Friendship is a treasure that enriches our lives in countless ways. It offers comfort in times of sorrow, joy in moments of happiness, and guidance during periods of uncertainty. The Bible offers profound insights into the nature and importance of friendship. Through its pages, we find these 160 Bible verses about friendship dedicated to understanding, nurturing, and celebrating the bonds of friendship. Let’s journey together through these verses, uncovering the eternal truths about friendship’s heart.

The Value of Friendship

• Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 – “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.”
• Job 6:14 – “Anyone who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty.”
• 1 Samuel 20:17 – “And Jonathan had David reaffirm his oath out of love for him, because he loved him as he loved his own soul.”
• John 15:13 – “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
• Proverbs 27:17 – “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”
• Ephesians 4:2-3 – “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”
• Ecclesiastes 4:12 – “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”
• 1 Samuel 18:1-3 – “After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself… And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.”
• Proverbs 22:24-25 – “Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared.”
• Job 2:11 – “When Job’s three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite, heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him.”

Characteristics of a Good Friend

• Proverbs 11:13 – “A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.”
• Titus 3:10 – “Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them.”
• Proverbs 20:19 – “A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid anyone who talks too much.”
• Proverbs 24:26 – “An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.”
• Luke 6:31 – “Do to others as you would have them do to you.”
• Proverbs 2:20 – “Thus you will walk in the ways of the good and keep to the paths of the righteous.”
• Proverbs 3:32 – “For the Lord detests the perverse but takes the upright into his confidence.”
• Colossians 3:12-13 – “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
• Proverbs 28:7 – “A discerning son heeds instruction, but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father.”
• Proverbs 20:7 – “The righteous lead blameless lives; blessed are their children after them.”

Friendship and Counsel

• Proverbs 19:22 – “What a person desires is unfailing love; better to be poor than a liar.”
• Proverbs 15:22 – “Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.”
• Psalm 55:14 – “We used to take sweet counsel together; within God’s house we walked in the throng.”
• Proverbs 12:15 – “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.”
• Proverbs 19:20 – “Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future.”
• Proverbs 13:20 – “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.”
• Proverbs 20:18 – “Plans are established by counsel; by wise guidance wage war.”
• 2 Corinthians 7:13 – “By all this we are encouraged. In addition to our own encouragement, we were especially delighted to see how happy Titus was, because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you.”
• Amos 3:3 – “Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?”
• Job 29:4-6 – “As I was in my prime, when the friendship of God was upon my tent, when the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were all around me, when my steps were washed with butter, and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!”

Loyalty and Trustworthiness

• Proverbs 3:29 – “Do not plan harm against your neighbor, who lives trustfully near you.”
• Proverbs 25:13 – “Like the coolness of snow at harvest time is a trustworthy messenger to those who send him; he refreshes the spirit of his masters.”
• Proverbs 17:9 – “Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.”
• Proverbs 26:19 – “Is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, ‘I am only joking!'”
• Ecclesiastes 9:18 – “Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.”
• Proverbs 14:22 – “Do not those who plot evil go astray? But those who plan what is good find love and faithfulness.”
• Proverbs 18:24 – “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
• Luke 16:10 – “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.”
• 1 Corinthians 4:2 – “Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.”
• Proverbs 13:17 – “A wicked messenger falls into trouble, but a trustworthy envoy brings healing.”

Mutual Encouragement in Friendship

• 1 Thessalonians 5:11 – “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”
• Hebrews 10:24-25 – “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
• Romans 1:12 – “That is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.”
• Ephesians 4:32 – “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
• 1 Samuel 23:16 – “And Saul’s son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God.”
• Acts 20:35 – “In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
• Galatians 6:2 – “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
• 1 Peter 4:8-10 – “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”
• Romans 12:15 – “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.”
• Philemon 1:7 – “Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people.”

Reconciliation and Forgiveness in Friendships

• Matthew 18:15 – “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over.”
• Colossians 3:13 – “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
• Ephesians 4:26-27 – “In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.”
• Luke 17:3-4 – “So watch yourselves. If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.”
• 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 – “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.”
• Proverbs 10:12 – “Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs.”
• Matthew 5:23-24 – “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.”
• 1 John 1:9 – “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
• Ephesians 4:31-32 – “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
• Micah 7:18-19 – “Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.”

The Challenges of Friendship

• Proverbs 27:5 – “Better is open rebuke than hidden love.”
• Proverbs 25:17 – “Let your foot be seldom in your neighbor’s house, lest he have his fill of you and hate you.”
• Proverbs 20:19 – “A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid anyone who talks too much.”
• Proverbs 24:1-2 – “Do not envy the wicked, do not desire their company; for their hearts plot violence, and their lips talk about making trouble.”
• Ephesians 4:27 – “and do not give the devil a foothold.”
• Proverbs 22:24-25 – “Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared.”
• Matthew 26:50 – “Jesus replied, ‘Friend, do what you came for.’ Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him.”
• 2 Timothy 4:16 – “At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them.”
• Psalm 41:9 – “Even my close friend, someone I trusted, one who shared my bread, has turned against me.”
• Proverbs 18:19 – “A brother wronged is more unyielding than a fortified city; disputes are like the barred gates of a citadel.”

Wise Association and Companionship

• Psalm 119:63 – “I am a companion of all who fear you, of those who keep your precepts.”
• Proverbs 16:20 – “Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.”
• Proverbs 15:31 – “Whoever heeds life-giving correction will be at home among the wise.”
• 2 Corinthians 6:14 – “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?”
• Psalm 133:1 – “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!”
• Proverbs 28:7 – “A discerning son heeds instruction, but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father.”
• Proverbs 14:7 – “Stay away from a fool, for you will not find knowledge on their lips.”
• Malachi 3:16 – “Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored his name.”
• Acts 2:42 – “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”
• Ecclesiastes 7:1 – “A good name is better than fine perfume, and the day of death better than the day of birth.”

Faithfulness in Friendship

• Proverbs 20:6 – “Many claim to have unfailing love, but a faithful person who can find?”
• Proverbs 17:17 – “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”
• Ruth 1:16-17 – “But Ruth replied, ‘Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.'”
• 2 Samuel 1:26 – “I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother; you were very dear to me. Your love for me was wonderful, more wonderful than that of women.”
• 2 Thessalonians 3:14-15 – “Take special note of anyone who does not obey our instruction in this letter. Do not associate with them, in order that they may feel ashamed. Yet do not regard them as an enemy, but warn them as you would a fellow believer.”
• Philippians 2:3-4 – “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”
• Luke 5:20 – “When Jesus saw their faith, he said, ‘Friend, your sins are forgiven.'”
• John 11:5 – “Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.”
• John 15:15 – “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.”
• 3 John 1:15 – “Peace to you. The friends here send their greetings. Greet the friends there by name.”

The Influence of Friendship

• 1 Corinthians 5:11 – “But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people.”
• Psalm 101:6 – “My eyes will be on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; the one whose walk is blameless will minister to me.”
• 1 Corinthians 15:33 – “Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’”
• Proverbs 22:24-25 – “Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared.”
• Galatians 6:1 – “Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.”
• 2 Timothy 2:22 – “Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”
• Proverbs 27:19 – “As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart.”
• Proverbs 4:14-15 – “Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers. Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way.”
• Proverbs 11:14 – “For lack of guidance a nation falls, but victory is won through many advisers.”
• Proverbs 12:26 – “The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.”