Top 18 Bible Love Quotes With Commentary

May 29, 2017
Greg Baker
Bible Love Quotes

There are many Bible love quotes. The word “love” or one of its variants is used over 500 times in the Bible. So yes, God has a lot to say on this subject. The following 18 verses are designed to give you comfort and understanding. These verses are more than just a list; they represent the core aspects of biblical love and how it can be applied to your life.

So let’s get to the list!

#1 — 1 John 4:7-8

1 John 4:7-8Beloved, 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.

Since we are made in the image of God, every person on the planet has the potential to love. However, to fully understand and utilize that capacity requires an understanding of the nature of God. For example, the Christian faith commands us to love our enemies, but the will to love an enemy only comes from a deeper understanding of God and His love for us.

#2 — 1 John 4:18

1 John 4:18There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

We often think that hatred is the opposite of love, but this love quote explains the difference. In reality, it is fear that is the opposite. Love and hatred coexist, for it is impossible to love without hating what opposes that love. But it is fear that can destroy love, and it is love that can destroy fear. A perfect love has no fear and is thus at peace, but fear brings torment and pain that often corrupts love.

#3 — Philippians 4:8

Philippians 4:8Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

This verse made the love quotes list because of the word “lovely.” In a way, our outlook on life is a reflection of what we think about. When we think about lovely things, when our mind is turned toward love, we will see life through such eyes. A person who thinks this way will tend to believe in people more than believe that everyone is out to get him or her.

#4 — Ephesians 5:25

Ephesians 5:25Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

Love is always an act of giving. To love someone means to give of yourself as this love quote suggests. Some call this sacrifice, but when you love someone, a sacrifice is never a sacrifice. It is something you want to do. That is how a husband is to love his wife.

#5 — Ephesians 3:17-19

Ephesians 3:17-19That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. 

When you are rooted in love, you will find yourself filled. The nature of love is such that we pour something of ourselves into another person. When you accept God’s love, you will be filled with God’s fullness. When you love someone, you are filling them with part of yourself. In this way, love is so much more than just an emotion. It is a gift.

#6 — Galatians 5:22-23

Galatians 5:22-23But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 

The first natural result of being Spirit filled is love. There is no law against love and there never shall be either. The first thing that a Christian should do naturally is to love. If loving someone is a problem for you, you may want to check your spiritual condition. Love is never, never determined by the object of your love. It is always determined on who you are as a person.

#7 — 1 Corinthians 13:1-8

1 Corinthians 13:1-8 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. 2  And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. 

4  Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 

Charity is merely another word for love. The same Greek word translated charity in this passage is translated “love” elsewhere. It is the Greek word agape, which is a deep abiding love rather than a fondness or attraction usually associated with love. Here we see that true love has several characteristics. Among them is the last one: Love never fails. This type of love is so powerful and so meaningful that the Apostle Paul says that if you don’t have it, you’re nothing. Everything else in the world, if not overlaid with this abiding love, means nothing.

#8 — 1 Corinthians 13:13

1 Corinthians 13:13And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. 

The above Bible love quote is the conclusion to the previous quote. Paul concludes that there are three attributes of a successful, happy Christian: faith, hope, and love. Most Christians probably would’ve chosen faith as being greater than love, but Paul says that love is the greatest aspect of any Christian. What good is your faith if there is not love? What good is your hope if there is not love? You could make a case that neither faith or hope would ever exist if it wasn’t for love.

#9 — Romans 8:35-39

Romans 8:35-39 — Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 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. 

There is nothing you can do to forfeit the love of God. God will always love you, and there is no power on earth, in hell, or in heaven capable of separating you from that love. The moment that could happen, God will cease to be God. This fact alone should be enough to inspire you to love God back.

#10 — Romans 5:3-8

Romans 5:3-8And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. 6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 

It is amazing how much we can endure when we know we are loved. It is the lonely, the abandoned, and the rejected that struggle to endure. But when you know that God loves you, know it in every fiber of your being, you can glory in tribulations. So much of our strength comes from the ones who love us — when we are secure in that love.

#11 — John 15:13

John 15:13Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 

Love and submission are merely two sides of the same coin. When you love someone, you are willing to give up aspects of your own life for the benefit of the object of your love. When everyone is doing this for everyone else, there will always be perfect peace and harmony. Unfortunately, too many men are lovers of their own selves.

#12 — John 13:35

John 13:35By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. 

This Bible love quote gives a defining aspect to Christians. If there is anything a Christian should be known for, it is loving others. This, above all else, is how others can judge our Christianity.

#13 — John 3:16

John 3:16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 

Love should move you to action. God’s love moved Him to give His only Son so that each of us might have eternal life. Love should moved you. Love should be made evident in your words and in your actions.

#14 — Matthew 22:37-40

Matthew 22:37-40 —  Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. 

Every law and every command of God can be distilled into two rules: Love God, love people. If we just do those two things, we’d never break another commandment or have a bad relationship again.

#15 — Matthew 5:44-46

Matthew 5:44-46 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; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 

Love does not look for reciprocation.  Love should be a natural outpouring of your nature and thus the targets of your love should be indiscriminate. True love loves the unlovable, but too many people only love those who love them back. This includes your enemies. God never commanded you to like your enemies, but you are commanded to love them. This is because love should be the result of who you are, not who your enemies are.

#16 — Proverbs 17:17

Proverbs 17:17 — A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. 

A true friend loves you no matter what. It is rare to find such love in today’s society, but there is no doubt that love should be consistent regardless of the circumstances.

#17 — Proverbs 15:17

Proverbs 15:17Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.

A mistake that many people make is believing that love is somehow connected to fleshly satisfaction. It is not. Love is connected to spiritual satisfaction. Having a lot of money does not mean you will find true love, and having true love does not mean you will have your physical needs and wants satisfied. But of the two, having true love is by far better than having riches untold and no love.

#18 — Proverbs 10:12

Proverbs 10:12Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.

Love overlooks wrongs. When love exists, we tend to see the best in people and find it in our hearts to give people a second chance. Love does not dwell on wrongs. This does not mean that love condones wrong or sin — it does not. But love seeks reconciliation, forgiveness, peace, and joy. Hatred seeks to take a problem and make it even worse.

Conclusion

This list comprises the top 18 Bible love quotes. There are many other verses that could go on this list, but these particular love quotes are meant to give you a biblical understanding of love and its place in your life. If one of these quotes caught your attention, leave a comment below and tell me about it. If there is a verse you think should be added to the list, I’d love to hear about that one too.

 

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