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Random Bible Verse About Friendship

Draw a verse about loyal friends, honest counsel, and how to love the people close to you.

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A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

Proverbs 17:17 KJV

Friendship in the Bible

The Bible treats friendship as a real good and also as a real risk. Proverbs praises the friend who loves at all times and warns against companions who lead you astray. Ecclesiastes points out that two people can lift each other after a fall. The stories add faces to these ideas: David and Jonathan, Ruth and Naomi, Job and the friends who sat with him before they started talking.

It also speaks of friendship with God. Abraham is called God's friend, and Jesus tells his disciples he no longer calls them servants but friends. That gives human friendship a deeper frame, because the way God treats people becomes a pattern for how friends can treat one another.

What good friends do

Across these passages, a few habits repeat. Good friends stay loyal in hard times, speak truth kindly, keep confidences, forgive quickly, and show up in practical ways. The writers are just as clear about what harms friendships: gossip, flattery, and bringing up old offenses again and again.

Stay when things get difficult, not only when they are easy.
Be honest in a gentle way, and be willing to hear the same.
Protect what was shared with you in confidence.
Rejoice and grieve with your friends.

Using a verse to reach out

A drawn verse can prompt a call or note to someone you have not spoken with lately. Pick one that fits the person, read its context, and share it along with a few words of your own. If the day is heavy, the random encouraging Bible verse page may fit better. For a verse picked from every book at once, use the Bible verse randomizer.

Some of the passages here are about the whole church family and not only close friends. They still apply, because the same instructions about kindness, forgiveness, and patience are meant to shape everyday relationships.

