“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”
A good test for anyone you date: is this how they treat you, and how you treat them? Patience and kindness on ordinary days say more than grand gestures.
“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
Couples hurt each other. Kindness and quick forgiveness keep small wounds from becoming walls.
“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”
A good relationship leaves both of you sharper: more honest and more like Christ, not smaller.
“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”
Bear with each other's quirks, forgive real wrongs, and let love hold the two of you together.
“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”
Do your part to make peace; you cannot do the other person's part. That honesty matters when a relationship is unhealthy.
“Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?”
For dating, this is the big one: a shared faith is the foundation the rest is built on. See the KJV note below on the phrase unequally yoked.
“Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?”
Before you go far together, ask whether you are headed the same way: faith, values, and the life you each want.
“Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.”
The person you date will shape who you become. Look for someone whose wisdom you would be glad to grow into.
“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”
Love covers many everyday failures. It never means covering up abuse or deceit.
“No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.”
When a couple loves each other well, the people around them catch a glimpse of God's love.
“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.”
Two really are better than one, as long as each is willing to lift the other up.
“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.”
Christ's love for you is the pattern for your love for each other, and it is meant to be seen.
What makes a relationship healthy, biblically
When people ask for Bible verses about healthy relationships, they are usually asking a deeper question: what does a good relationship actually look like? Scripture answers less with feelings and more with patterns of behavior.
First, it sharpens you. "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another" (Proverbs 27:17). A healthy relationship leaves both people better: more honest, more patient, more like Christ. If a bond consistently dulls you, makes you smaller, or drags you away from who God is calling you to be, that is worth noticing.
Second, it forgives. No close relationship survives without forgiveness, because no two people go long without wounding each other. Paul ties it directly to the gospel: forgive "just as in Christ God forgave you" (Ephesians 4:32). Keeping no record of wrongs (1 Corinthians 13:5) is not pretending the wrong did not happen; it is choosing not to weaponize it.
Third, it shares a direction. "Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?" (Amos 3:3). Lasting closeness needs real agreement about where you are headed. This is the heart of the warning against being “unequally yoked” (2 Corinthians 6:14, KJV): not a rule about superiority, but a recognition that two people pulling in different directions cannot easily walk as one.
“Unequally yoked”: 2 Corinthians 6:14 in the KJV
Unequally yoked, the phrase many Christians use, is the King James wording. The NIV above says “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers”; the KJV says “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers” (2 Corinthians 6:14, KJV). A yoke joined two animals to pull one plow, and the Law of Moses forbade plowing with an ox and a donkey together (Deuteronomy 22:10): two animals that could not pull as one. Christians apply the verse most directly to marriage, and many apply it to dating too, since dating is usually how a marriage begins.
“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?”
Bible verses for couples
Four verses for couples who want to grow together: worship side by side, honor each other, be patient, and keep kindness and truth close.
“O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.”
“Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another”
“With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love”
“Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart”
Bible verses about dating
The Bible never mentions dating, but it speaks plainly to the heart of it: let love grow at its own pace, guard your heart, look past appearances, and pursue purity together rather than pulling each other off course. The Song of Solomon repeats its warning not to stir up love before its time three times (2:7, 3:5 and 8:4).
“I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please.”
“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”
“...the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.”
“Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”
For a boyfriend or girlfriend
Verses to send, write in a card, or pray for the person you are dating. In Faithero you can tap any verse to share it.
- “The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26, KJV) A blessing to pray over them: the one God gave Aaron to speak over Israel.
- “And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment” (Philippians 1:9, KJV) For love that grows wiser, not only stronger.
- “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” (3 John 1:2, KJV) For a hard week, or a sick day.
- “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you” (Philippians 1:3, KJV) Plain gratitude, which never gets old.
For a long-distance relationship
Distance is hard on any couple. These verses fit the miles between you, and the God who is on both sides of them. One honest note: Genesis 31:49, the Mizpah verse, was first spoken by Laban to Jacob as the two parted after a quarrel, and the verses that follow show they did not fully trust each other. Its words still work as a prayer for two people apart: asking God to watch over you both.
