Loving others is one of the most prevalent themes in the New Testament, with Jesus proclaiming that the greatest two commandments are to love the Lord and to have love for others. And Bible verses about loving others make it clear that it’s essential to have love not only for our friends and family, but also for enemies and those we dislike.
25 Bible Verses About Loving Friends, Family and Strangers
Considering that a major Biblical focus is loving others, we can use the example of Jesus Christ to show us the way. Here are some of the best Bible verses about loving others:
John 3:16 (NIV)
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16 is most frequently used when discussing Jesus Christ’s sacrifice and eternal life, but the verse also provides a blueprint for how we should treat others. Considering that God so loved us that He sent Jesus, we, too, should extend love and grace to others — even those who have hurt and offended us.
John 15:12 (NIV)
My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
Jesus calls on all of us to engage in loving others, just as He has loved us. This is one of the Bible verses that makes it clear that God’s love is the blueprint to follow in our own lives.
There are many examples of this Bible verse about loving others that we can see play out in Pure Flix Original titles. In the original movie, "Finding Faith," Victoria's faith has never been shaken as much as it is during this trying time in her life. Because of past hurts, she has closed her heart off to allowing her husband in and loving faithfully and trustingly. With encouragement from her pastor and prayer, she is able to trust God and find the strength to love her husband as God is asking her to.
Romans 13:10 (NIV)
Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
This is one of those Bible verses that we don't always enjoy hearing, because of the difficulty of carrying out the tasked asked of us. We should have no ill will toward those around us, with the importance of loving others being emphasized in this verse.
In "The Blind," Phil's vices take control over his life and made him lose everything he loved, including his wife and children. His vices also fill him with animosity for anyone who tries to prevent him from doing what he wants.
Phil realized, "You’ve got to come to the end of yourself to find the beginning of God.” Which takes him on his redemption journey to abandoning his former ways and giving his live to God. He learns how to love his neighbor, and never wish harm upon them.
Matthew 10:8 (NIV)
Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.
The New Testament calls Christians to go above and beyond to help others. Whether it is the sick or those in need, the Bible repeatedly offers guidance aimed at sparking goodness in how we interact with and love those around us.
In "Divine Influencer," Olivia gets a wake up call when her parents stop supporting her financially and she loses her job as a social media influencer at the same time. Being kicked out of her apartment, she finds respite at a local mission shelter. As she works for her keep, she learns what it means to truly and freely give to and love her neighbor and be grateful for all that she has.
James 1:27 (NIV)
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
Bible verses about loving others call us to help every neighbor. James 1:27 (NIV) tells us this includes the fatherless, widows and those who face uphill battles in life or challenges. The greater love we show, the more we show that love to others, the more we’re living out God’s plan for our lives.
READ ALSO: 29 Bible Verses About Wives, Marriage and Love
Luke 6:27-28 (NIV)
But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
There are Bible verses about loving others such as Luke 6:27-28 (NIV) that make one thing abundantly clear: We’re not only called to love people we like; we’re also called to love our enemies and those whom we dislike. While this might be a hard pill to swallow, loving others that we dislike is living out the Christian faith.
In "The Engagement Plan," Wade meets his girlfriend's ex-boyfriend, Cam, when he goes to her family's farm to meet her parents. Seeing the stark difference between himself and Cam, Wade gets jealous and continually tries to one-up Cam. Wade could use a Bible verse about loving others, such as Luke 6:27-28 (NIV) to help navigate cultivating a relationship withCam.
Matthew 5:44 (NIV)
But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
While it might be difficult to show greater love to those who have hurt or persecuted you, Jesus Christ calls us to pray for these people. This is an act of love that can spark humility inside of us, while also blessing even those people who have harmed us.
In "God's Not Dead: A Light in the Darkness," Reverend Dave faces cultural and social backlash, including having his church burned down during a protest. He is antagonized by protestors and rioters for his work on a liberal college campus. While facing these trials, he continues to pray for those who are persecuting him, in hopes they can find love in their heart.
Galatians 5:14 (NIV)
For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself."
As a Christian, you are called to love your neighbor as yourself. Considering that most of us seek our own well-being, this verse is convicting and important.
In "No Vacancy," journalist Brandi Michaels has become jaded over the years working for a local newspaper. When she is assigned a story about a church purchasing a motel to help homeless families, she is able to see firsthand the pastor's love of neighbor and himself. Brandi see the Bible verse about loving others, Galatians 5:14 (NIV), being put into action, which causes her to make a change inside herself to be more loving towards others.
John 15:9 (NIV)
As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.
God is the ultimate example of love, with Jesus Christ and his sacrifice to bring us eternal life offering a stark reminder for us to ensure we love others with the same fervency.
In "Sun Moon," Kelsey knows that God loves her, but she becomes angry with Him when her fiance leaves her the night before their wedding and she has no idea what her next step in life is. In an effort to find herself again, she takes a teaching job in Taiwan. Still angry with God, her students end up teaching her how she can still remain in God's love while experiencing heartbreak. She learns that God is always there for her, even through her suffering.
