The core of the Christian faith is love. Scripture continuously highlights the value of love—not only toward family, friends, or those who treat us well, but toward everyone, including strangers and even enemies—from the Old Testament regulations to Jesus’ teachings in the New Testament. Although loving everyone is a noble goal, it is a reflection of God’s character, who is love and impartial.
We exhibit God’s nature amid a fractured world full of prejudice, hatred, and division when we make the decision to love everyone. The Bible verses to love everyone exhorts us to treat others with respect, decency, and compassion because we believe that they are representatives of God. True love is more than just emotions; it shows up as kindness, forgiveness, patience, and deeds. We demonstrate our discipleship and attest to the life-changing influence of God’s Spirit when we show love to others.
This fact is best shown by the life of Jesus Christ. He pardoned those who crucified Him, cured the wounded, fed with sinners, and showed mercy to the outcast. His example shows us that love transcends borders, social classes, and even cultural differences; it is not selective. We are reminded that God’s call to love is unconditional by his sayings, “Love your neighbor as yourself” and “Love your enemies.”
We’ll examine 35 potent Bible scriptures that encourage love for all people in this post. Every passage provides guidance, correction, and inspiration on how to live out Christlike love every day. These scriptures can help mold your heart to reflect God’s unwavering love, whether it be toward strangers or within your family, neighborhood, or place of employment. May they encourage us to love with genuineness, humility, and grace in whatever we do as we study them.
35 Most Effective Bible Verses To Love Everyone in 2025
1. Leviticus 19:18
“Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.”
This verse captures one of the earliest commands about love in the Old Testament. It not only warns against holding grudges or seeking revenge but also sets a positive command: love others as you love yourself. God anchors this principle in His authority, showing that love is not optional but a divine requirement. Loving others requires us to forgive, show mercy, and treat people with fairness, just as God has treated us.
2. Matthew 5:44
“But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
Jesus challenges natural human instincts in this teaching. Instead of responding with hatred or retaliation, He commands us to love even our enemies. This radical love reflects the heart of God, who shows kindness to both the righteous and the unrighteous. Praying for those who hurt us softens our hearts and opens the door to reconciliation. True discipleship is shown when we rise above bitterness and extend grace to those who oppose us.
3. John 13:34
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”
Here, Jesus gives His followers a new command based on His example of sacrificial love. This love is not limited or conditional but is modeled after Christ’s own love for humanity, expressed fully at the cross. The call to love one another becomes the hallmark of Christian identity. When believers love in this way, they bear witness to the world that they belong to Christ, and they reveal God’s kingdom in action.
4. Romans 12:10
“Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”
Paul emphasizes mutual devotion and humility within the body of Christ. Genuine love goes beyond surface-level kindness—it is deeply rooted in commitment and sacrifice. By honoring others above ourselves, we reflect Christ’s servant-hearted nature. This verse reminds us that loving everyone means not seeking our own advancement but lifting others up. In a world driven by pride and competition, believers are called to practice humility and selfless service in their relationships.
5. Romans 13:10
“Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”
Paul summarizes the essence of God’s law in one clear statement: love. When we genuinely love others, we won’t harm them through actions, words, or attitudes. Love fulfills God’s commandments because it seeks the good of others above all else. This verse reminds us that love is not passive but active—it protects, builds, and nurtures. To live in true obedience to God, we must continually choose love in our daily interactions.
6. 1 Corinthians 13:4–5
“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.”
Known as the “love chapter,” these verses describe the nature of true, godly love. Love is not rooted in selfish desires or arrogance but in humility and kindness. It requires patience with others’ shortcomings and generosity in spirit. Loving everyone means practicing restraint, forgiveness, and compassion, even in difficult situations. These qualities serve as a mirror, helping us examine how our relationships reflect Christ’s love and challenging us to grow in maturity.
