Have you ever wondered what the Bible had to say on a subject, but had no idea where to start looking? Maybe there is something God has put on your heart to work on and you want to know everything the Word says about it. Well, a concordance can be a great tool to use when trying to find what the Bible says on a specific subject; but, often times, our Bibles don't include this very important section at the front or back of our texts and finding the information on our own can become time consuming and frustrating. For this reason, I decided to take four subjects and present a short series that gives comprehensive lists of verses relating to the subjects chosen. Today we will continue with the second part of our series with a look into what the Bible says about love.
Love. It is confusing and wonderful, heartbreaking and heart-healing. It is something that we all, at some point or another encounter and hold dear. It's what we need! Whether it's love from a family member, a friend, or a partner, we as humans were made to love... and why is that? Well, quite simply, it is because our Creator is love; it's all He can do and He has filled us with it so fully that we desire to pour it out onto others. Today, I want to present a list of Bible verses that can help us to understand what love is, why we should love, how God feels, about love, and how we show it in our lives:
"For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." – John 3:16 (NLT)
"Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever! " – 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (NLT)
"Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins." – 1 Peter 4:8 (ESV)
"So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” – John 13:34-35 (NLT)
"Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love." – 1 Corinthians 13:13 (NLT)
"We love because he first loved us." – 1 John 4:19 (ESV)
"Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.” – Mark 12:29-31 (NLT)
"Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God." – 1 John 4:7 (NLT)
"Hatred stirs up quarrels, but love makes up for all offenses." – Proverbs 10:12 (NLT)
“Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” – Matthew 22:36-40 (NLT)
"But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." – Romans 5:8 (ESV)
"Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law." – Romans 13:8 (NLT)
"Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good." – Romans 12:9 (ESV)
"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." – Galatians 2:20 (ESV)
"No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." – Romans 8:37-39 (NLT)
"This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you." – John 15:12 (NLT)
"Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a man offered for love all the wealth of his house, he would be utterly despised." – Song of Solomon 8:7 (ESV)
"Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace." – Ephesians 4:2-3 (NLT)
"Long ago the Lord said to Israel: “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself." – Jeremiah 31:3 (NLT)
"And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." – Romans 5:5 (ESV)