1 John 4:11 (NIV)
Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
1 John 4:11(NIV) builds upon the importance of loving others, reminding Christians that God’s love for humanity is so powerful that it should be our own standard in our relationships and treatment or others.
1 Corinthians 13:1-2 (NIV)
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.
Without love, we are nothing. Jesus Christ calls us to love God and love others. If we fail to live by these commands, we are missing the boat on goodness and what it really means to be a Christian.
Ephesians 5:2 (NIV)
and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
This is one of the Bible verses about loving others that focuses on the connection between the selflessness of Christ’s death on the cross and the way in which we’re called to interact with others.
Reflecting on Christ's act of love for us by dying on the cross is one way to really see what the Bible meant about learning to love others. In "Forty-Seven Days with Jesus," a disconnected family finds hope and unity through a cinematic retelling of Jesus' final 47 days on Earth.
Galatians 6:2 (NIV)
Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
One way we can effectively love others is to bear their burdens — to hear them out when it comes to their pains and struggles, and to offer assistance if and when it applies. If we help one another, we can all truly learn and grow.
Romans 12:10 (NIV)
Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.
Brotherly love is an excellent way to treat others. If we operate with kindness and affection and treat those around us as though we deeply care, we can be living out exactly what Jesus Christ called us to do.
"My Brother's Keeper" show this Bible verse about loving others in action. Coming home from war, Travis Fox is struggling with PTSD and his faith in God. Being in the military, he lived out brotherly love within his unit. Without that mission in his life anymore, he is unsure what the next step God is calling him to to live out that purpose.
Proverbs 11:25 (NIV)
A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.
We should pour ourselves out and shower love and grace upon those who need it. Not only is this good for the people around us, but it helps to fulfill our own souls, while bringing us into compliance with the gospel.
Ephesians 4:32 (NIV)
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Among Bible verses about loving others are scriptures that remind us not to allow bitterness to overtake us. We must step beyond ourselves and show greater love by forgiving those who have harmed us, remember in the process how Jesus Christ has forgiven us for our wrongs.
Luke 3:11 (NIV)
John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.”
Charity and giving to those in need is yet another way to show love for others. The Bible calls us to help meet the physical needs of those who cannot help themselves.
Bible verses about loving others can be seen through the actions and love of adopted and blended families. In "Lifemark," David's adopted parents took him in as their own son because his biological mother couldn't meet his physical needs as a child. When she reaches out to David 18 years later, David learns of the sacrifices both she and his adopted parents made in order to give him the best life possible.
John 15:13 (NIV)
Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
Jesus Christ’s death on the cross was the greatest act of love in history. Jesus’ death gives us eternal life, but it also inspires us to be loving others by showing God’s love to those we encounter.
Proverbs 17:17 (NIV)
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.
Keeping positive friendships is also important. Being a good friend means being there for those around you, particularly when tough times strike. Show greater love by increasing your love for your friends. Make time to listen to their needs, wants and struggles.
In "County Rescue," an entire of station of EMTs rely on each other to keep themselves grounded while working to save lives. This team can laugh together, support each other after a hard station call, and encourage each other to be faithful.
1 John 4:18 (NIV)
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
Remember that love has the power to “cast out fear.” So when chaos and uncertainty strike, seek those who love you — and be a rock for those who are struggling and fearful. Keeping healthy relationships is key, as is being intentional about showing your life for others.
Deuteronomy 15:11 (NIV)
There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.
Remember to be charitable and to give, especially if your life is filled with blessings. We show greater love by helping those who desperately need it.
In "The Girl Who Believes in Miracles," young Sara hears her pastor preach on the lesson that faith can move mountains. Leaning into that lesson, she learns how to be charitable with her prayer, giving her prayers and graces to those in her community who need it most.
Hebrews 13:1-2 (NIV)
Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.
Love is important, not only for friends and family — but even for strangers. It’s important that we extend a hand to those in need, as the Bible verses about loving others command Christians to do so.
In "Saved by Grace," angels Grace and Jeremiah enter unknowingly into people lives to intercede for them. Their mission is all dependent on how these humans will respond to these strangers. Grace and Jeremiah teach the people they encounter the lessons that come from Bible verses about loving others.
Colossians 3:19 (NIV)
Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.
Here’s another one of the Bible verses telling husbands to love their wives. The message is simple and its repetition should speak volumes about how spouses are to treat one another.
John 13:34-35 (NIV)
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
When it comes to the pursuit of following God and finding eternal life, Jesus tells us evidence of our faith can be seen in how we love one another. Loving others is essential and Christ makes this more than clear in this scripture.
Hebrews 10:24 (NIV)
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds
We can start and end each day with a self-reflection of our actions and assess how they affected others around us. This Bible verse about loving and caring for others tells us that we need to continually act out of love. This means that we are to be charitable and do good deeds to the neighbors around us, however that might look on any given day.
That wraps up our list of Bible verses about loving others. For more inspiration and encouragement, subscribe to the weekly Pure Flix Insider email newsletter.
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