Love in the Bible
The Meaning of Love in The Bible
In the Bible, love is the essence of God’s character and the defining quality of his selfless, life-giving relationship with humanity. The biblical authors display the meaning of love through stories, poetry, and discourse. Hebrew words such as khesed (loyal love) and ahavah (affectionate, caring love) teach us about specific qualities essential to the concept of real love. And Greek terms such as agápe (divine love) and philia (familial love) emphasize the unique ways that God, friends, family, partners, and enemies can love one another. Beyond specific terms, the overarching story of the Bible ultimately describes love as the act of putting others before oneself—serving the interest and well-being of another.
The Love of God According to the Bible
The love of God can describe God’s love for humanity or humanity’s love for God. The biblical authors show us how God’s love for humanity is selfless, just, and unbreakable. They also show how God acts in love toward people, and how people respond to God’s love, while inviting readers to love God with everything they’ve got.
Where Does It Talk About Love in the Bible?
Everywhere! The whole Bible displays God’s love and demonstrates how humans love (or neglect to love) God and one another. Here are a few examples of the way the Bible talks about love.
- God instructs the Israelites to treat refugees and immigrants as natives and to love them as they love themselves (Lev. 19:34).
- Moses teaches the people God’s command to listen and love God with all their heart, soul, and strength (Deut. 6:4-5).
- Jonathan dedicates his loyalty to his friend David “because he loved him as himself” (1 Sam. 18:3).
- A woman pursues the man she loves, searching but not finding him (Song of Songs 3:2)
- Fearful leaders hide their faith because they love human admiration (John 12:42-43).
- John says, “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” (John 3:16).
- In his letter to Corinth, Paul describes how crucial love is to our identity while defining what love is (e.g., patient, kind) and what it’s not (e.g., proud, rude; see 1 Cor. 13).
Once you learn to look for it, you’ll see that the entire Bible talks about love.
How Love Is Described Biblically
The biblical authors use storytelling, poetry, and discourse to describe love. We can relate to the characters and emotions as they learn the meaning of love through the plot of a story (e.g., Luke 15:11-32) or the metaphors used in poetry (e.g., Song of Songs 8:6-7). We can also find direct messages about the self-giving nature of love in discourse texts (letters/epistles) like 1 John 3:16: “We know love by this, that [Jesus] laid down his life for us.”
Characteristics of Love in the Bible
In 1 Corinthians 13:1-8, Paul describes the nature and activity of real love. He says that even if we do impressive things with great faith, none of it matters if we do not have love. A loving person has learned to be patient, kind, hopeful, and enduring. A loving person turns away from all forms of violence or coercion and refuses to entertain jealous, boastful, arrogant, rude, selfish, or quick-tempered thoughts and behaviors.
John says that God is love (1 John 4:16). In other words, it is the essence of who God is. So when we learn to love in the way the Bible describes love, we are learning to live according to God’s character.
Symbols of Love in the Bible
In the Hebrew Bible, the authors symbolize love through characters in stories, such as the story of Ruth’s faithful relationship to her mother-in-law, Naomi (Ruth 1:14-22). In Song of Songs, the author compares love to a banner (Song of Songs 2:4), representing one’s allegiance and loyalty. And when Moses raises the bronze serpent so that the people can live (Num. 21:6-9), it is a symbol of God’s healing love. Jesus recalls this symbol when he is teaching about his own love for humanity (John 3:14-16).
And not only does blood symbolize life and death in the Bible, it also becomes a poignant symbol of love. Losing blood means losing life, and humbly giving one’s life for the well-being of another is the ultimate form of love. We see this most notably in the sacrifice of Jesus. The biblical authors say that Jesus poured out his blood for the good of all humanity (Matt. 26:28; 1 John 1:7)—the ultimate act of love.
The whole Bible tells the story of God’s love for humanity through these and many other symbols.
What God Says About Love in the Bible
The Bible has a lot to say about love—authors use several terms to describe love, and they refer to it hundreds of times throughout Scripture. Here are a few key quotes to start with.
29 Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; For His mercy is everlasting.
16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but so that the world might be saved through Him.
34 I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are My disciples: if you have love for one another.”
7 For one will hardly die for a righteous person; though perhaps for the good person someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
13 If I speak with the tongues of mankind and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 And if I give away all my possessions to charity, and if I surrender my body so that I may glory, but do not have love, it does me no good.
4 Love is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous; love does not brag, it is not arrogant. 5 It does not act disgracefully, it does not seek its own benefit; it is not provoked, does not keep an account of a wrong suffered, 6 it does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 it keeps every confidence, it believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away with; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away with.
22 Since you have purified your souls in obedience to the truth for a sincere love of the brothers and sisters, fervently love one another from the heart,
16 We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers and sisters. 17 But whoever has worldly goods and sees his brother or sister in need, and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God remain in him?
16 We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him.
What Is True Love According to the Bible?
The Apostle Paul describes love in several letters, perhaps most famously in 1 Corinthians. He says even if we do good deeds and have strong spiritual gifts and faith, none of it matters without love. Paul then gives us a practical list to explain what love looks like—what it does and does not do. Love is patient, kind, hopeful, and enduring. Love is not jealous, boastful, arrogant, rude, selfish, or quick-tempered (1 Cor. 13:1-8).
John, a disciple of Jesus and an apostle, says that God is love (1 John 4:16). Love characterizes God’s core essence. We see examples of God’s patient, kind, and enduring love throughout the Scriptures, especially in the story of Jesus’ non-violent responses to Roman oppression and religious coercion. Rather than fighting back with the power of force, he humbly offers his own life to bless and heal all humanity (1 John 3:16). Jesus’ selfless and compassionate treatment toward all people (including his enemies) shows us what true love looks like.
What Does Jesus Say About Love?