Verses in This Collection

Proverbs 17:17 – A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
A true friend stays loyal in good times and bad, and a brother is there when trouble comes.
Proverbs 18:24 – A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
Having friends takes being friendly yourself, and some friends prove more loyal than family.
Proverbs 27:17 – Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
Just as one piece of iron hones another, a friend's input makes you sharper.
Proverbs 27:6 – Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
A friend's correction may sting but can be trusted, unlike an enemy's flattering kisses.
Proverbs 27:9 – Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty counsel.
Like fragrant oil, a friend's sincere advice brings real gladness to the heart.
Proverbs 27:10 – 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.
Don't abandon old friends of the family; a nearby neighbor may help more in a crisis than a distant relative.
Proverbs 13:20 – He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.
Who you spend time with shapes you: walking with the wise builds wisdom, while joining fools leads to harm.
Proverbs 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.
Avoid close ties with a hot-tempered person, since you may pick up his habits and be caught in them.
Proverbs 16:28 – A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.
A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip can break up even close friends.
Proverbs 17:9 – He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.
Overlooking an offense builds love, while bringing it up again drives friends apart.
Proverbs 19:4 – Wealth maketh many friends; but the poor is separated from his neighbour.
Wealth attracts many friends, while the poor are abandoned; a blunt observation about shallow friendships.
Proverbs 19:6 – Many will intreat the favour of the prince: and every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts.
Many seek the favor of a generous person, and everyone claims to be friends with someone who gives gifts.
Proverbs 20:19 – He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.
Someone who gossips shares confidences, so avoid people who talk too freely or flatter.
Proverbs 25:17 – Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour’s house; lest he be weary of thee, and so hate thee.
Even a welcome friend can wear out his welcome, so keep visits from becoming too frequent.
Proverbs 25:19 – Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.
Trusting an unreliable person in a crisis is as painful and useless as a bad tooth or a sprained foot.
Proverbs 11:13 – A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.
A gossip gives away secrets, but a trustworthy person keeps a confidence.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 – 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.
Two do better than one because when one falls, the other can help him up.
Ecclesiastes 4:12 – And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
One may be overpowered, but two can stand together, and a three-strand cord does not snap easily.
John 15:13 – Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Jesus says the greatest love is giving up one's life for friends, shortly before his own death.
John 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.
Jesus calls his disciples friends rather than servants, because he has shared everything the Father told him.
John 13:34-35 – A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
Jesus gives a new command to love one another as he has loved them, which will mark them as his followers.
1 Samuel 18:1 – 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.
After David's victory over Goliath, Jonathan, Saul's son, bonds deeply with David and loves him as himself.
1 Samuel 18:3-4 – Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.
Jonathan makes a covenant with David and gives him his robe, armor, sword, and bow as a pledge.
1 Samuel 20:17 – And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him: for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
Jonathan asks David to renew his oath, because he loves David as his own life.
1 Samuel 23:16 – And Jonathan Saul’s son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God.
While David hides from Saul, Jonathan finds him in the wilderness and encourages him in God.
2 Samuel 1:26 – 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.
David's lament after Jonathan's death in battle expresses grief at losing a cherished, loyal friend.
2 Samuel 9:1 – And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?
Years later, David looks for a surviving member of Saul's family to honor his promise to Jonathan.
Ruth 1:16-17 – And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.
Ruth vows to stay with her mother-in-law Naomi, adopting her people and her God, until death.
Job 2:11 – 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's three friends travel to him after his losses, having agreed together to comfort and console him.
Job 16:2 – I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are ye all.
Job, in pain, calls his friends miserable comforters because their speeches add to his suffering.
Job 6:14 – To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.
Job says an afflicted person deserves kindness from friends, and withholding it shows a lack of reverence.
Exodus 33:11 – 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.
God spoke with Moses face to face, as one speaks with a friend, in the tent of meeting.
Isaiah 41:8 – But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.
God addresses Israel as his servant, descended from Abraham, whom he calls his friend.
James 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.
Abraham's trust in God was counted as righteousness, and he was called God's friend.
James 4:4 – Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
James warns that befriending the world's values makes one an enemy of God, in a rebuke of divided loyalty.
Romans 12:10 – Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
Believers are to love each other like family and be eager to honor one another.
Romans 12:15 – Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
Share in the joy of those who celebrate and the sorrow of those who grieve.
Romans 15:7 – Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.
Because Christ welcomed us, Paul says believers should welcome one another to God's glory.
Romans 15:2 – Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.
Each person should aim to please a neighbor in ways that build him up.
Galatians 6:2 – Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
Help one another carry heavy burdens, and in doing so follow Christ's law.
Galatians 6:1 – Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
If someone is caught in wrongdoing, restore him gently, remembering you can be tempted too.
Galatians 5:13 – For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
Freedom in Christ is not an excuse for selfishness; Paul calls believers to serve each other in love.
Philippians 2:3-4 – Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
Avoid selfish ambition, count others as more important, and look out for their interests too.
Philippians 1:3-5 – I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;
Paul thanks God for the Philippians' partnership in the gospel, praying for them with joy.
Philemon 1:7 – For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.
Paul tells Philemon that his love has brought him great joy and refreshed the hearts of fellow believers.
Colossians 3:13 – Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Put up with each other and forgive complaints, forgiving as the Lord forgave you.
Colossians 4:6 – Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.
Let conversation be gracious and well seasoned, so you know how to answer each person.
Colossians 3:12 – Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
Believers are urged to clothe themselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 – Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
Paul tells the church to encourage one another and build each other up, as they already do.
1 Thessalonians 5:14 – Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men .
Paul lists ways to treat different people: warn the idle, cheer the timid, help the weak, be patient with all.
1 Thessalonians 2:8 – So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.
Paul says he shared not only the gospel but his own life with them, because they were dear to him.
Hebrews 10:24-25 – And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is ; but exhorting one another : and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Believers should motivate each other to love and good deeds and keep meeting together, encouraging one another.
Hebrews 13:1-2 – Let brotherly love continue. Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
Keep loving one another as family and welcome strangers, since some have hosted angels without knowing.
Hebrews 3:13 – But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
Encourage each other every day so none are hardened by sin's deceit.
1 Peter 4:8 – And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
Above all, keep loving each other earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.
1 Peter 4:9 – Use hospitality one to another without grudging.
Open your home to one another without complaining.
1 Peter 3:8 – Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:
Peter asks believers to be united, sympathetic, loving as siblings, tenderhearted, and humble.
1 John 4:7 – Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
Love comes from God, so those who love show they know him and are born of him.
1 John 4:11 – Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
Since God loved us so much, John says we ought to love one another.
1 John 1:7 – But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
Walking in God's light leads to fellowship with each other, and Jesus' blood cleanses from all sin.
1 John 3:18 – My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
Love should show up in action and truth, not just in words and talk.
1 John 3:16 – Hereby perceive we the love of God , because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
Christ's sacrifice defines love, and John says it sets the pattern for how believers treat each other.
Ephesians 4:2 – With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
Be humble, gentle, and patient, putting up with one another lovingly.
Ephesians 4:32 – And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
Be kind and tenderhearted, forgiving each other as God forgave you in Christ.
Ephesians 4:29 – Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
Speak only what is helpful for building others up, so your words give grace to hearers.
Ephesians 4:25 – Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
Put away lying and tell your neighbor the truth, because believers belong to one another.
2 Timothy 1:16 – The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain:
Paul prays for Onesiphorus's household because he often refreshed Paul and was not ashamed of his chains.
2 Timothy 1:3-4 – I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day; Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy;
Paul tells Timothy he prays for him constantly and longs to see him, remembering his tears.
2 Timothy 4:11 – Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.
Near the end of his life Paul asks Timothy to bring Mark, once a source of conflict, now useful to him.
Acts 2:42 – And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
The first believers committed themselves to teaching, fellowship, shared meals, and prayer.
Acts 4:32 – And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.
The early church was of one heart and soul, and members shared their possessions freely.
Acts 20:37-38 – And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul’s neck, and kissed him, Sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake, that they should see his face no more. And they accompanied him unto the ship.
At Miletus, the Ephesian elders weep, embrace Paul, and walk him to the ship, grieved he would not return.
Matthew 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.
If a fellow believer wrongs you, Jesus says to speak with him privately first to win him back.
Matthew 18:20 – For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Jesus promises to be present wherever two or three gather in his name.
Matthew 7:12 – Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
The Golden Rule: treat others as you would want to be treated, summing up the Law and Prophets.
Luke 10:36-37 – Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.
After the Good Samaritan story, Jesus asks who was the neighbor; the answer is the one who showed mercy.
Luke 5:18-19 – And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy: and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him. And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus.
Friends carrying a paralyzed man lower him through a roof when the crowd blocks the door.
Psalm 133:1 – Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
A short song of ascent celebrating how good and pleasant it is when people live together in harmony.
Psalm 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.
David is wounded most by betrayal from a close companion with whom he once worshiped.
Psalm 41:9 – Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.
David laments that even a trusted friend who shared his bread has turned against him.
Psalm 119:63 – I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts.
The psalmist says he is a companion to all who revere God and follow his commands.
Mark 2:3-5 – And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.
Four men carry a paralyzed friend to Jesus, and Jesus responds when he sees their faith.
2 Corinthians 7:6 – Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus;
Paul says God comforted him through Titus's arrival after a time of anxiety.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 – Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
God comforts us in trouble so that we can in turn comfort others with that same comfort.
1 Corinthians 13:7 – Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
Love bears, believes, hopes, and endures all things, a description of the kind of love a friendship needs.
Leviticus 19:18 – Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD .
The Law forbids revenge or grudges and commands loving your neighbor as yourself.
3 John 1:14 – But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name.
John closes by hoping to visit soon and sending greetings from friends, asking to greet each friend by name.

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