“The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.”
“For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit”
“...because I have you in my heart”
“If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.”
Relationships across Scripture
| Reference | Book | Theme |
|---|---|---|
| Genesis 2:18 | Genesis | "It is not good for the man to be alone": made for relationship |
| Genesis 29:20 | Genesis | Jacob works seven years for Rachel, and they seem like a few days because he loves her |
| Ruth 1:16-17 | Ruth | Covenant loyalty between Ruth and Naomi |
| Song of Songs 8:6-7 | Song of Songs | Love as strong as death, which many waters cannot quench |
| Matthew 18:15-17 | Matthew | How to address a wrong and pursue reconciliation |
| 1 Corinthians 13 | 1 Corinthians | The definitive portrait of love in action |
| Galatians 6:1-2 | Galatians | Restoring gently and carrying each other's burdens |
| Colossians 3:12-14 | Colossians | Clothing relationships in compassion, patience, and love |
Common misconceptions
A few things people often get wrong on this topic.
MythBeing unequally yoked just means marrying outside your denomination.
Truth2 Corinthians 6:14 is about sharing the deepest foundation (faith in Christ), not about secondary differences. The image is two animals pulling a plow in different directions. Faithful Christians apply it most directly to marriage and the closest partnerships, where a shared spiritual direction shapes everything that follows.
MythForgiving someone means restoring the relationship to exactly how it was.
TruthForgiveness and reconciliation are related but distinct. Forgiveness is releasing the debt and refusing bitterness (Ephesians 4:32); you can do it unilaterally. Reconciliation requires both people, repentance, and often rebuilt trust over time. You can fully forgive someone and still maintain wise boundaries.
MythA loving Christian stays in every relationship no matter what.
TruthRomans 12:18 commands peace only "as far as it depends on you," acknowledging that some peace is not yours to secure. Proverbs repeatedly warns about the harm of foolish or destructive company. Love sometimes looks like a firm boundary, sought not in anger, but for the genuine good of everyone involved.
MythThe Bible says nothing useful about dating.
TruthThe word is absent, but the principles are not. Scripture speaks directly to character (1 Corinthians 13), shared direction (Amos 3:3, 2 Corinthians 6:14), wise companionship (Proverbs 13:20), and how people ought to treat one another. These give more guidance for dating than any modern checklist.
Building godly relationships this week
Audit your closest circle
Proverbs 13:20 says we become like our companions. Honestly ask: do my closest relationships sharpen me toward Christ, or dull me away from Him? You do not need to cut anyone off; just notice the influence, and invest more in the people who help you grow.
Forgive one specific grievance
Don't aim to "forgive everyone" in the abstract. Name one real hurt you are still holding, and choose to release it as Christ released yours (Ephesians 4:32). Forgiveness is a decision first; the feelings often follow.
Take the first step toward peace
Romans 12:18 puts the responsibility on you for your part. Is there a relationship where you owe an apology, a phone call, or an honest conversation? Do the part that depends on you, and leave the rest with God.
Set a boundary in love, where one is needed
Loving someone does not require unlimited access to your life. If a relationship is causing real harm, prayerfully draw a boundary that protects without retaliating; the goal is everyone's good, not punishment.
Pray 1 Corinthians 13 over a key relationship
Read 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 slowly with one person in mind, asking God to grow that kind of love in you toward them. Where the words don't yet fit, you've found exactly what to ask His help with.
Frequently asked
What does the Bible say about relationships?
The Bible frames every relationship around love that seeks the other person's good (1 Corinthians 13:4-7), forgiveness modeled on God's forgiveness of us (Ephesians 4:32), and peace pursued "as far as it depends on you" (Romans 12:18). It also teaches discernment about who we walk closely with (Proverbs 13:20) and honesty about agreement and direction (Amos 3:3). Relationships are not incidental to faith: Jesus said love for one another is how the world knows we belong to Him (John 13:34-35).