7. Galatians 5:14
“For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
Paul echoes Jesus’ words by teaching that love for others sums up the entire law. This command eliminates legalism by focusing on the heart of God’s will: love. When we treat others with the same care we desire for ourselves, we fulfill God’s plan for righteous living. It’s not complicated or abstract—the call is simple, though challenging. Loving everyone, regardless of differences, is the foundation for Christian conduct and true holiness.
8. Ephesians 4:2
“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.”
Paul exhorts believers to approach relationships with humility, gentleness, and patience. These virtues are vital for maintaining unity and harmony in the body of Christ. Bearing with one another means showing grace even when others are difficult or imperfect. Love requires tolerance, forgiveness, and kindness in daily life. This verse challenges us to reflect Christ’s example by embracing others in their weaknesses while demonstrating the strength of godly love through our attitudes and actions.
9. Colossians 3:14
“And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”
Paul teaches that love is the glue holding all other virtues together. Compassion, kindness, humility, and patience find their true expression only when wrapped in love. Without love, good deeds lose their meaning. This verse highlights love as the supreme virtue, uniting believers and bringing harmony to relationships. Loving everyone requires more than individual acts of kindness—it requires allowing love to be the central, defining quality that shapes everything we do.
10. 1 Thessalonians 3:12
“May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.”
Paul prays for the Thessalonians’ love to grow continually, not just within the church but toward all people. This shows that love is not static; it should expand and overflow. When we allow God to grow our capacity for love, it spreads beyond our immediate circles and reaches even strangers and enemies. This verse reminds us that genuine Christian love is abundant, limitless, and fueled by the Spirit, impacting everyone we encounter.
11. 1 Thessalonians 4:9
“Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other.”
Paul affirms that love is not just a command from men but a lesson written by God Himself. True love flows from divine instruction and is nurtured by the Spirit. Loving others is not simply learned through human reasoning but through God’s teaching in our hearts. This verse encourages believers to allow God to guide their relationships, ensuring that their actions reflect the eternal truth of His love toward everyone.
12. Hebrews 13:1
“Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters.”
The writer of Hebrews urges believers to maintain ongoing love within the family of faith. This love is not a one-time act but a continuous lifestyle of care and commitment. Treating others as brothers and sisters means showing loyalty, compassion, and forgiveness. This verse also reminds us that Christian community thrives only when love remains central. By persisting in love, we mirror God’s unending love that sustains His children every day.
13. 1 Peter 1:22
“Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.”
Peter connects obedience to God’s Word with genuine love. When we align our lives with God’s truth, our hearts are purified, making way for authentic love. This love is not shallow but deep and heartfelt. Loving everyone sincerely requires sincerity and intentionality, not mere outward gestures. God calls us to love with genuine affection, motivated by His Spirit. Such love reveals the transformative power of the gospel at work in us.
14. 1 Peter 4:8
“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”
Peter highlights love as the highest virtue, surpassing all others. Love’s power lies in its ability to forgive and to bridge divisions. When we choose to love deeply, we refuse to let offenses drive wedges between us. Instead, love becomes a healing force that restores relationships and strengthens unity. This verse shows that genuine love reflects God’s mercy, which does not keep a record of wrongs but forgives freely.
15. 1 John 3:11
“For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.”
John reminds believers that love has been central to God’s message from the very start. It is not a new or secondary teaching but the foundation of the Christian life. Love for one another distinguishes true followers of Christ from the world. This verse emphasizes that love is not optional—it is essential. To live out the gospel faithfully means embodying love in every relationship and circumstance we face.
16. 1 John 3:18
“Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”
John calls believers to demonstrate love through tangible actions rather than empty words. True love is practical and rooted in sincerity. It goes beyond saying “I love you” and actively seeks the well-being of others. By serving, giving, and sacrificing, we express genuine love that reflects God’s truth. This verse challenges us to examine whether our love is authentic and visible in the way we treat everyone around us.
17. 1 John 4:7
“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.”
John teaches that love originates from God and is evidence of being His child. If we truly know God, love will naturally flow through us. Loving everyone is not a human achievement but a sign of divine transformation. This verse challenges believers to evaluate their relationship with God, for authentic love confirms spiritual rebirth. To know God is to love others, since God Himself is the very source of love.
