A curated set of Bible verses on love, organized for quick reference. Each verse is in the King James Version and linked to BibleGateway for the surrounding context. For the longer treatment, see our full article on what the Bible says about love.
God’s love for us
“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.” — John 3:16 KJV
“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” — Romans 5:8 KJV
“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.” — 1 John 3:1 KJV
“Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” — 1 John 4:7–8 KJV
“Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” — 1 John 4:10 KJV
“The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” — Jeremiah 31:3 KJV
“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor 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.” — Romans 8:38–39 KJV
The Great Commandment
“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” — Matthew 22:37–40 KJV
“And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” — Deuteronomy 6:5 KJV
“He that loveth another hath fulfilled the law…Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” — Romans 13:8, 10 KJV
The love chapter (1 Corinthians 13)
“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. Charity never faileth.” — 1 Corinthians 13:4–8 KJV
“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.” — 1 Corinthians 13:1 KJV
“And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.” — 1 Corinthians 13:13 KJV
Love for one another
“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” — John 13:34–35 KJV
“And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.” — 1 Peter 4:8 KJV
“Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another.” — Romans 12:9–10 KJV
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” — John 15:13 KJV
“We love him, because he first loved us.” — 1 John 4:19 KJV
Love your enemies
“But 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.” — Matthew 5:44 KJV
“Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” — Romans 12:20–21 KJV
Marriage and family love
“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.” — Ephesians 5:25 KJV
“Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death.” — Song of Solomon 8:6 KJV
A short word
The Bible’s love verses move in one direction: from God to us, then from us outward. We do not begin loving; we begin being loved. The whole Christian life is the overflow.
For the longer pastoral walk — the Hebrew and Greek behind agape, chesed, ahavah, what 1 Corinthians 13 actually says, and the difference between love as feeling and love as action — see our full article on what the Bible says about love. And to hear these verses in context, The Context Bible opens up five lenses on every verse. Open it in your browser or download free.
“We love him, because he first loved us.” — 1 John 4:19 KJV
