love is
What does the Bible say about love is? These are the passages readers found most helpful — tap any citation to read it in context.
11 passages · most helpful first
4Charity is patient, is kind. Charity does not envy, does not act wrongly, is not inflated. 5Charity is not ambitious, does not seek for itself, is not provoked to anger, devises no evil. 6Charity does not rejoice over iniquity, but rejoices in truth. 7Charity suffers all, believes all, hopes all, endures all.
13But for now, these three continue: faith, hope, and charity. And the greatest of these is charity.
7Most beloved, let us love one another. For love is of God. And everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
19Therefore, let us love God, for God first loved us.
1If I were to speak in the language of men, or of Angels, yet not have charity, I would be like a clanging bell or a crashing cymbal. 2And if I have prophecy, and learn every mystery, and obtain all knowledge, and possess all faith, so that I could move mountains, yet not have charity, then I am nothing. 3And if I distribute all my goods in order to feed the poor, and if I hand over my body to be burned, yet not have charity, it offers me nothing. 4Charity is patient, is kind. Charity does not envy, does not act wrongly, is not inflated. 5Charity is not ambitious, does not seek for itself, is not provoked to anger, devises no evil. 6Charity does not rejoice over iniquity, but rejoices in truth.
34I give you a new commandment: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, so also must you love one another.
16For God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that all who believe in him may not perish, but may have eternal life.
8But, before all things, have a constant mutual charity among yourselves. For love covers a multitude of sins.
13No one has a greater love than this: that he lay down his life for his friends.
43You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor, and you shall have hatred for your enemy.’ 44But I say to you: Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. And pray for those who persecute and slander you. 45In this way, you shall be sons of your Father, who is in heaven. He causes his sun to rise upon the good and the bad, and he causes it to rain upon the just and the unjust. 46For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Do not even tax collectors behave this way? 47And if you greet only your brothers, what more have you done? Do not even the pagans behave this way? 48Therefore, be perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
18Fear is not in love. Instead, perfect love casts out fear, for fear pertains to punishment. And whoever fears is not perfected in love.