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Bible Verses About Kindness to Memorize
Kindness in the Bible is never random. It has a source — "the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared" (Titus 3:4) — and a logic: "be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you." We are kind because we have been treated kindly, on a scale we can never repay.
That grounding matters, because biblical kindness is harder than niceness. Jesus commands kindness toward enemies and the ungrateful, "for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil" (Luke 6:35). Niceness is selective; kindness, as Scripture defines it, is a family resemblance to God.
These ten verses cover kindness received from God and kindness extended to others — including the people who least deserve it. Memorized, they have a way of surfacing in the exact moments your patience runs out.
KJV verse list
10 Bible verses about kindness
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.
Ephesians 4:32
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
The gold-standard kindness verse: kind, tenderhearted, forgiving — all motivated by how God treated you in Christ.
Colossians 3:12
Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
Kindness is clothing to put on daily, alongside mercy, humbleness, meekness, and longsuffering.
Luke 6:35
But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.
Jesus stretches kindness to its limit — love your enemies — because God "is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil."
Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Gentleness and goodness are fruit of the Spirit — kindness grows from God’s work in you, not personality type.
Titus 3:4-5
But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
The source of all Christian kindness: God’s own kindness "toward man appeared," saving us by mercy, not merit.
Proverbs 11:17
The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.
"The merciful man doeth good to his own soul" — kindness blesses the giver, and cruelty costs him.
Proverbs 31:26
She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
"In her tongue is the law of kindness" — a reminder that most daily kindness or unkindness happens in speech.
Proverbs 19:17
He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.
Kindness to the poor is a loan to the LORD Himself — "that which he hath given will he pay him again."
1 Thessalonians 5:15
See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.
Rules out retaliation and replaces it with a standing pursuit: "ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men."
Galatians 6:10
As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
"As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men" — kindness as a habit of noticing opportunities.
Memorization help
How to memorize these verses
Ephesians 4:32 is the verse to learn first and recite most — it carries both the command and the motive, and it is short enough to say in one breath before responding to someone who has irritated you. Pair it with Proverbs 31:26, since the tongue is where kindness is won or lost most days. As you review Luke 6:35, name a specific "unthankful" person in your life; memorized verses change behavior fastest when they have a face attached. A few minutes of daily review in The Bible Memory App keeps the whole set close to the surface.
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 kindness
What is the most famous Bible verse about kindness?
Ephesians 4:32 — "And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you." It is widely memorized because it packs the command, the manner, and the motive into a single sentence.
Is kindness a fruit of the Spirit?
Yes. Galatians 5:22-23 lists the fruit of the Spirit; the KJV renders the relevant words as "gentleness, goodness." The same Greek word translated "gentleness" there is translated "kindness" elsewhere in the KJV (e.g. of God’s kindness in Ephesians 2:7).
What does the Bible say about being kind to difficult people?
Jesus is explicit: "love ye your enemies, and do good... for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil" (Luke 6:35). 1 Thessalonians 5:15 adds "see that none render evil for evil unto any man." Kindness to the undeserving is not extra credit in Scripture — it is the family likeness of God’s children.
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