12 Beautiful Proverbs About Friendship

Do you have a friend that is your confidant and trustworthy partner? Someone you can call on in the middle of the night without question? If so, you are truly blessed and the Bible says so! If you don’t, you can always count on Jesus to be a true friend. 

Yet, no worries here because the Bible is filled with friendship scripture to meditate on and memorize. Regardless of whether you have an earthly friend or not, find out what a companion really is directly from the scriptures as we dive deep into these 13 beautiful proverbs about friendship!  

the word friendship spelled out with letter blocks

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Friendships in the Bible

Do you really know what the definition of a loving friendship is? There are a number of friendships in the Bible that remind us of how we should be treating each other, always thinking about others instead of ourselves.

Here are Old Testament and New Testament friendships, including women and men, that inspire us to be better friends with those we connect with every day in life. 

The Friendship of Ruth and Naomi 

While Naomi was Ruth’s deceased husband’s mother, she stuck by her and took care of her while building a long-lasting relationship. Ruth became friends with her mother-in-law even though she remarried and started a new family with Boaz. She looked out for her in her remaining years on the earth. 

Would you continue to take care of your mother n law even after your husband’s death?

But Ruth replied, ‘Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me. Ruth 1:16-17

The Friendship of David and Jonathan

The bond between Jonathan and David was strong and both were very open about their ‘manly’ feelings for each other. Their relationship was a close-knit type of sacrificial love and loyalty. In 1 Samuel 20:42, the two friends kissed each other and wept together.

Do you love your friends so much that kisses and weeping would be appropriate? 

After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself. 2 From that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return home to his family. 3 And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. 1 Samuel 18:1-3 NIV

The Friendship of Jesus, Mary, Martha, and Lazarus

Jesus had a close relationship with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. They spoke to him as friends, openly and intimately. Mary anointed his feet with oil and washed it off with her hair. Jesus walked many miles to see Lazarus knowing he was “dead” and wept for him, even though he would later raise him from the dead. 

Jesus was clearly affected by the grief of his close friends Mary and Martha and those lamenting with them. 

The Bible tells us to weep with those who are grieving with tears in Romans 12:15. It’s obvious that Jesus demonstrated this same kind of deep friendship for Lazarus and his family. 

Do you weep with your friends when they are grieving?

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. Luke 10:38 NIV

‘’Lord,’ Martha said to Jesus, ‘if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’” John 11:21-23 NIV

The Friendship of Abraham and Lot

Abraham was a loyal and selfless friend to his nephew, Lot. He went above and beyond his call of duty by allowing Lot to pick his choice of land first.  Lot chose in Genesis 13, to take the valley near the beautiful but sinful city of Sodom.  In addition, later in Genesis, it is revealed that Abraham rescues Lot by gathering hundreds of men to rescue Lot from captivity. 

Would you plan a rescue mission for your friends?

Genesis 14:14-16 – “When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he called out the 318 trained men born in his household and went in pursuit as far as Dan. During the night Abram divided his men to attack them and he routed them, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus. He recovered all the goods and brought back his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other people.” (NIV)

Proverbs About Friendship

Friends are chosen family who are faithful and are available during times of sorrow, sadness, and seasons of celebration. Our life has many more special moments in the presence of familiar friends.

Whether you’re looking for advice, want to build a healthy relationship in a Biblical way, or simply want to repair a relationship, these 13 Bible verses about friendship will lead you on the right path.

Proverbs 12 26

Proverbs 12:26

The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray. Proverbs 12:26 NIV

Proverbs 13 20

Proverbs 13:20

 Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.  Proverbs 13:20 NIV

Proverbs 14 20

Proverbs 14:20

The poor are shunned even by their neighbors, but the rich have many friends. Proverbs 14:20 NIV

Proverbs 27 9

Proverbs 27:9

Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice. Proverbs 27:9 NIV

Proverbs 17 9

Proverbs 17:9

Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends. Proverbs 17:9 NIV

Proverbs 15 22

Proverbs 15:22

Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed. Proverbs 15:22 NIV

Proverbs 19 4

Proverbs 19:4

Wealth attracts many friends, but even the closest friend of the poor person deserts them. Proverbs 19:4 NIV

Proverbs 16 28

Proverbs 16:28

A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends. Proverbs 16:28 NIV

Proverbs 17 17

Proverbs 17:17

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.  Proverbs 17:17 NIV

Proverbs 18 24

Proverbs 18:24

One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24 NIV

Proverbs 19 20

Proverbs 19:20

Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end, you will be counted among the wise. Proverbs 19:20 NIV

Proverbs 22 24

Proverbs 22:24-25

Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared. Proverbs 22:24-25 NIV

True friendship is one of the sweetest joys in life. If we can be loyal, Biblical friends to others, we too will enjoy blessings to follow. These Bible Verses on Friendship in Proverbs teach Christians to carry each other’s burdens, be loving and kind, and learn patience when faced with turbulent times. 

No matter if your friends are close or far, these encouraging Friendship Bible verses will help you connect with your current relationships in a most precious and pleasing way. 

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