Bible verses about love, at home and in marriage

“The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.”

After chapters of judgment, Zephaniah ends with God rejoicing over his people with singing — a mighty warrior who also quiets them with love.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

The most quoted verse in the Bible: God loved the world, gave his Son, and whoever believes in him has eternal life. Commentators note "world" means everyone, and "gave" points to the cross.

“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Paul's climactic list: nothing — death, life, angels, demons, present, future, height, depth, anything in creation — can separate us from God's love in Christ.

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

Paul's description of love — patient, kind, not envious, not boastful, keeps no record of wrongs, always protects, trusts, hopes, perseveres. Read at weddings; written to a divided church.

“Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,”

Paul tells believers to "clothe" themselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience — put them on daily, like clothes, as people God has chosen and loves.

“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.”

"Perfect love drives out fear" — in context, fear of judgment. John says someone who knows God's love doesn't live in dread of punishment.

“We love because he first loved us.”

"We love because he first loved us" — the order is the whole point. Human love is a response to God's initiative.

“the Lord appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.”

'I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you' — said to Israel in exile. Love is the cause; faithfulness the ongoing effect.

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”

Jesus gives a 'new commandment': love one another as I have loved you. The standard is his own love — sacrificial and first.

“but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

God shows his love in this: 'while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.' Love came before any improvement on our part.

“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

'Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.' The standard and the supply are the same: as you were forgiven.

“Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.”

'Love covers a multitude of sins' — not by ignoring wrong, but by choosing to forgive and not keep score. Peter calls this loving 'earnestly.'

“But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.”

'You, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.' An echo of God's self-description in Exodus 34.

“Let all that you do be done in love.”

Paul's closing instruction to a quarrelling church: 'Let all that you do be done in love.' All — not the religious parts only.

“Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.”

'Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.' Paul describes the one contest Christians are told to win: honoring each other.

“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

'Be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us.' Commentators stress the order: beloved children first, imitation second.

“I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live.”

'I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy.' The psalmist's love is a response to being heard. 'As long as I live' is the result.

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”

'A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.' Family and friendship are made for hard times, the proverb says.

“a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice.”

Of the Servant: 'a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench.' Matthew 12 applies it to Jesus. Gentleness toward the fragile.

“even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save.”

'Even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear.' God contrasts himself with idols that must be carried.

“And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Jesus' summary of the whole law: love God with all your heart, soul, and mind; love your neighbor as yourself. Everything else hangs on these.

“Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.”

'Even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.' Jesus on God's attention to detail and to you.

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”

'I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.' Jesus defines good shepherding by sacrifice.

“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”

'Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.' Jesus says it the night before he does it.

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Paul says he has been 'crucified with Christ' and the life he now lives, he lives 'by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.' Commentators highlight the personal pronouns: loved me, gave himself for me.

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,”

In Christ 'we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.' Paul measures forgiveness not by the size of the sin but by the 'riches' of grace.

“with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,”

Paul urges 'all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love.' Commentators note 'bearing with' assumes the other person will sometimes be hard to bear.

“bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”

'Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.' The measure of forgiveness is the forgiveness received.

“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.”

'Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together.' The writer assumes Christians need each other to keep going.

“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”

'The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish.' Delay is explained as patience.

“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.”

'See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.' John adds 'and so we are' to underline it is a fact, not a figure of speech.

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.”

'Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.' Spoken to a lukewarm church, commentators note — he knocks even there.

“When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”

'The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.' The righteous cry, he hears, and he draws near to the broken.

“For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.”

'For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.' Forgiveness is a characteristic of God, offered to all who call.

“Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man.”

'Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man.'

“Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.”

'Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.' Love does not expose every fault.

“Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.”

'Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.' Generosity returns.

“Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.”

'Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.' The Bible names anxiety directly and names a remedy.

“Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.”

'Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.' Growth happens in friction with others.

“Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.”

'Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.' Commentators note these are a mother's words to her son, the king.

“For the Lord will not cast off forever, for, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love;”

'For the Lord will not cast off forever, but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love.' Written amid the ruins of Jerusalem.

“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”

'Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father… Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.' Even the hairs of your head are numbered.

“In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ””

Paul quotes Jesus: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' A saying not recorded in the Gospels, preserved here.

“For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!””

'For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”' Adoption replaces fear.

“Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.”

'Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.' Four commands about strength, then one about love that governs them all.

“Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

'Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.' Commentators note it sits beside 'each will have to bear his own load' — some loads are shared, some are yours.

“so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”

Paul prays that his readers, 'rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend… the breadth and length and height and depth' of Christ's love, which 'surpasses knowledge.'

“And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.”

'Above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.' Love as the outer garment; peace as the umpire.

“he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,”

'He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy.' Salvation is grounded in mercy, not performance.

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.”

'Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.' Love's origin is God.

“So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.”

'So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.' Two steps: know, then believe.

“But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.”

Paul says he was 'gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children,' ready to share 'not only the gospel of God but also our own selves.' An apostle uses a nursing mother as his picture of ministry.

“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”

'Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.' Speech as a way of giving grace.