Love in the Bible

Paul addresses food sacrificed to idols, balancing knowledge with love. While idols are nothing and food does not bring us closer to God, knowledge puffs up while love builds up. Believers must not use their freedom to cause a weaker brother to stumble.

The love chapter: Paul declares that without love, all gifts are meaningless. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, boast, or keep record of wrongs. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Faith, hope, and love remain—but the greatest of these is love.

Paul gives instructions for the collection for the Jerusalem saints and shares his travel plans. He urges the Corinthians to be watchful, stand firm in the faith, be courageous and strong, and do everything in love. He closes with greetings and the Aramaic prayer maranatha—come, Lord!

Jesus is our advocate with the Father. John tests love for God by obedience to His commands—whoever says I know Him but does not keep His commands is a liar. He warns against loving the world and its desires, which are passing away. He addresses children, young people, and fathers, warning about antichrists who deny the Father and Son.

John marvels at the Father's lavish love that we should be called children of God. He contrasts the children of God with the children of the devil—those who practice sin versus those who practice righteousness. He calls for practical love: let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

John commands testing the spirits—not every spirit is from God. He declares that God is love, and those who live in love live in God. This is how God showed His love: He sent His one and only Son as an atoning sacrifice. There is no fear in love; perfect love drives out fear.

John declares that whoever is born of God overcomes the world, and the victory is our faith. He gives assurance of eternal life: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son has life. He closes urging confidence in prayer according to God's will and a warning to keep from idols.

Jonathan and David form a deep friendship covenant. David's military success makes him wildly popular, provoking Saul's jealousy. Saul attempts to kill David with a spear and schemes to have him killed by the Philistines through a dangerous bride-price.

Jonathan confirms Saul's intent to kill David through a secret arrow signal. The friends weep together and renew their covenant. Jonathan sends David away in peace, both knowing their separation may be permanent.

Paul defends his ministry among the Thessalonians, recalling how he and his companions shared not only the gospel but their very lives. They worked night and day so as not to be a burden. He describes his deep affection for them, like a mother nursing her children and a father encouraging them.

Paul sent Timothy to strengthen the Thessalonians during persecution and is overjoyed at Timothy's report of their steadfast faith and love. He prays earnestly to see them again and for their love to increase and overflow toward one another and everyone.

Paul writes about restoring a repentant offender with forgiveness and comfort, lest Satan gain a foothold through unforgiveness. He describes the spread of the gospel as the aroma of Christ—a fragrance of life to those being saved and of death to those perishing.

John writes to the chosen lady and her children, urging them to walk in truth and love. He warns against deceivers who deny Jesus Christ coming in the flesh. He instructs believers not to welcome or support false teachers who do not bring the teaching of Christ.

David learns of Saul and Jonathan's deaths. Rather than celebrating, he mourns deeply and composes a lament — the Song of the Bow — honoring both Saul and his beloved friend Jonathan.

John commends Gaius for his faithful hospitality to traveling missionaries and criticizes Diotrephes, who loves to be first and refuses to welcome fellow believers. He praises Demetrius as a model of faithfulness. He affirms that those who do good are from God; those who do evil have not seen God.

Since believers have been raised with Christ, Paul urges them to set their minds on things above. He instructs them to put to death earthly sins and put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Whatever you do, work heartily as for the Lord—for it is the Lord Christ you are serving.

Moses delivers the Shema — the foundational confession of Israel's faith: Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. He commands them to love God with all their heart, soul, and strength, and to teach God's words diligently to their children. He warns that prosperity in the Promised Land must not lead to forgetting God.

God commands Israel to completely destroy the seven Canaanite nations and make no treaties or intermarriages with them. He explains His choice of Israel is not because of their size but because of His love and His oath to the patriarchs. God promises to drive out the nations gradually and bless Israel with health, fertility, and victory.

God gives Moses new stone tablets to replace the broken ones and the ark is made to hold them. Moses recounts the death of Aaron and the setting apart of the Levites. He calls Israel to fear the Lord, walk in His ways, love and serve Him with all their heart. God defends the fatherless and widows and loves the foreigner.

Moses urges Israel to love God and keep His commands, recalling the mighty acts they witnessed — the plagues, the Red Sea crossing, and the swallowing of Dathan and Abiram. He presents the Promised Land as dependent on God's rain rather than irrigation, requiring ongoing trust. He sets before them blessing and curse.

Moses prophesies that after exile and judgment, if Israel returns to God wholeheartedly, He will restore their fortunes, gather them from all nations, and circumcise their hearts to love Him. He sets before them the ultimate choice: life and death, blessing and curse. He pleads with them to choose life by loving and obeying God.

Paul reveals the mystery hidden for ages: that Gentiles are fellow heirs with Israel in Christ. He prays one of Scripture's most powerful prayers—that they may know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, being filled with the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.

