Finding the right words about love can be hard sometimes. But the Bible has so many beautiful verses that speak directly to our hearts about love and relationships. These verses aren’t just pretty words; they’re like a roadmap for how we should love others and build strong relationships.
Whether you’re married, single, or just trying to be a better friend, these Bible verses about love and relationships will help you understand what real love looks like according to God’s word. I’ve put together 36 verses that have helped me and many others navigate the sometimes confusing world of love and relationships.
Table of Contents
Bible Verses About Love and Relationships
1. John 15:13: “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
This verse always makes me think about how Jesus loved us. But it also shows us that real love sometimes means sacrificing for others. It doesn’t always mean dying for someone; sometimes it means giving up your time, your comfort, or your own wants to help someone else.
2. Ephesians 5:25: “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.”
This isn’t just about being nice to your wife. It’s about loving her so much that you’d do anything for her happiness and well-being. That’s the kind of love that makes marriages last.
3. Romans 12:9: “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.”
Fake love doesn’t help anyone. God wants us to love others genuinely, not just pretend to love them when it’s convenient.
4. Song of Solomon 8:7 shows us how strong real love can be: “Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away.”
When you find true love, whether it’s with your spouse, family, or friends, it’s like a fire that can’t be put out. Problems and difficulties can’t destroy it because it’s built on something stronger than feelings.
5. Proverbs 10:12: “Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs.”
Love has this amazing power to heal relationships. When someone hurts us, love helps us forgive and move forward instead of holding grudges.
6. 1 Peter 4:8: “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”
This doesn’t mean we ignore when people do wrong things. But it means that love helps us forgive and gives people second chances.
7. Genesis 2:24: “That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.”
This verse shows us that marriage is about two people becoming a team. It’s not about losing yourself; it’s about joining with someone else to become stronger together.
8. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10: “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.”
Life is hard when you’re alone. Having good relationships means having people who can help you when you’re struggling and celebrate with you when things are good.
9. Ruth 1:16-17: “Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.”
Ruth said this to her mother-in-law, showing that strong relationships aren’t just about blood family. Sometimes the people we choose to love become our real family.
10. Proverbs 17:17: “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.”
Good friends stick with you through both good times and bad times. They don’t just disappear when life gets difficult.
11. Proverbs 15:1: “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
When someone is upset with you, responding gently instead of fighting back can actually calm the situation down. It’s not always easy to do, but it works.
12. James 1:19-20: “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.”
Most relationship problems could be solved if people just listened to each other more. We’re often so busy thinking about what we want to say that we don’t really hear what the other person is telling us.
13. Proverbs 12:22: “The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy.”
Trust is the foundation of any good relationship. Once you break trust by lying, it’s very hard to rebuild. Being honest, even when it’s uncomfortable, is always better in the long run.
14. Matthew 6:14-15: “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”
God forgives us for so many things, so we should forgive others too. This doesn’t mean we have to trust someone who keeps hurting us, but it means we let go of anger and resentment.
15. Ephesians 4:32: “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
When someone hurts us, we should remember how much God has forgiven us. This helps us be more willing to forgive others.
16. Luke 6:31: “Do to others as you would have them do to you.”
This simple rule can solve most relationship problems. Before you say something mean or do something selfish, ask yourself, “Would I want someone to treat me this way?”
17. 1 John 4:7-8: “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.”
God isn’t just loving; He IS love. When we love others, we’re showing God’s character to the world.
18. 1 John 4:18: “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.”
Real love makes us feel safe and secure. When we’re in healthy relationships, we don’t have to worry about being rejected or hurt on purpose.
19. Jeremiah 31:3: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.”
God’s love never changes or gives up on us. That’s the kind of love we should try to show others.
20. Mark 10:9: “Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”
Marriage isn’t just a legal contract; it’s a covenant blessed by God. When couples promise to love each other “till death do us part,” they’re making a sacred vow.
21. Malachi 2:14-15: “The Lord was witness to the covenant made at your marriage… He made them one.”
God is involved in every marriage. He wants to help couples stay together and love each other well.
22. 1 Peter 3:7: “Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect.”
Respect is just as important as love in marriage. Treating your spouse with honor and consideration shows that you value them.
23. 1 Corinthians 7:3: “The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband.”
Both partners in a marriage have responsibilities to each other. It’s not just about what you can get from your spouse; it’s about what you can give.
24. Proverbs 3:3-4: “Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.”
Love and faithfulness should be so much a part of who we are that they’re like jewelry we always wear or words written on our hearts.
25. Isaiah 54:10: “Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken.”
This is the kind of commitment we should have in our marriages: love that doesn’t change even when circumstances do.
26. 1 Thessalonians 5:11: “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”
We should be like cheerleaders for the people we love. When they’re struggling, we encourage them. When they succeed, we celebrate with them.
27. Hebrews 10:24-25: “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.”
Good relationships make us want to be better people. When we’re surrounded by people who love God and want to do good, it motivates us to grow too.
28. Philippians 2:2: “Then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.”
This doesn’t mean we all have to think exactly the same way about everything. But it means we should have the same basic values and goals in our relationships.
29. Colossians 3:14: “And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”
Love is like the glue that holds relationships together. When we have love, all the other good things in relationships work better.
30. Matthew 22:37-39: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. … Love your neighbor as yourself.”
First, we love God with everything we have. Then, we love other people as much as we love ourselves. These two commandments are connected; we can’t really love others well if we don’t first love God.
31. John 15:12: “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”
Jesus loved us by sacrificing everything for us. That’s the standard He sets for how we should love others.
32. Romans 13:8: “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.”
We should pay off all our debts except one: the debt to love others. This is a debt we can never fully pay because we should always keep loving.
33. Romans 12:10: “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”
Real love puts others first. It’s not about what we can get, but about what we can give.
34. Song of Solomon 8:4: “Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.”
This verse is often used to talk about waiting for the right time in romantic relationships. Love can’t be forced; it needs to develop naturally.
35. Song of Solomon 3:4: “I have found the one whom my soul loves.”
When we find the right person to love, there’s a deep recognition in our hearts. It’s worth waiting for this kind of connection.
36. Ephesians 4:2-3: “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”
All relationships require patience. People aren’t perfect, and we all make mistakes. Being patient with others shows that we love them even when they’re not at their best.
Living Out Biblical Love
These 36 Bible verses about love and relationships give us a roadmap for building strong, healthy relationships in every area of our lives. Whether you’re married, single, or just trying to be a better friend, these verses show us what real love looks like.
Biblical love is patient, kind, forgiving, and sacrificial. It puts others first and doesn’t give up when things get tough. It’s honest, respectful, and builds others up. Most importantly, it reflects God’s love for us.
The next time you’re struggling in a relationship, remember these verses. They remind us that love isn’t just a feeling; it’s a choice we make every day. With God’s help, we can love others the way He loves us.
Related: 30 Bible Verses About Friendship and Love
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Bible say about finding your soulmate?
The Bible doesn’t use the word “soulmate,” but it does talk about finding someone who complements you perfectly. Genesis 2:24 talks about becoming “one flesh” in marriage, and Song of Solomon 3:4 mentions finding “the one whom my soul loves.”
How should Christians handle conflict in relationships?
The Bible teaches us to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger (James 1:19-20). We should use gentle words (Proverbs 15:1), forgive quickly (Ephesians 4:32), and always speak truth in love.
What makes a relationship truly biblical?
Biblical relationships are built on love that is patient, kind, and sacrificial (1 Corinthians 13:4-7). They involve mutual respect, forgiveness, honest communication, and a commitment to help each other grow closer to God.
