Bible verses by topic
Bible Verses About Friendship to Memorize
The Bible takes friendship far more seriously than our culture does. Proverbs talks about friends the way it talks about wisdom and money — as one of the great forces that shapes a life, for good or ill. A friend loves at all times (Proverbs 17:17); a true friend sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24); and iron sharpens iron, so one friend sharpens another (Proverbs 27:17). At the same time, Scripture warns that evil companions corrupt good character — friendship is never neutral.
Then Jesus raises the stakes entirely: "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" — and He calls His disciples friends. The verses below will help you become the kind of friend Scripture describes, choose friends wisely, and treasure the friendship of Christ Himself. Memorize them and you will find them surfacing in conversations, conflicts, and the moments a friend needs exactly the right word.
KJV verse list
12 Bible verses about friendship
Each verse below is shown in the King James Version. Read it slowly, then use the note beneath it to see why it is worth carrying with you.
Proverbs 17:17
A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
The Bible’s definition of friendship in eight words: a friend loveth at all times — not just in convenient seasons.
Proverbs 18:24
A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
It distinguishes many companions from the one friend that sticketh closer than a brother — a standard for the friendships you build.
Proverbs 27:17
Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
Iron sharpeneth iron — the classic picture of friends who make each other sharper, not duller.
John 15:13
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Jesus defines the ceiling of friendship — laying down your life — and then did exactly that for us.
John 15:15
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.
"I have called you friends" — memorize it to remember that the Lord of glory names you His friend.
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 are better than one, for when one falls the other lifts him up — the practical case for never walking alone.
Proverbs 27:9
Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel.
A friend’s hearty counsel rejoices the heart like ointment and perfume — a verse that honors honest advice.
Proverbs 13:20
He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.
He that walketh with wise men shall be wise — the clearest verse on how friends quietly shape who you become.
1 Corinthians 15:33
Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
The necessary warning: evil communications corrupt good manners — friendship can pull you down as surely as it lifts you.
1 Thessalonians 5:11
Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
Comfort yourselves together, and edify one another — friendship’s daily job description in the body of Christ.
Romans 12:10
Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
Be kindly affectioned one to another, preferring one another in honour — the posture that makes friendship durable.
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.
It calls friends to provoke one another to love and good works and to keep showing up — the antidote to drifting apart.
Memorization help
How to memorize these verses
Friendship verses come alive when you memorize them with a friend. Find one person — a small group partner, a roommate, a longtime friend in another city — and agree on a verse a week from this list. Text each other the verse from memory every Friday; the gentle accountability is itself an act of Proverbs 27:17 iron-sharpening. The Bible Memory App is free to start, and quizzing each other from its review screen turns memorization into the kind of shared habit these verses describe.
The Bible Memory App turns that practice into a daily habit: type each verse from memory, get instant feedback on every word, and review on a schedule so the verses stay with you for years, not days. It is free to start, and you can add any of the verses above in seconds.
FAQ
Questions about Bible verses on friendship
What is the most famous Bible verse about friendship?
Proverbs 17:17 — "A friend loveth at all times" — is the best-known Old Testament friendship verse, and John 15:13 — "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" — is the best known from Jesus. Together they give you friendship’s definition and its highest expression.
What does Proverbs say about friends?
Proverbs returns to friendship constantly: a friend loves at all times (17:17), a true friend sticks closer than a brother (18:24), iron sharpens iron (27:17), and a friend’s honest counsel is sweet (27:9). It also warns that walking with fools brings destruction (13:20) — in Proverbs, choosing friends is one of the weightiest choices you make.
Does the Bible say Jesus is our friend?
Yes. In John 15:15 Jesus tells His disciples, "Henceforth I call you not servants... but I have called you friends," and in John 15:13 He describes laying down His life for His friends — which He then did. Believers can rightly say that Jesus calls them friends, on His own authority.
Keep going
Related topics
Curated collections
Memorize by collection
Want these verses ready to practice as a set? Add the Friendship memory verse collection to your account, or browse all topical memory verse collections on BibleMemory.com.