What Does the Bible Say About Tough Love

"Thou shalt love each other" is not technically one of the ten commandments, but the importance of spreading love is a common theme throughout the pages of the Bible. As you read God's word, you'll see there are many inspirational Bible verses about love that highlight how much God loves you, and how you in turn must give that love to others.

When it comes to romantic love, the Bible has plenty of inspiration for creating lasting relationships. There are stories about powerful couples like Mary and Joseph, Jacob and Rachel, and Adam and Eve to read about and learn from. Marriage takes hard work, but these passages provide advice on how you and your partner can truly love another in the eyes of God. As Christians believe, you are made from His love, and He has given you the tools to love one another unconditionally — even during the hardest times and biggest fights.

However, it's not just key to love your romantic partner, but to love your friends and family and strangers as well. The Bible even says to love your enemies. God doesn't put limitations on who He loves and how, and neither should you. After all, you'll benefit from spreading positivity and kindness, because it will also fill your life with love and light. These are best Bible verses about helping and loving others.

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1 Corinthians 13:4-5

"Love is patient, love is kind, it isn't jealous, it doesn't brag, it isn't arrogant, it isn't rude, it doesn't seek its own advantage, it isn't irritable, it doesn't keep a record of complaints."

The Good News: Just as the Bible says, love is pure. When you find love, savor and respect it, and you will live a happy life.

1 John 4:19

"We love because God first loved us."

The Good News: When you show love towards the people in your life, it's an expression of the same love God has shown to you. How good it feels to keep that love chain going.

1 John 4:21

"This commandment we have from him: Those who claim to love God ought to love their brother and sister also."

The Good News: It's not enough to just show love and respect to God, you have to be just as kind to those around you. Your literal brothers and sisters deserve that as well as your metaphorical ones, aka your brothers and sisters in Christ.

Romans 12:9

"Love should be shown without pretending. Hate evil, and hold on to what is good."

The Good News: Fake niceties don't count when it comes to sharing love. You must exude genuine goodness. God can tell the difference.

1 John 4:16

"We have known and have believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and those who remain in love remain in God and God remains in them."

The Good News: You are able to share love because you have been shown love by God. Give that feeling to others by showing them how much you care as well.

1 Corinthians 16:14

"Everything should be done in love."

The Good News: Carry yourself through your life like Jesus would — leading with love first in all things.

Romans 13:10

"Love doesn't do anything wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is what fulfills the Law."

The Good News: There are many rules God wants you to follow, but chief among them is to love one another. You can never go wrong spreading love.

1 John 4:12

"No one has ever seen God. If we love each other, God remains in us and his love is made perfect in us."

The Good News: You may not be able to definitively prove that there is a God, but you can feel His love and know He is there for you.

Proverbs 8:17

"I love those who love me; those who seek me will find me."

The Good News: God will return love to those who show Him love. He is always with you.

Proverbs 10:12

"Hate stirs up conflict, but love covers all offenses."

The Good News: It takes so much more energy to be hateful and angry. When you let go of life's little tribulations and stay positive and loving, you'll feel better and so will those around you. Everyone wins.

Matthew 22:36-40

"'Teacher, what is the greatest commandment in the Law?' He replied, 'You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your being, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: You must love your neighbor as you love yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.'"

The Good News: Love God, love your fellow humans, and love yourself. That's what the Lord wants for you.

Romans 12:10

"Love each other like the members of your family. Be the best at showing honor to each other."

The Good News: You don't have to be related to someone to show them the same care you'd show your parents or siblings. Everyone is worthy of love.

John 15:13

"No one has greater love than to give up one's life for one's friends."

The Good News: Nobody should take this literally, of course, but the love you share with your friends forges a special bond. Friends should always have each other's backs.

Luke 6:35

"Instead, love your enemies, do good, and lend expecting nothing in return. If you do, you will have a great reward. You will be acting the way children of the Most High act, for he is kind to ungrateful and wicked people."

The Good News: It's not your job to judge those with whom you don't agree. Treat them with the same respect you know that God would give.

1 John 3:18

"Little children, let's not love with words or speech but with action and truth."

The Good News: You can share your love in many ways — and words of affirmation are important — but you can also show how caring you are through your actions. Perhaps you can take on some charity work, go out of your way to be there for a friend, or call up a loved one for a nice chat. It's easy to pay kindness forward in word and deed.

Song of Solomon 8:6-7

"Set me as a seal over your heart, as a seal upon your arm, for love is as strong as death, passionate love unrelenting as the grave. Its darts are darts of fire divine flame! Rushing waters can't quench love; rivers can't wash it away. If someone gave all his estate in exchange for love, he would be laughed to utter shame."

The Good News: There is nothing stronger than love — even death. In the darkest of times during your life, love will lift you up and carry you forward. This is the love of the Lord and the love of others around you.

Ephesians 4:32

"Be kind, compassionate, and forgiving to each other, in the same way God forgave you in Christ."

The Good News: Forgiveness comes out of the love you have for one another, and even in the hardest times, we remember how Christ forgives us for our own sins, too.

