Friendship

Friendship is described in many passages of the Bible. This page lists verses on the value of friends, faithful counsel, choosing friends, Jesus and his friends, David and Jonathan, and friendship with God.

The value of friends

• Proverbs 17:17
  A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
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• Proverbs 18:24
  A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
  Show context · Read Proverbs 18 →
• Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
  ⁹Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. ¹⁰For 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. ¹¹Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? ¹²And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
  Show context · Read Ecclesiastes 4 →
• Proverbs 27:17
  Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
  Show context · Read Proverbs 27 →

Faithful counsel

• Proverbs 27:6
  Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
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• Proverbs 27:9
  Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty counsel.
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Choosing friends

• Proverbs 13:20
  He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.
  Show context · Read Proverbs 13 →
• 1 Corinthians 15:33
  Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
  Show context · Read 1 Corinthians 15 →
• Proverbs 22:24-25
  ²⁴Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: ²⁵Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.
  Show context · Read Proverbs 22 →

Jesus and his friends

• John 15:13-15
  ¹³Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. ¹⁴Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. ¹⁵Henceforth 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.
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• Luke 7:34
  The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!
  Show context · Read Luke 7 →

David and Jonathan

• 1 Samuel 18:1-3
  ¹And 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. ²And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father’s house. ³Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.
  Show context · Read 1 Samuel 18 →
• 1 Samuel 20:17
  And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him: for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
  Show context · Read 1 Samuel 20 →

Friend of God

• James 2:23
  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.
  Show context · Read James 2 →
• Exodus 33:11
  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.
  Show context · Read Exodus 33 →

See also

• Love
• Fellowship
• Loneliness

Notes

1. Verses are quoted in the translation chosen in the Translation menu at the top of the page. See Translations for sources and copyright notices.
2. Each reference links to the full chapter so the verse can be read in context.