18. 1 John 4:8
“Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”
This powerful verse directly links love with knowing God. Without love, our claim to know Him is empty. God’s very essence is love, and to walk in fellowship with Him is to reflect that love toward others. This passage serves as both a reminder and a warning: a loveless life contradicts God’s nature. Loving everyone is not optional but essential for proving the authenticity of our faith.
19. 1 John 4:11
“Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”
John reasons that God’s overwhelming love for us should compel us to love others. His love, demonstrated through Christ’s sacrifice, becomes the ultimate model for how we should treat everyone. This verse shows that love is not only commanded but expected as a natural response to God’s mercy. To refuse to love others is to forget the grace we’ve received. Loving everyone honors God’s love that first reached us.
20. 1 John 4:12
“No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.”
John explains that God’s presence is revealed through the love we show. Since God is invisible, people experience His reality through the love demonstrated by His children. Loving others is a visible testimony of God’s dwelling in us. This verse reminds us that our love for everyone is not just personal obedience but a public witness. When we love faithfully, God’s love reaches its full expression in our lives.
21. Matthew 22:39
“And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
Jesus places love for others alongside love for God as the greatest commandments. This verse reminds us that we cannot separate love for God from love for people. Treating others with the same care we desire for ourselves fulfills God’s expectations. Loving everyone becomes the practical demonstration of our devotion to God. It challenges us to extend kindness, forgiveness, and respect in every relationship, reflecting God’s kingdom in daily life.
22. Luke 6:31
“Do to others as you would have them do to you.”
Known as the “Golden Rule,” this verse sums up how to love others practically. Jesus calls His followers to treat people with the same kindness, fairness, and respect they desire. This principle challenges selfishness and fosters empathy. Loving everyone requires us to place ourselves in others’ shoes and respond with compassion. When practiced, this command creates harmony and reflects the heart of God’s love for all humanity.
23. Luke 6:35
“But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back.”
Jesus pushes the boundaries of love by commanding His followers to love even their enemies. This radical love mirrors God’s kindness, who gives generously to the ungrateful and wicked. By doing good without expecting repayment, we reflect divine love that is unconditional and selfless. This verse challenges us to rise above natural instincts of revenge and instead embody Christ’s love, which seeks the well-being of all, including adversaries.
24. John 15:12
“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”
Jesus sets His own example as the standard for love. His sacrificial, unconditional, and limitless love becomes the model for how we should treat one another. This verse is not a suggestion but a command. To love like Christ means putting others first, forgiving freely, and serving humbly. Loving everyone requires us to rely on His Spirit, as only His power enables us to love with such depth and grace.
25. John 15:17
“This is my command: Love each other.”
Jesus concludes His teaching with a simple yet powerful command: love each other. This repetition emphasizes the central role of love in the life of His followers. It is not optional but the very essence of Christian living. Obedience to Christ is measured by how well we love others. By loving everyone, we reflect the heart of our Savior and demonstrate the gospel’s transforming power in a world longing for hope.
26. Romans 15:2
“Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up.”
Paul calls believers to seek the well-being of others rather than focusing on self-interest. Loving others means living selflessly and prioritizing encouragement, support, and growth in others’ lives. This verse challenges us to consider how our words and actions impact those around us. By building others up instead of tearing them down, we embody Christ’s love and strengthen relationships in a way that glorifies God.
27. 2 Corinthians 5:14
“For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.”
Paul explains that the love of Christ is the driving force behind the believer’s life. His sacrificial death motivates us to live no longer for ourselves but for Him. Loving everyone becomes a natural response when we recognize the magnitude of Christ’s sacrifice. This verse teaches that love is not optional but compelling—it shapes our identity and purpose. Christ’s love moves us to treat all people with dignity and grace.
28. Galatians 6:10
“Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”
Paul emphasizes that our love should extend to everyone, with special care for fellow believers. Loving others is expressed through acts of goodness and kindness in daily opportunities. This verse challenges us to be intentional in looking for ways to bless others. Love is not passive but proactive, showing up in generosity, service, and compassion. By doing good to all, we reflect the heart of God’s inclusive and abundant love.
