Meaningful Bible Verses About Friendship: Uplifting Proverbs and Bible Verses to Share
Friendships often provide people support and help with maintaining good mental health. Sometimes, friends like to share meaningful quotes with one another in order to express fondness or strengthen the friendship. In this article, we discuss various Bible verses about friendship. While these may be helpful in strengthening your friendships, you may find it beneficial to speak with a licensed mental health professional if you struggle to develop or maintain healthy relationships with others.
What are friendship Bible verses?
Friendship Bible verses can be described as scripture passages that are either directly about friendship or that have meanings that can be applied to friendships. There are a variety of friendship Bible verses, and each type may serve a different purpose. For example, some Bible verses warn about what not to do in a friendship, while others serve as a celebration of friendship.
What to do with friendship Bible verses
What you decide to do with friendship Bible verses may depend on the nature of your friendships and your personality. You could share friendship Bible verses with friends, whether through text or by writing them out on blank notecards. You could also read the verses, and then pray or meditate on them to learn from their deeper meanings. Some people have art made depicting friendship Bible verses by hiring an artist to write their favorite verses with calligraphy pens or paint them in watercolors to be framed and hung on the wall.
The best Bible verses about friendship
The best Bible verses about friendship may be those that speak to you and seem most meaningful to you personally. Different people may prefer different Bible verses about friendship.
Here, we share some of the Bible verses about friendship that are most popular and describe their meanings.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 "Encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing."
1 Corinthians 15:33 "Do not be misled: Bad company corrupts good character."
This popular Bible verse can act as a reminder to choose one's friends carefully. When you are close friends with someone, they can greatly influence you, for better or for worse. A verse with a similar message is Psalm 1:6, which says, "For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction." These verses can be warnings to stay away from those who might negatively impact your future.
Ephesians 4:32 "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."
In this Bible verse, the message is generally to forgive your friends when they make mistakes, as opposed to holding grudges. This is another piece of biblical advice that appears to align with scientific research. Studies have found that people who are more forgiving usually have better mental well-being.
1 Peter 4:10 " Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms."
In this verse, the word "gift" is used to describe a person's talents or skills, which some people view as gifts from God. The verse urges readers to use their gifts to benefit others. In terms of friendship, this might involve thinking about what you're good at and how to share the benefits of those skills or talents with your friends. For example, a person good at cooking may decide to throw a monthly dinner party, while a person good at knitting may knit friends scarves as gifts.
Other Bible verses about friendship
If you're interested in more Bible verses about friendship, here are a few to explore:
- 1 Corinthians 1:10 - "I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought."
- John 15:13 - "No one has greater love than the one who gives their life for one's friends."
- 1 Peter 4:8 - "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins."
- Psalm 133:1 - "How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity!"
Are there proverbs about friendship?
In the Bible, the book of Proverbs differs from many of the other books. Instead of relaying stories, this book contains a collection of sayings and words of wisdom that can act as instructions or life advice. Some of the verses in Proverbs pertain to friendship.
One of the most popular proverbs about friendship is Proverbs 18:24, which says, "One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." This proverb can be interpreted in different ways. Some may view it as a reminder to avoid forming friendships with unreliable people, while others may view it as a reminder to have hope, because there are good friends out there. Others yet may interpret the "friend who sticks closer than a brother" to be a reminder that you always have a friend in God.
Additional proverbs about friendship
The book of Proverbs may have more verses that pertain to friendship than most other books of the Bible. Proverbs are often the verses people enjoy sharing with others or displaying in their homes. Here are more verses about friendship that can be found in the book of Proverbs:
- Proverbs 13:20 - "Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm."
- Proverbs 15:18 - "A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel."
- Proverbs 16:28 - "A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates close friends."
- Proverbs 17:9 - "One who conceals an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends."
- Proverbs 17:17 - "A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity."
- Proverbs 27:9 - "Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice."
Why people like meaningful Bible verses
People like meaningful Bible verses for a variety of reasons. People often turn to Bible verses for hope, encouragement, and motivation, or as reminders of their values or purpose. Many people find that meaningful Bible verses uplift them and provide comfort during hard times. Bible verses about friendship, in particular, may help a person experience gratitude for their friends and remind them of ways to be a good friend.
What does the "fear of the almighty" Bible verse mean?
Another friendship-focused Bible verse is Job 6:14, which says, "Anyone who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty." While the verse seems to be encouraging people to show kindness to friends, some people wonder what exactly the verse means.
On the surface, people may assume the verse suggests that a person who doesn't show kindness to friends should fear being punished in some way, but a deeper examination may reveal a different meaning.
Understanding the "fear of the almighty" Bible verse
Job 6:14 says that people who withhold kindness from friends "forsake" the "fear of the Almighty." This doesn't necessarily mean they should have fear. "Forsake" means they abandon, renounce, or turn away from their fear of the Almighty. In this context, "fear" is being used differently than it's generally used today. Instead of meaning that a person is afraid of the Almighty, or God, fear in this context indicates they have a deep reverence or respect for God. Therefore, the verse may suggest that people who aren't kind to their friends no longer respect God.
Therapy for friendships
People may struggle with friendship for many reasons. A person may struggle to form friendships due to social anxiety or a fear of rejection. It’s also possible for a person to have many friendships, but experience discord in them and be unsure about how to resolve conflicts.
Therapy can be an option to address friendship difficulties, whether you are looking to find new friends or improve the friendships you already have. With remote therapy, you can attend sessions from the comfort of your home at times that suit your schedule. BetterHelp is a remote therapy platform that can connect you with a licensed mental health professional.
Research on therapy for friendships
There isn't much research specifically focused on how therapy can improve friendships. However, many psychology experts believe that therapists can help their clients make friends and strengthen friendships. They point out that therapy can help a person identify thoughts and behaviors that may contribute to loneliness, as well as identify their attachment style, which can influence relationships. Finally, experts suggest that therapists can help clients identify systemic factors that may affect friendships, like racism and the prevalence of technology use.
Additional research suggests that online therapy tends to be just as effective as in-person therapy, so either option may be beneficial for those who wish to discuss friendship-related challenges with a professional.
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