What Does the Bible Say About Friends?
Here are 24 Bible verses about friends, ordered by how relevant readers found them, with the King James Version and the modern Berean Standard Bible side by side.
- #1John 15:13
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
BSBGreater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
- #2Ecclesiastes 4:10
For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.
BSBFor if one falls down, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to help him up!
- #3Proverbs 18:24
A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
BSBA man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who stays closer than a brother.
- #4Proverbs 17:17
A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
BSBA friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
- #5Proverbs 13:20
He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.
BSBHe who walks with the wise will become wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed.
- #61 Corinthians 15:33
Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
BSBDo not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.”
- #7Proverbs 27:9
Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty counsel.
BSBOil and incense bring joy to the heart, and the sweetness of a friend is counsel to the soul.
- #8Proverbs 27:17
Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
BSBAs iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.
- #9John 15:15
Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
BSBNo longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not understand what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because everything I have learned from My Father I have made known to you.
- #10John 15:14
Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
BSBYou are My friends if you do what I command you.
- #11Psalms 41:9
Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.
BSBEven my close friend whom I trusted, the one who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.
- #12James 2:23
And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
BSBAnd the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called a friend of God.
- #13John 15:14-15
Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
BSBYou are My friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not understand what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because everything I have learned from My Father I have made known to you.
- #14John 15:12
This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
BSBThis is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
- #15Proverbs 16:28
A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.
BSBA perverse man spreads dissension, and a gossip divides close friends.
- #16Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
BSBTwo are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor. For if one falls down, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to help him up! Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone? And though one may be overpowered, two can resist. Moreover, a cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
- #17Psalms 55:12-14
For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him: But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance. We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.
BSBFor it is not an enemy who insults me; that I could endure. It is not a foe who rises against me; from him I could hide. But it is you, a man like myself, my companion and close friend. We shared sweet fellowship together; we walked with the crowd into the house of God.
- #18Proverbs 22:24-25
Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.
BSBDo not make friends with an angry man, and do not associate with a hot-tempered man, or you may learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.
- #19Proverbs 22:11
He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.
BSBHe who loves a pure heart and gracious lips will have the king for a friend.
- #20Proverbs 27:5-6
Open rebuke is better than secret love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
BSBBetter an open rebuke than love that is concealed. The wounds of a friend are faithful, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
- #21Matthew 18:15
Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
BSBIf your brother sins against you, go and confront him privately. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.
- #22Proverbs 12:26
The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour: but the way of the wicked seduceth them.
BSBA righteous man is cautious in friendship, but the ways of the wicked lead them astray.
- #23Proverbs 27:6
Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
BSBThe wounds of a friend are faithful, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
- #241 Samuel 18:1-3
And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father’s house. Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.
BSBAfter David had finished speaking with Saul, the souls of Jonathan and David were knit together, and Jonathan loved him as himself. And from that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return to his father’s house. Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.
Verse rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY). Scripture: KJV & BSB (public domain).