What are some Bible verses about healthy relationships?
For healthy relationships, key verses include 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (love that is patient and keeps no record of wrongs), Proverbs 27:17 ("iron sharpens iron"), Colossians 3:13-14 (bearing with and forgiving one another), and Romans 12:18 (living at peace). A healthy relationship in Scripture is marked by mutual sharpening, honesty, forgiveness, and a shared direction, not merely good feelings.
What does the Bible say about relationships and dating?
The Bible never uses the word "dating," but it gives clear principles that apply. It cautions against being "unequally yoked together with unbelievers" (2 Corinthians 6:14, KJV), because a shared foundation shapes everything. Amos 3:3 asks, "Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?" A reminder that lasting closeness needs real agreement on direction. And 1 Corinthians 13 sets the standard for how a person worth dating actually treats others. Faithful Christians apply these with wisdom rather than rigid rules.
Is it a sin to date a non-Christian?
Christians answer this a little differently. Many pastors teach that 2 Corinthians 6:14 ("Do not be yoked together with unbelievers") rules out dating someone who does not share your faith, since dating is the road to marriage. Others treat it as strong wisdom rather than a rule for every date, while agreeing that marrying within the faith matters (1 Corinthians 7:39). Either way, the question underneath is the one Amos 3:3 asks: are you heading the same way?
What does the Bible say about toxic relationships?
Scripture is honest that not every relationship is good for us. Proverbs 13:20 warns that "a companion of fools suffers harm," and 1 Corinthians 15:33 says "bad company corrupts good character." Romans 12:18 commands peace only "as far as it depends on you," implying that some peace is not within your power to secure. The Bible calls us to love everyone, including those who wrong us, but loving someone does not always mean unlimited closeness. Wise, loving boundaries can be the most caring response to a harmful pattern. If a partner hurts, threatens or controls you, that is abuse, not a rough patch: get safe and get help (in the US, the National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-7233, or text START to 88788).
How should Christians handle conflict in relationships?
The Bible treats conflict as something to be worked through, not avoided. Ephesians 4:32 calls for kindness and forgiveness; Colossians 3:13 says to bear with one another and forgive grievances "as the Lord forgave you." Romans 12:18 sets the goal of peace while acknowledging it takes both people. Jesus also gives a direct process for addressing wrongs honestly (Matthew 18:15). The aim is reconciliation (restored relationship), not merely winning or keeping score.
What Bible verse can I send my boyfriend or girlfriend?
A short blessing works well: "The LORD bless thee, and keep thee" (Numbers 6:24, KJV). Or tell them, "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you" (Philippians 1:3, KJV). Philippians 1:9 is a good prayer for love that grows wiser. Add a line of your own so it reads as a message from you, not a forwarded quote.
The people we walk with shape who we become
Few things form us as deeply as our closest relationships. Proverbs puts it plainly: walk with the wise and you grow wise; keep company with fools and you suffer harm (Proverbs 13:20). We tend to become like the people we spend our lives beside. That is why Scripture treats the question of who we walk with as a spiritual matter, not just a social one, and why "iron sharpens iron" (Proverbs 27:17) is both a gift and a responsibility.
But the Bible is just as concerned with how we treat the people already in our lives. Be kind. Forgive as you were forgiven. Keep no record of wrongs. Pursue peace as far as it depends on you. None of this is sentimental; all of it is costly. And none of it means staying in harm's way: love that seeks another's good sometimes draws a firm, sorrowful boundary. The same God who calls us to love everyone gives us the wisdom to love each person rightly. Choose one verse above, and let it reshape one relationship this week.
12 Bible verses about relationships
These twelve are quoted from the NIV, each with a note on what it means for a couple. Further down are verses in the King James Version for couples, for dating, for a boyfriend or girlfriend, and for a long-distance relationship.