# Bible Verses About Love > The New Testament's central word for love, agape, describes commitment shown through action. First Corinthians 13 describes this love with patient, truthful, and enduring behavior, and Jesus commands it even toward enemies. Scripture grounds that demanding love in what God has already given: "We love because he first loved us." _Scripture text is not reproduced in this file: the translations BibleHearth serves are licensed from their publishers and require a copyright notice beside the text. Every reference below links to the verse on BibleHearth, where the passage and its notice appear together._ ## Love is defined by what it does The famous description in 1 Corinthians is a list of behaviors. Each one can guide a person's conduct even when warm feelings are absent. - [1 Corinthians 13:4-7](https://biblehearth.online/verse/1-corinthians/13/4) — Written to a congregation fighting over status and spiritual gifts, this chapter addresses a divided church. Patience and refusing to keep a record of wrongs answer the conflicts in Corinth. - [Romans 12:9](https://biblehearth.online/verse/romans/12/9) — Paul insists love be sincere and immediately pairs it with hating evil. Biblical love can oppose what harms people. - [1 Peter 4:8](https://biblehearth.online/verse/1-peter/4/8) — Peter says love covers a multitude of sins. The image describes bearing with offenses, not pretending they never happened. ## Human love begins with love received Scripture repeatedly grounds the command to love in God's prior love. People are asked to pass on something they have received. - [1 John 4:7-8](https://biblehearth.online/verse/1-john/4/7) — John says that God is love, describing love as central to God's nature and actions. - [1 John 4:19](https://biblehearth.online/verse/1-john/4/19) — Six words summarize the letter's logic: the capacity to love begins with being loved by God. - [Romans 5:8](https://biblehearth.online/verse/romans/5/8) — Paul dates the demonstration deliberately: while we were still sinners. God's love is shown before the recipients can claim to have earned it. ## The commands push love outward, including toward enemies Jesus joins love of God to love of neighbor, then extends the command as far as enemies. The circle is intentionally wide. - [Matthew 22:37-39](https://biblehearth.online/verse/matthew/22/37) — Asked to name the greatest commandment, Jesus gives two. Love of God and love of neighbor belong together. - [John 13:34-35](https://biblehearth.online/verse/john/13/34) — Given on the last night, with the identifying mark of his followers named as the love they show one another. - [Luke 6:27](https://biblehearth.online/verse/luke/6/27) — The hardest form, stated without qualification, in a sermon addressed to people living under occupation. ## Love is measured by what it gives up Scripture measures love through self-giving action and the cost someone is willing to bear for another person. - [John 15:13](https://biblehearth.online/verse/john/15/13) — Jesus says this shortly before giving his own life, placing action behind the definition. - [1 Corinthians 13:13](https://biblehearth.online/verse/1-corinthians/13/13) — Paul ranks love above faith and hope at the end of a chapter arguing that gifted people without it amount to nothing. ## What these verses do not mean 1 Corinthians 13 is read at weddings so often that its actual setting gets lost. Paul wrote it to a church quarreling over whose spiritual gifts mattered most, so its words challenge a divided community. Love isn't identical to approval or silence. Romans 12:9 joins sincere love with hating evil, and Jesus sometimes spoke bluntly to people he loved. Love also isn't a reason to stay in danger. "Love covers a multitude of sins" describes patience with offenses; it must never be used to conceal abuse or silence someone who needs protection. The word doing most of the work in these passages is *agape*. The New Testament commands it, extends it to enemies, and describes it through concrete actions. Its meaning reaches well beyond affection. Feelings may come and go, but patience, truthfulness, and a willingness to stop keeping score can still be practiced. That practical shape is what makes love a meaningful command. ## Common questions about love ### What is the greatest commandment in the Bible? In Matthew 22:37-39 Jesus names loving God with all your heart, soul and mind as the greatest, then immediately adds love for your neighbor as yourself. He says all the Law and Prophets hang on these two commands, joining devotion to God with care for people. ### What are the different Greek words for love in the Bible? The New Testament mainly uses agape, committed self-giving love, and philia, the love of friendship. Eros, romantic love, does not appear in the New Testament, and storge, family affection, appears only in compound forms. Agape is the word used in 1 Corinthians 13 and in the command to love enemies, which is why it can be commanded. ### What does "God is love" mean? First John 4:8 describes God's nature, and the same letter grounds human love in God's prior action. The sentence doesn't reverse into "love is God" or make every claim labeled love divine. John remains deeply concerned with truth and with love demonstrated through action. ## Related topics - [Bible verses about forgiveness](https://biblehearth.online/topics/forgiveness) - [Bible verses about peace](https://biblehearth.online/topics/peace) - [Bible verses about marriage](https://biblehearth.online/topics/marriage) --- Source: https://biblehearth.online/topics/love Reviewed: 2026-08-21 Original writing © BibleHearth. Licensed Scripture is not included in this file.