As we go through life, it’s important to surround ourselves with friends who will uplift and inspire our faith. The Bible provides us with wisdom and insight on how to build these strong and lasting friendships. In this devotional, we’ll read Inspirational Bible Verses about Friendship and discover the importance of close friendships and how to cultivate them with other Christians.
Social media gives us a distorted view of friendship. On social channels, everyone is your friend. Kids from high school you haven’t talked to in years, distant family members you only see on holidays, and even people you’ve never met in person. They all add up, garner likes, and make us look good to the outside world.
But finding a real friend is a gift from God. However, it takes time to develop a close relationship with someone. Especially the good friendships that transcend time and distance and transform our lives one moment at a time.
What the Bible says about Friendship
The Bible tells us friendship is a blessing from God.
Over the course of my life, God has blessed me with many friendships. Each one has been unique and came at just the right time. Isn’t it funny how God works that way?
Growing up my best friend taught me about sign language and instilled in me a love for the deaf community. All these years later, her influence can still be seen in my artwork.
Another wonderful friend helped me through the most difficult time I’ve ever experienced, my mother’s death. With her encouragement I faced the hard times and forged ahead, even on the days when all I wanted to do was go back to bed.
These women are just two of the amazing blessings God has bestowed on me through true friendships.
It isn’t a coincidence that God’s Word teaches us the importance of friendship and finding true companionship with someone who will encourage us with God’s love.
This kind of Biblical friendship is an essential part of a believer’s life that brings us joy, comfort, and support when we need it the most.
And the Word of God gives us guidance about how we can cultivate and maintain meaningful friendships with other Christians. Throughout the scriptures, there are various verses that speak about the importance of friendship, how to be a good friend, and how to choose friends wisely.
Let’s read them together, starting with some of the most well-known Bible verses about friendship.
Best Friendship Bible Verses
God’s Word makes it clear that God values our relationships with other people, including friends. In fact, the Bible has a lot to say about friendship and how we can grow in faith together with friends who believe as we do.
Below are some popular Bible passages that highlight the importance of friendship and what it means to be a good friend.
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.
Proverbs 17:17 NIV
This verse shows us the importance of having friends who are loyal and reliable, especially during tough times.
A true friend is one who sticks with you through thick and thin, and is there for you when you need them the most. That kind of loyalty can’t be bought, but it can be given and received.
One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Proverbs 18:24 NIV
In this friendship scripture, we see the importance of choosing our friends wisely. It’s better to have a few close, trustworthy friends than many unreliable ones.
Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel.
Proverbs 27:9 ESV
This Bible verse about friendship celebrates the sweet wisdom and joy that comes from sharing our lives with other believers. Because good friends are the ones who listen to our troubles, then offer us Biblical advice and a shoulder to lean on while we wait for God’s wisdom to sink in.
Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their labor:
If either of them falls down,
one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
and has no one to help them up.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 NIV
This verse emphasizes the value of having a friend who can offer support and encouragement through life’s challenges. Because We’re not meant to go through life alone, and having a faithful friend to support us during the hard times makes all the difference.
Proverbs about Friendship
The book of Proverbs offers common sense for every situation in life. If there’s a question about how you should live life, you’ll find it in this inspiring book of the Bible.
And since friends are a big part of our lives, Proverbs has a lot to say to us about friendships.
The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.
Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of Fools will suffer harm.
A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Better is open rebuke than hidden love.
Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy.
Just as lotions and fragrance give sensual delight,
a sweet friendship refreshes the soul.
Proverbs 27:9 MSG
A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends.
Make no friendship with a man given to anger,
nor go with a wrathful man,
lest you learn his ways
and entangle yourself in a snare.
Many will say they are loyal friends, but who can find one who is truly reliable?
Proverbs 20:6 NLT
Bible Verse Art from Master’s Hand Collection
1 John 4:7 Love One Another Art Print
God is Love Bible Verse Art Print
Love Black and White Art Print
Examples of Friendship in the Bible
The Bible beautifully lays out examples of great friends for us to follow in our own relationships. Like our friendships, each one is unique. But they all offer us a glimpse of God’s grace and the love shared between close friends.
David and Jonathan
As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. And Saul took him that day and would not let him return to his father’s house. Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul.
This scripture about friendship describes the deep love, loyalty, and mutual support between David and Jonathan. Theirs is one of the most well-known examples of friendship in the Bible.
Jonathan was the son of King Saul, and David was a young shepherd who would eventually become king. Despite their different backgrounds, the two became close friends. They made a covenant with each other, promising to be loyal and protect one another. Jonathan even risked his own life to warn David when Saul was plotting to kill him.
Ruth and Naomi
But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.” And when Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more.
Ruth and Naomi’s friendship is a beautiful example of loyal love between two family members.
After Ruth’s husband died, she chose to stay with her mother-in-law, Naomi, instead of returning to her own family. These women became inseparable, with Ruth caring for Naomi and providing for her. Ruth’s selflessness and devotion to Naomi is a testament to the power of friendship and love.