Jesus taught about the nature of true love. And he didn’t just talk about it—he actively loved everyone he met without partiality.
Here are a few examples of Jesus’ words about love.
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may prove yourselves to be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
44 And turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave Me no kiss; but she has not stopped kissing My feet since the time I came in. 46 You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume. 47 For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but the one who is forgiven little, loves little.”
13 No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”
16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.
34 I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are My disciples: if you have love for one another.”
12 “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that a person will lay down his life for his friends.
Here are a few examples of Jesus’ loving actions.
13 Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus, knowing that His hour had come that He would depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. 2 And during supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had handed all things over to Him, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God, 4 *got up from supper and *laid His outer garments aside; and He took a towel and tied it around Himself.
5 Then He *poured water into the basin, and began washing the disciples’ feet and wiping them with the towel which He had tied around Himself.
17 As He was setting out on a journey, a man ran up to Him and knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do so that I may inherit eternal life?” 18 But Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not give false testimony, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” 20 And he said to Him, “Teacher, I have kept all these things from my youth.” 21 Looking at him, Jesus showed love to him and said to him, “One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”
33 And when they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. 34 [ But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” ] And they cast lots, dividing His garments among themselves.
Books in the Bible That Talk About Love
Because the whole Bible points to God’s ultimate act of love in Jesus, every book of the Bible is, in its own way, about the love of God. But there are specific books of the Bible where the theme of love takes a more central role. Here are a few examples.
- Deuteronomy mentions love more than any other book of the Torah (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible).
- The books of Psalms and Proverbs include a variety of songs and wise sayings about love.
- Song of Songs (also called Song of Solomon) is a collection of Hebrew love poems.
- The Gospel of John emphasizes love more than the other gospels.
- John’s letters to the churches also highlight the theme of love, especially 1 John.
Are There Love Stories in the Bible?
The Bible is a collection of stories that point to God’s ultimate act of love in Jesus. Every biblical narrative can be seen as part of one story that teaches us about God’s love for humanity. However, some story collections are about the human rejection of God’s love. And there are other stories that show people giving their lives and everything they have in order to love God and others well. The biblical authors also capture various kinds of love between friends, relatives, spouses, and even enemies. Here are a few examples of biblical love stories.
- In the face of fear, Jonathan loves his friend David as he loves himself (1 Sam. 18:1).
- Ruth's love and care for her mother-in-law, Naomi, outweighs that of seven sons (Ruth 4:14-16).
- People turn away from God to love other gods, an action compared to adultery (e.g., Isaiah, Hosea, Jeremiah, etc.).
- Wisdom, personified as a woman, pursues people’s hearts and ears. She longs to love those who would listen to her guidance (Prov. 8-9).
- Jesus’ love for his followers is compared to a bridegroom’s love for his bride (Eph. 5:25-32; Rev. 19:7-16).
What Does It Mean to Love Your Enemies?
Jesus teaches us that the ultimate test of real love is how well we treat others, especially those who harm us or cannot offer anything in return. When Jesus is physically assaulted, he does not return violence. When he is maligned, falsely accused, and mistreated in many ways, he does not respond with the same kinds of attitudes or behaviors. Instead, Jesus teaches people to do good toward all, including their opposers. We are to be generous, forgiving, and compassionate without preference. We see Jesus embody this lifestyle as many harm him, yet he never returns harm in any way.
44 But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
27 “But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who are abusive to you.
35 But love your enemies and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil people.
This kind of love is essential to God’s nature. And because the New Testament authors describe Jesus as the incarnation of God himself, this divine love is the defining aspect of Jesus’ generous lifestyle.
What Does It Mean to Love Your Neighbor?
In the book of Mark, Jesus responds to a question from the scribes about which of God’s commands are the most important of all. He says, “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. And you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Notice how he fused two commands into one: “There is no other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:29-31)
Loving our neighbors is important to God, so much so that he describes loving one’s neighbor as one aspect of loving God himself. The two are different parts of the same love. So what does loving our neighbor look like?
In the Bible, love includes positive affection for others, but it also transcends a person’s emotions to include actions—the way a person cares for the well-being of another. Loving one’s neighbor is about actively caring for the neighbor’s health and well-being in the same way we might care for our own lives. And Jesus takes it a step further, inviting his followers to consider the radical way he has been loving and caring for them, and he tells them to do the same for their neighbors (John 13:34).
To learn more about what it means to love our neighbors, especially when they happen to be enemies, dive into day 10 of our Youversion reading plan, “A Journey Through Luke & Acts.”
What Does It Mean to Love One Another?
Loving one another is about attitude and action. It means listening to each other, remaining patient, and forgiving each others' faults or weaknesses. It’s about working for the health and well-being of the other, generously caring for the person, and learning to see the inherent beauty and good in one another.
Love is the distinguishing mark of all of Jesus’ followers, and we are able to love in this radical way because of the self-giving love of Jesus. His love empowers his followers to love each other with the same patience, devotion, and fervency he showed to them.
There are many biblical examples of what it means to love one another. Here are a few.
34 I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
12 “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.
35 By this all people will know that you are My disciples: if you have love for one another.”
9 Love must be free of hypocrisy. Detest what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor, 11 not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, 13 contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.
8 Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for the one who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the Law.
13 For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love.
2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,
22 Since you have purified your souls in obedience to the truth for a sincere love of the brothers and sisters, fervently love one another from the heart,
8 Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.
23 This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.
11 For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we are to love one another;
7 Beloved, let’s love one another; for love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.
11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God remains in us, and His love is perfected in us. 13 By this we know that we remain in Him and He in us, because He has given to us of His Spirit.
12 and may the Lord cause you to increase and overflow in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you;
9 Now as to the love of the brothers and sisters, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another;