God is the very definition of love. In fact, 1 John 4:8 tells us that God is love, and we can see the evidence of his love in our day-to-day lives and throughout Scripture. Here, we share Bible verses about God’s love, a definition of God’s love and ways we can show his life-changing love to others.
What’s Here:
- 25 Bible Verses About God’s Love
- What Is God’s Love?
- Examples of God’s Love in the Bible
- How Can We Show God’s Love to Others?
25 Bible Verses About God’s Love
1. John 3:16 (NIV)
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
2. Romans 5:8 (NIV)
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
3. Ephesians 2:4-5 (NIV)
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions — it is by grace you have been saved.
4. Jeremiah 31:3 (NIV)
The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.”
5. 1 John 4:16 (NIV)
And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.
6. Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV)
The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.
7. Galatians 2:20 (NIV)
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
8. John 15:13 (NIV)
Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
9. 1 John 4:9-10 (NIV)
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.
10. Psalm 36:7 (NIV)
How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
11. Romans 5:5 (NIV)
And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
12. Isaiah 54:10 (NIV)
“Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you.
13. Psalm 86:15 (NIV)
But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.
14. 1 John 3:1 (NIV)
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
15. Romans 8:37 (NIV)
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
16. John 15:9 (NIV)
As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.
17. Psalm 136:26 (NIV)
Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever.
18. Lamentations 3:22-23 (NIV)
Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
19. 1 Peter 5:6-7 (NIV)
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
20. Romans 8:28 (NIV)
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
21. Psalm 86:5 (NIV)
You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you.
22. 1 John 4:12 (NIV)
No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
23. Romans 8:38-39 (NIV)
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
24. Psalm 143:8 (NIV)
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.
25. Deuteronomy 7:9 (NIV)
Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.
What Is God’s Love?
Love is hard to define, isn’t it? To understand what love truly is, we must look to God’s love as our example. And the best way to understand God’s love is to define the unique attributes of it.
God’s love is:
- Unconditional: Jeremiah 31:3 (NIV) tells us that God loves us with an everlasting love. The Hebrew word for everlasting is olam, which means eternity and always. God will always love us, no strings attached. He loves us no matter who we are or what we do, even if we don’t love him in return.
- Merciful: Psalm 86:5 (NIV) says, “You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you.” Because of our sin, death should be our eternal punishment. But because of God’s great love for us, he continuously shows us mercy, forgiving our sin.
- Sacrificial: In John 3:16 (NIV), we read: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” In love and mercy, God willingly sent his Son, Jesus, as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins.
Examples of God’s Love in the Bible
The Bible is full of examples of God’s unconditional, merciful and sacrificial love in action, from the New Testament to the Old Testament.
The Prodigal Son: God Loves Us Unconditionally
In Luke 15, Jesus tells us a story of a man with two sons. The younger son asked his father for his share of his father’s estate. The son left home with the money his father gave him and spent every last dime on terrible things and pleasure.
Soon, a severe famine struck the land. With no money, the son took a job feeding pigs, but it wasn’t enough. In desperation, he decided to go back to his father and beg him for a place as a servant in his house.
But when the son approached his home, his father looked out and saw him. Filled with compassion, he ran out to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. The father then asked his servants to bring out the best robe for the son and to prepare a feast for him.
The son had squandered the gift his father gave him — the gift his father had worked so hard to earn. His father had every right to turn him away in anger. But he loved his son unconditionally. It didn’t matter what his son did; the father was simply glad he had come back home.
God loves us the same way. It doesn’t matter how far we walk away from him. When we return, he’ll run out to meet us with open arms.
Zacchaeus: God Loves Us Mercifully
In Luke 19, Jesus passed through Jericho. Zacchaeus, a wealthy chief tax collector, wanted to see who Jesus was. Because he was short, Zacchaeus went and climbed a sycamore-fig tree so he could see Jesus pass by.
When Jesus reached the tree, he looked up and said to Zacchaeus, “Come down immediately. I must stay at your house today” (Luke 19:5, NIV). Zacchaeus hurried down the tree, excited to welcome Jesus into his home.
Tax collectors worked for the Romans and were seen as traitors to the Jews. They were known to cheat and steal from their own people for their financial gain. In other words, they weren’t liked … at all.
Jesus’ invitation to Zacchaeus left the people feeling angry. Why would Jesus want to spend time with someone who had done so much wrong? But Jesus loved Zacchaeus and saw past his sin.
Out of love for him, Jesus showed mercy to Zacchaeus when others harbored unforgiveness and anger.
Feeling Jesus’ love for him, Zacchaeus said, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount” (Luke 19:8, NIV).
Jesus’ merciful love changed Zacchaeus’ life. That day, salvation came to Zacchaeus, an unworthy sinner. Jesus has the same mercy on us! Regardless of our sin, he’s willing to forgive and invite us in.
Jesus: God Loves Sacrificially
The most incredible example of God’s love for us is found in Jesus. In Genesis 3, the first man and woman who ever lived on earth, Adam and Eve, disobeyed God. And because of their sin, we’re all born into sin. That sin separates humankind from God (Isaiah 59:2) and leads to death (Romans 6:23).
But God loves us so much that he sent Jesus to earth to die for our sins. Jesus lived a sinless life, was crucified and then rose from the dead. In doing so, Jesus defeated sin and death.
Because of his selfless sacrifice, we can now be completely forgiven of our sins and spend eternity with him!
How Can We Show God’s Love to Others?
John 13:34-35 (NIV) says, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
As followers of Jesus, we’re called to love others just like he loved us. By doing so, we point those around us back to him. To love others in the best way, we should follow Jesus’ example and:
- Put them first: When Jesus willingly went to the cross on our behalf, he was putting us and our needs before his own. We should do the same for others. Philippians 2:3 (NIV) says, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.” There are many practical ways we can put others first. For example, we can let someone with fewer items in their grocery cart go before us at checkout. Or we can pray for the needs of others before praying for ourselves.
- Forgive them: Romans 3:23 (NIV) says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Although all of us have sinned, Jesus shows us love and mercy by forgiving us. When friends and family sin against us, we must forgive them too. Forgiving those who hurt us sets us free from the pain and them free from guilt. And what better way is there to show the love of God than by setting someone free?
- Help them: Throughout Scripture we see Jesus loving on others by helping them in their time of need. He healed (Matthew 9:20-22), he fed (Matthew 14:13-21) and he rescued (Mark 4:35-41). Just like Jesus, we can show God’s love by helping others. For example, we can take a meal to someone struggling through a loss. Or we can give to a child in need.
These are just a few examples of the endless ways to show God’s love to those around us. In those moments when you’re not sure how to love, remember this Scripture:
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