Bible Verses About Friendship

Friendship is a gift Scripture honors deeply. These verses about friendship — from David and Jonathan to Christ calling his disciples 'friends' — show what true companionship looks like.

“A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” — Proverbs 17:17 (KJV)

A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. The two halves distinguish constancy from crisis usefulness.

“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.” — John 15:15 (KJV)

Henceforth I call you not servants, but friends — the reason given is that he has told them everything. Friendship is defined by disclosure.

“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.” — 1 Samuel 18:1 (KJV)

The soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David — formed the day David killed Goliath. It cost Jonathan his succession and he chose it anyway.

“Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.” — Proverbs 27:6 (KJV)

Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. Painful honesty is rated above pleasant flattery.

“Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel.” — Proverbs 27:9 (KJV)

Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart, so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel. Friendship is compared to something you can smell across a room.

“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.” — Proverbs 22:24-25 (KJV)

Make no friendship with an angry man, lest thou learn his ways. The reasoning is that temperament is transmissible.

“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.” — James 2:23 (KJV)

Abraham was called the Friend of God — a title given to a man, not claimed by him. It appears in an argument about faith proved by action.

“Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.” — 1 Corinthians 15:33 (KJV)

Evil communications corrupt good manners — Paul quotes a Greek playwright rather than Scripture. He assumes his readers know the line.

“Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him.” — Job 2:11 (KJV)

Three friends made an appointment together to come and mourn with him. They sat seven days in silence, which is the only part of their visit that helped.

“Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not; neither go into thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity: for better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off.” — Proverbs 27:10 (KJV)

Better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off — proximity is rated above blood in a crisis. It is a practical rather than sentimental judgement.

“Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.” — John 15:14 (KJV)

Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you — friendship offered with a condition attached. The command in question turns out to be loving one another.

“I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.” — 2 Samuel 1:26 (KJV)

Thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women — David's lament for Jonathan. It is the most unguarded thing he says about anyone.

“And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle.” — Exodus 33:11 (KJV)

The LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. The comparison is offered to describe God, which reverses the usual direction.

“A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.” — Proverbs 16:28 (KJV)

A whisperer separateth chief friends — the damage is attributed to speech rather than to a falling-out. It names the mechanism precisely.

“And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” — Ecclesiastes 4:12 (KJV)

A threefold cord is not quickly broken — the image moves past two to three. It is quoted at weddings but written about companionship generally.

“And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.” — Colossians 3:14 (KJV)

Above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. Charity is described as the tie holding the other virtues together.

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Frequently asked questions

What does the Bible say about friendship?

The 16 passages gathered on this page are the ones readers turn to most on friendship: Proverbs 17:17, John 15:15, 1 Samuel 18:1, Proverbs 27:6, Proverbs 27:9, Proverbs 22:24-25, James 2:23, 1 Corinthians 15:33, Job 2:11, Proverbs 27:10, John 15:14, 2 Samuel 1:26, Exodus 33:11, Proverbs…

What is a good Bible verse about friendship?

Proverbs 17:17 is the passage most often quoted on friendship, with John 15:15 and 1 Samuel 18:1 close behind. Which one helps depends on whether you need reassurance, instruction or simply company.

Where can I read these friendship verses?

You can read all of these verses about friendship — and the whole Bible, offline, in your preferred translation — free in the Quiethaven app for iPhone.