29. Philippians 2:3–4
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”
Paul calls believers to reject selfishness and embrace humility. Loving everyone means prioritizing others’ needs and showing genuine concern for their well-being. This verse challenges the cultural norm of self-promotion, teaching instead the selflessness of Christ. By valuing others, we create unity and harmony. True love is sacrificial, considering others before ourselves, and this humility becomes a powerful testimony of God’s transforming work in our lives.
30. Colossians 3:12
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”
Paul instructs believers to embrace virtues that reflect God’s love. Since we are dearly loved by Him, we must extend that love to others through compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Loving everyone requires intentional choice, like clothing ourselves each day with these qualities. This verse reminds us that love is practical and visible, shaping how we interact with others and pointing people to God’s love through our actions.
31. 1 Timothy 1:5
“The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”
Paul explains that the purpose of God’s commands is to cultivate love. This love flows from purity of heart, integrity of conscience, and authentic faith. Loving everyone requires sincerity, not hypocrisy or hidden motives. This verse calls believers to examine the source of their love, ensuring it is grounded in God’s truth. Genuine love grows out of a heart transformed by Christ and lived out in daily relationships.
32. Titus 3:2
“To slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone.”
Paul urges believers to avoid harmful speech and instead pursue peace, gentleness, and consideration toward all. Loving everyone means being careful with our words and actions, ensuring they build up rather than tear down. This verse calls for humility and respect in all interactions, regardless of how others treat us. By choosing gentleness and kindness, we reflect God’s love in a world where harshness and division are common.
33. James 2:8
“If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing right.”
James calls this command the “royal law” because it is supreme and central to God’s kingdom. Loving others as ourselves fulfills God’s will and proves true faith. This verse reminds believers that genuine love is the measure of righteousness. Favoritism, prejudice, or partiality has no place in God’s kingdom. To love everyone equally and sincerely is to live rightly before God, demonstrating the true essence of Christian discipleship.
34. 1 Peter 3:8
“Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.”
Peter outlines the qualities that should mark every believer: unity, sympathy, compassion, humility, and love. These virtues foster strong community and reflect Christ’s character. Loving everyone means embracing empathy and humility, not insisting on our own way. This verse calls us to genuine concern for others’ needs, promoting peace and harmony. When Christians live out these qualities, the church becomes a living testimony of God’s love in action.
35. Jude 1:21
“Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.”
Jude reminds believers to remain rooted in God’s love as they live in anticipation of eternal life. Loving everyone flows from abiding in God’s love daily. When we are secure in His love, we can extend it freely to others. This verse challenges us to stay steadfast, keeping our hearts aligned with God’s mercy. By remaining in His love, we are equipped to love others faithfully until Christ returns.
Conclusion
Scripture is clear that love is the foundation of the Christian religion and that it is of utmost importance. God continuously exhorts His people to love everyone, from the Old Testament rules to Jesus’ teachings and the apostles’ teachings. This love is unconditional; it embraces strangers, friends, relatives, and even adversaries. It is how God’s own nature is reflected in our lives.
It’s not always easy to love everyone. It calls for selflessness when we want recognition, humility when pride entices us, forgiveness when we’ve been harmed, and patience when others mistreat us. However, the Bible reminds us that we are empowered to live in love by God’s Spirit. Our hearts are changed as we give ourselves over to Him, and we are given the capacity to love that is above our nature. At that point, love becomes a way of life that we live rather than merely a command that we follow.
Love is the cornerstone of Christian living, as these 35 potent Bible scriptures tell us. It is the force that binds the church together, the testimony that leads people to God, and the proof that we are followers of Christ. By making the decision to love everyone, we make the kingdom of God visible on earth and direct people to Jesus’ death on the cross, which is the pinnacle of love. May we reflect His light and continue to walk in His love, offering grace, hope, and healing to a world in need.
