Bible verses about friendship

“A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”

A friend loves at all times, not only when it's easy.

“A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.”

There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

“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.”

Two are better than one: when one falls, the other lifts them up.

“And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”

A threefold cord is not quickly broken.

“Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.”

Good friends sharpen each other.

“Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty counsel.”

Hearty counsel from a friend is as sweet as perfume.

“Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.”

Faithful are the wounds of a friend.

“He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.”

Walk with wise people and you grow wise.

“Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.”

Choose close friends carefully: we tend to learn the ways of the people we spend time with.

“Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.”

The company we keep shapes who we become.

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

The greatest love lays down its life for its friends.

“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.”

Love is patient and kind, and it bears, believes, hopes and endures all things.

“Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;”

Be kindly affectioned and put others first.

“Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.”

Bear one another's burdens.

“Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.”

Forbear and forgive, as Christ forgave you.

“And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.”

Fervent love covers a multitude of sins.

“Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.”

Look out for each other's interests, not just your own.

“Henceforth 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.”

Jesus calls His followers friends, not servants.

“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.”

Abraham believed God and was called the Friend of God.

“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.”

The Lord spoke with Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.

“I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,”

A ready-made line for a card: you thank God every time you think of them.

“The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.”

A blessing to pray over a friend.

“Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.”

Pleasant words are sweet to the soul and health to the bones.

“That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.”

Friends of faith encourage each other.

“And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:”

Ruth's famous words of loyal love to Naomi.

“Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.”

Comfort and build each other up.