Ephesians 4:2-3

"Conduct yourselves with all humility, gentleness, and patience. Accept each other with love, and make an effort to preserve the unity of the Spirit with the peace that ties you together."

The Good News: Love goes hand-in-hand with things like patience and kindness and being humble. Embrace all of those Godly traits.

1 Peter 4:8

"Above all, show sincere love to each other, because love brings about the forgiveness of many sins."

The Good News: We all sin — it happens. However, love wins in the battle of evil, so in everything you do, act with love. Then, you will live a gracious and faithful life.

Matthew 6:24

"No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be loyal to the one and have contempt for the other. You cannot serve God and wealth."

The Good News: Loving God takes priority over loving material objects.

Romans 8:38-39

"I'm convinced that nothing can separate us from God's love in Christ Jesus our Lord: not death or life, not angels or rulers, not present things or future things, not powers or height or depth, or any other thing that is created."

The Good News: Nothing can come between you and the Lord. When times get tough, remember that. His love is available to you always.

Deuteronomy 7:9

"Know now then that the Lord your God is the only true God! He is the faithful God, who keeps the covenant and proves loyal to everyone who loves him and keeps his commands—even to the thousandth generation!"

The Good News: The Lord is the ultimate form of love and loyalty. He forgives and cares about His people even when they make mistakes. His love should be modeled towards everyone in your life.

Romans 8:28

"We know that God works all things together for good for the ones who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose."

The Good News: If ever you don't understand what God's plan is for you, remember that He loves you and is taking care of you — even if it feels like He's putting you through some challenges first.

John 3:16

"God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him won't perish but will have eternal life."

The Good News: Never forget the love God has shown all throughout history for His people. Time and time again, He has proven how much He cares.

Genesis 2:24

"This is the reason that a man leaves his father and mother and embraces his wife, and they become one flesh."

The Good News: God intended for couples to leave their families and create whole new ones with each other. They will become one unit and rely on each other, just as they watched their parents do for years.

1 Corinthians 13:13

"Now faith, hope, and love remain—these three things—and the greatest of these is love."

The Good News: Faith, hope, and love are three key virtues of the Christian religion. But without love, faith and hope would almost be useless. Once we truly believe in love (as God loved us as his children from the beginning of creation), then the virtues of faith and hope will be fully realized.

Ephesians 5:25

"As for husbands, love your wives just like Christ loved the church and gave himself for her."

The Good News: Jesus sacrificed himself for us, which was the truest act of love. We should love our spouses with the same amount of love as Jesus loved us and the Church he saved.

1 John 4:8

"The person who doesn't love does not know God, because God is love."

The Good News: If you have experienced love, you have experienced what it is to know God. He created us out of pure love, and we share that same love with others.

Romans 13:8

"Don't be in debt to anyone, except for the obligation to love each other. Whoever loves another person has fulfilled the Law."

The Good News: The two greatest commandments are to love our neighbors and to love God. Although we will never fulfill our "debt" of loving others while we live on Earth, if we constantly work towards that goal, we will be following God's laws and working to pay off what we owe.

Proverbs 3:3

"Don't let loyalty and faithfulness leave you. Bind them on your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart."

The Good News: When you say your vows on your wedding day, keep them locked in your hearts and never forget to work on them every single day. By doing this, you and your partner will grow in love."

Colossians 3:14

"And over all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity."

The Good News: Love brings everyone together, despite all of their differences. Put aside the hate, sin, and despair, and with just feelings of love we can all live in perfect harmony.

Mark 10:9

"Therefore, humans must not pull apart what God has put together."

The Good News: When God joins two people together in holy matrimony, it's important to respect that bond, not only of others but also of your own. Work hard to keep your marriage in tact and respect the holy union you brought before Him.

Song of Solomon 2:16

"I belong to my lover and he belongs to me — the one grazing among the lilies."

The Good News: When you and your spouse become one couple, you truly belong to each other. You are theirs and they are yours, forever.

Proverbs 31:10

"A competent wife, how does one find her? Her value is far above pearls."

The Good News: A partner who is of respectful and kind character is worth more to a person than money or inanimate objects. When you find the right "one," never let them go.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-11

"Two are better than one because they have a good return for their hard work. If either should fall, one can pick up the other. But how miserable are those who fall and don't have a companion to help them up! Also, if two lie down together, they can stay warm. But how can anyone stay warm alone?"

The Good News: Two are better than one, it's as simple as that. With a partner by your side, you will never be alone and you will always have support.

1 John 2:9-10

"Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble."

Psalm 143:8

"Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life."

1 John 4:8

"Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love."

Proverbs 4:23

"Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it."

Galatians 5:13

"You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; Rather, serve one another humbly in love."

1 Corinthians 13:6-7

"Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."

1 Thessalonians 3:12

"May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you."

1 John 4:9-11

"This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another."

1 John 4:18-19

"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because He first loved us."

John 15:12

"My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you."

Martha Sorren Martha Sorren is a freelance writer for Bustle, Refinery29, Woman's Day, and INSIDER.

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What Does the Bible Say About Tough Love

Source: https://www.womansday.com/relationships/g25095083/bible-verses-about-love/

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