —Job 42:10
- “Here’s the lesson: Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. Then, when your earthly possessions are gone, they will welcome you to an eternal home.” —Luke 16:9
- “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” —John 15:13
- “If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.” —Ecclesiastes 4:10
- “Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice.” —Proverbs 27:9
Bible Verses on Choosing the Right Friends
Most of us have someone who has made a difference in our lives. When deciding which path to take, a true friend can help guide us in the right direction. The people we can count on are truly irreplaceable, something that these Bible verses emphasize.
- “The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.” —Proverbs 12:26
- “Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared.” —Proverbs 22:24-25
- “Do not be misled: Bad company corrupts good character.” —1 Corinthians 15:33
- “Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.” —Proverbs 13:20
- “Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.” —Proverbs 27:5-6
- “One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” —Proverbs 18:24
Bible Verses about Friend Of God
Being a friend of God is a special designation in the Bible that signifies a close and intimate relationship with Him. Throughout the scriptures, there are several verses that highlight the characteristics of a friend of God and the blessings that come with this relationship. Here are 12 Bible verses that explain what it means to be a friend of God:
1. Genesis 18:17-19 (NIV)
“The Lord said, ‘Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.'”
2. James 2:23 (NIV)
“And the scripture was fulfilled that says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as
righteousness,’ and he was called God’s friend.”
3. John 15:14-15 (NIV)
“You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”
4. Exodus 33:11 (NIV)
“The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.”
5. Psalm 25:14 (NIV)
“The Lord confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them.”
6. Proverbs 18:24 (NIV)
“One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
7. Romans 5:10 (NIV)
“For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!”
8. 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.”
9. 1 John 4:7-8 (NIV)
“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”
10. 1 Samuel 23:16 (NIV)
“And Saul’s son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God.”
As these verses illustrate, being a friend of God entails believing in Him, obeying His commands, and cultivating a deep relationship with Him based on love and faith. May we all strive to be friends of God and walk in His ways.
A Good Friend Is a Blessing from God bible Verse kjv
Having good friends in our lives is one of the greatest blessings from God. Friends are there to support us, encourage us, and walk alongside us through the ups and downs of life. The Bible has many verses that emphasize the importance of having good friends and the impact they can have on our lives.
Here are 12 Bible verses that highlight the value of a good friend:
- Proverbs 17:17 (KJV) – “A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”
- Proverbs 27:17 (KJV) – “Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.”
- Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (KJV) – “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.”
1 Thessalonians 5:11 (KJV) – “Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.”
Proverbs 27:6 (KJV) – “Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.”
Proverbs 18:24 (KJV) – “A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.”
Proverbs 18:24 (KJV) – “A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.”
James 4:8 (KJV) – “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.”
Galatians 6:2 (KJV) – “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.”
Proverbs 27:9 (KJV) – “Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty counsel.”
Proverbs 13:20 (KJV) – “He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.”
Bible Verses on Being a Good Friend
We all know a good friend when we see it—they are caring, generous, and don’t pass judgment every time you stumble. The love and support they provide are immeasurable. These Bible verses remind us what being a good friend is all about.
- “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” —Luke 6:31
- “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” —Colossians 3:12-14
- “Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it.” —James 4:11
- “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” —John 15:12-15
- “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.” —Philippians 2:3
- “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ.” —Galatians 6:2
- “A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends.” —Proverbs 16:28
- “Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other.” —1 John 4:11
- “Anyone who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty.” —Job 6:14
- “My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God; on behalf of a man he pleads with God as one pleads for a friend.” —Job 16:20-21
- “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” —1 Thessalonians 5:11
- “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” —1 Peter 4:8-10
- “One who forgives an affront fosters friendship, but one who dwells on disputes will alienate a friend.” —Proverbs 17:9
Bible Verses about Forgiving A Friend
Forgiveness is a powerful tool that can heal relationships and bring peace to our hearts. When a friend hurts us or betrays our trust, it can be difficult to forgive them. However, the Bible teaches us the importance of forgiveness and how it can bring reconciliation and restoration to our friendships. Here are 12 Bible verses about forgiving a friend:
1. Matthew 6:14-15
“For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
2. Colossians 3:13
“Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”
3. Ephesians 4:32
“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”
4. Luke 6:37
“Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven.”
5. Proverbs 17:9
“Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.”
6. Colossians 3:12-14
“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”
7. Matthew 18:21-22
“Then Peter came up and said to him, ‘Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.'”
8. James 5:16
“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”
9. Ephesians 4:26-27
“Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.”
10. Matthew 18:15
“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.”
As we can see from these Bible verses, forgiveness is a crucial aspect of maintaining healthy friendships. By following the teachings of the Bible and practicing forgiveness towards our friends, we can experience the healing and restoration that comes from letting go of grudges and embracing reconciliation.