Paul calls believers to imitate God as beloved children, walking in love as Christ loved us. He contrasts the darkness of sin with living as children of light. He describes marriage as a mystery reflecting Christ and the church, where husbands love sacrificially and the church responds with reverence.

Paul declares that it is for freedom that Christ has set us free—do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. He teaches that the entire law is fulfilled in one command: love your neighbor as yourself. He contrasts the works of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Jacob arrives in Haran and meets Rachel at a well, falling in love with her. He agrees to work seven years for Laban to marry her, but Laban deceives him by substituting Leah on the wedding night. Jacob works another seven years for Rachel, and God opens Leah's womb as she bears four sons.

Final exhortations: keep loving one another, show hospitality to strangers, remember prisoners, honor marriage. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Let us go to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach. May the God of peace equip you with everything good for doing His will, working in us what is pleasing to Him through Jesus Christ.

God as the spurned husband will punish unfaithful Israel but ultimately woo her back. He will allure her into the wilderness, speak tenderly, and restore the relationship. She will call Him my husband instead of my master — a beautiful image of renewed intimacy.

God tells Hosea to buy back his adulterous wife, demonstrating His love for Israel despite her unfaithfulness. Hosea pays the price and asks Gomer to wait for him faithfully — a picture of redemption at great personal cost.

God's tender heartbreak as a parent: When Israel was a child, I loved him — I taught Ephraim to walk, I carried them. But they turned away. God's heart recoils within Him; His compassion grows warm and tender. He will not execute His fierce anger because He is God, not man.

The beautiful conclusion: Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God. God promises to heal their apostasy, love them freely, and be like dew to Israel. They will blossom like a lily, take root like Lebanon's cedars. Whoever is wise, let them understand these things.

James condemns favoritism in the church—showing partiality based on wealth violates the royal law of love. He argues forcefully that faith without works is dead. Abraham and Rahab demonstrated faith through action. Just as the body without the spirit is dead, faith without deeds is dead.

The pinnacle of Jeremiah's hope: God declares an everlasting love, promises Rachel's weeping will end, and announces the New Covenant — writing His law on hearts rather than stone tablets. This becomes the theological foundation for the New Testament.

Jesus tells Nicodemus that no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again. This chapter contains the most famous verse in the Bible: For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

At the Last Supper, Jesus washes His disciples' feet as an act of radical humility and servanthood. He predicts Judas' betrayal and gives the new commandment: love one another as I have loved you. By this all people will know you are my disciples, if you love one another.

Jesus teaches the allegory of the vine and branches—apart from Him, we can do nothing. He calls His followers friends and commands them to love one another, declaring that the greatest love is to lay down one's life for friends. He warns them the world will hate them as it hated Him.

The risen Jesus appears at the Sea of Tiberias and orchestrates another miraculous catch of fish. He restores Peter with three questions—do you love me?—commissioning him to feed His sheep. Jesus hints at Peter's martyrdom and the beloved disciple's future. John closes noting Jesus did many other things not recorded.

God calls Israel to be holy as He is holy and gives a wide-ranging collection of ethical, social, and religious laws. These include respecting parents, keeping the Sabbath, leaving gleanings for the poor, not stealing or lying, paying workers promptly, and the famous command to love your neighbour as yourself.

Jesus appoints the twelve apostles and delivers the Sermon on the Plain, including blessings and woes. He teaches radical love for enemies, the Golden Rule—do to others as you would have them do to you—and warns against judging others while ignoring your own flaws.

Jesus sends out seventy-two disciples and pronounces woes on unrepentant cities. He rejoices that the Father reveals truth to the humble. He tells the parable of the Good Samaritan, defining neighbor love in radical terms. He visits Martha and Mary, teaching that sitting at His feet is the one thing needed.

God declares His love for Israel but they question it: How have you loved us? God contrasts Jacob (loved) with Esau (Edom, rejected). The priests dishonor God by offering blind and lame sacrifices — try giving that to your governor, God challenges.

Jesus delivers the opening of the Sermon on the Mount, beginning with the Beatitudes that describe the blessed life. He teaches about being salt and light, fulfillment of the Law, and radical standards for righteousness including loving enemies.

Jesus tells the parable of the wedding banquet and skillfully answers trick questions about paying taxes to Caesar, the resurrection, and the greatest commandment. He identifies loving God with all your heart and loving your neighbor as yourself as the two commands on which all the Law hangs.

Jesus tells the parable of the wicked tenants and answers questions about taxes, the resurrection, and the greatest commandment. He warns against the scribes' hypocrisy and commends the poor widow who gives two small coins—her whole livelihood—as the greatest offering.

Paul writes a personal letter to Philemon about his runaway slave Onesimus, who has become a believer and now a beloved brother. Paul appeals to Philemon to receive Onesimus back—not as a slave but as a brother in the Lord—and offers to cover any debts. This short letter demonstrates the gospel's power to transform social relationships.