Love

Love is a central theme of the Bible. This page lists verses on the commandments to love God and neighbor, God's love, love for one another, and love for enemies.

The greatest commandments

• Matthew 22:37-40
  ³⁷Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. ³⁸This is the first and great commandment. ³⁹And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. ⁴⁰On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
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• Deuteronomy 6:5
  And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
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• Leviticus 19:18
  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.
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God's love

• John 3:16
  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.
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• Romans 5:8
  But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
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• Romans 8:38-39
  ³⁸For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, ³⁹Nor 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.
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• 1 John 4:9-10
  ⁹In 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. ¹⁰Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
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"God is love"

• 1 John 4:7-8
  ⁷Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. ⁸He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
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• 1 John 4:16
  And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
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Love for one another

• John 13:34-35
  ³⁴A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. ³⁵By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
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• 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
  ⁴Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, ⁵Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; ⁶Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; ⁷Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
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• 1 Corinthians 13:13
  And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
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• Romans 13:10
  Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
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Love for enemies

• Matthew 5:43-44
  ⁴³Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. ⁴⁴But 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;
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• Luke 6:35
  But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.
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See also

• Forgiveness
• Grace
• Faith

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.