Paul and Timothy
But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, that I also may be encouraged when I know your state. For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus. But you know his proven character, that as a son with his father he served with me in the gospel.
Philippians 2:19-22 NKJV
Paul and Timothy’s relationship is a great example of a friendship that began as a mentor and student and over time grew to be like a father and son.
Paul was a seasoned missionary and leader in the early Christian church, and Timothy was a young man who looked up to him. Paul took Timothy under his wing and taught him about the faith, encouraging him to continue in his ministry. Their friendship was based on a shared love for Christ and a desire to spread the gospel as Jesus instructed us all to do.
God and Moses
Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses turned again into the camp, his assistant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.
The close relationship we share with God is echoed in the tight-knit friendship between God and Moses.
Moses began life as a prince of Egypt. But by the time God appeared to him as a burning bush, Moses was in exile. However, God’s plan for Moses’ life never changed and God would see it fulfilled.
While relying on God to get him through the plagues of Egypt, a journey through the Red Sea, and years leading God’s people in the wilderness, a strong bond of friendship was formed.
And this scripture about friendship shows us that God is not a distant God looking down on us from heaven. Instead, He spoke with Moses intimately and face to face as a trusted friend would.
God and Abraham
And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God.
James 2:23 NKJV
How could anyone make sense of placing their beloved child on an altar and sacrificing him to God? But that’s exactly what Abraham did when he built an altar to God and put Isaac on it.
Abraham set aside doubt, believed God, and trusted Him completely, even when it didn’t make sense. Thus, making him a beloved friend of God.
And we can have that same relationship with God too, by putting our faith and trust in Him.
Jesus and the Church
Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.
John 15:13-15 NIV
There is no greater example of true friendship than our Savior, Jesus Christ!
In this scripture, Jesus describes the ultimate act of friendship, laying down one’s life for a friend. Which is exactly what He has done for God’s people.
Jesus also elevates His disciples from being His servants to His friends, indicating the close relationship they shared. And the relationship that we can have with Him today if we believe in Him.
Overall, these examples of friendship in the Bible show us the importance of loyalty, love, and mentorship. They remind us that true friendship is selfless and rooted in our shared faith and God-given purpose.
Read More in this Bible Study: Trusting God Even When It Doesn’t Make Sense
How to be a Good Friend According to the Bible
Let’s take a closer look at how we can implement these Bible Verses about Friendship into our relationships and show the love of Christ Jesus to the people closest to us.
They may seem like simple concepts. But each one adds up and helps us grow meaningful friendships over time.
Be Honest and Trustworthy
The Bible emphasizes the importance of honesty and trustworthiness in friendship.
Proverbs 17:17 says, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.”
This means that true friends are there for each other through thick and thin, and they can always be counted on to tell the truth. So, for us to be a good friend, it’s important to be honest and transparent with our friends, even when it’s a difficult thing to do.
Be Loyal
Loyalty is another important quality of a good friend.
Proverbs 18:24 says, “One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
Meaning that true friends are loyal to each other, even in difficult times. They don’t abandon each other when the going gets tough, or betray each other’s trust. So, it’s important for us to be loyal to our friends and stand beside them through both the good and bad times.
Be Forgiving
Forgiveness is an essential part of any healthy friendship.
Colossians 3:13 says, “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
True friends are willing to forgive each other’s mistakes and shortcomings and to work through conflicts in a peaceful and loving manner. So, if we want to be a good friend, it’s important to forgive our friends when they hurt us and ask for forgiveness when we’ve wronged them.
Be Supportive
Friends should always support each other, especially during difficult times.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 says, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.”
Meaning real friends support each other, lend a helping hand, and offer encouragement and comfort when needed. So, let’s be supportive of our friends, knowing that they will do the same for us when we need a little support too.
Be a Good Listener
Listening is one of the most important qualities of a great friend.
James 1:19 says, “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.”
This means that true friends are willing to listen to each other, to offer advice and support, and to be there for each other when they need to talk. And if we want to have a great friend, we need to be one first. So, it’s important to be a good listener, be patient and understanding, and offer a listening ear when our friends need it.
How to Be a Good Friend Bible Verses
The difference between a good friend and a great friend is one who will turn you to God for advice instead of offering their own.
So, please allow me to be a great friend to you, and turn you to scripture for God’s wisdom instead of my own.
Here are some great Bible Verses about how to be a good friend.
Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:
1 Peter 4:8-10 ESV
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Hebrews 10:24-25 ESV
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Galatians 6:2 ESV
He who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty.
Job 6:14 ESV
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.
1 John 4:7 NIV
Read More in this Devotional: Powerful Bible Verses about Loving Your Enemies
Cautionary Bible Verses about Friendship
Our list wouldn’t be complete without a short look at some Bible verses about bad friends. So, let’s take a moment to contemplate these cautionary tales from scripture.
Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”
1 Corinthians 15:33 NIV
You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
James 4:4 ESV
I truly pray these Inspirational Bible Verses about Friendship have shown you recognize the blessings of true friends in your life, and helped you become the kind of friend you would like to be.
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