Today, I will list out 21 Bible Verses about treating others with kindness. These verses can make you feel better about yourself and help in your relationships with others.
Treating others with kindness and love is such a blessing. It isn’t always easy, and sometimes it takes time to learn how to be kind, but it’s so rewarding when you see yourself become someone who helps others.
Bible verses about Treating others with kindness
There are many Bible verses on the subject of treating others with kindness, but some are better suited for encouragement than others for motivation.
Some may seem simple at first glance, but their meanings can vary widely depending on the person who reads them or accepts them as personal scripture.
Proverbs 19:17 – Generosity from a genuine heart.
Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.
Proverbs 19:17 ESV
It is made certain that an act of charity towards the less-privileged from a genuine heart, based on the true principle of love, that is, love without selfishness, is a loan to the Lord. This, the lord shall return with advantages. In other words, a gift to the poor is a depositum in the hands of God, and God always pays His debts in full.
Matthew 7:12 – Treat others as we’d like to be treated
“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
Matthew 7:12 ESV
This verse more or less sums up the entirety of the laws of the prophet in detail about how one treats others. Generally, treatment towards others may include; words, actions, thoughts, association, etc.
Considering that each and every one of us is created in the image and glory of God, and He loves us equally, hence, we should treat others as we’d like to be treated, and love them because God loves them.
1 John 4:20-21 – The seen and unseen
If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.
1 John 4:20-21 ESV
Here, John tells us that we cannot say we love God and hate other people, because if we do, we are liars. Usually, it is more difficult to love someone who is unseen, and easier to love someone who is seen. Hence for one to claim to love God, who is unseen, he must show a reasonable amount of genuine love and kindness to others.
Romans 12:10 – The need for Brotherly affection
Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.
Romans 12:10 ESV
Paul describes sincere or genuine love as an act of kindness or devotion towards a sibling. God has adopted every one of us into his family, therefore we must share a sense of loyalty, belonging, and oneness that surpasses normal friendships with each other.
This is so that each individual in the family of Christ will have a sense of relevance and feel deeply honored, and will be motivated to want to do more for another.
Proverbs 24:17 – Desist from arrogance, attitude, and mockery
Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles,
Proverbs 24:17 ESV
Usually, having malicious satisfaction towards the misfortune of an enemy often comes with arrogance, attitude, and mockery.
Jesus taught us to love and forgive our enemies, this involves sharing in their grief, not gloating when they’re grieving.
If we turn around and gloat in their misfortune, God may turn against us in dissatisfaction and as a punishment turn His anger away from our enemies.
Romans 15:1-2 – Love and kindness
We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.
Romans 15:1-2 ESV
Paul’s point is much broader than simply bearing each other’s flaws without passing judgment. In this case, we are to stand by those who are struggling with their faith and help them carry the weight of their doubts.
1 Peter 3:8-12 – Do not repay evil for evil
Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. For “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
1 Peter 3:8-12 ESV
Peter addresses all believers in this passage, urging them to be united and to refuse to seek vengeance when wronged. Even when we are in pain, God’s people have always been called to reject evil and do good. Indeed, God’s will may be for His people to suffer in order to demonstrate His power.
Others can be persuaded to repentance by our good example. God sees all of this. He looks. He pays attention. He knows and cares for those set apart for his purposes. God pays special attention to the righteous. Peter has already made it clear that the perfectly righteous Jesus paid the penalty for our sins when he died on the cross.
Ephesians 4:32 – Forgiving one another
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Ephesians 4:32 ESV
Paul commands Christians to pardon one another. This instruction comes with a clarification, with reference to the absolution and forgiveness believers have gotten from Christ. Christians are not to be known for an unforgiving demeanor, but instead for compassion.
Luke 6:31 – more than kind sentiments
And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.
Luke 6:31 ESV
Love is more than kind sentiments. It’s a conciliatory concern for the well-being of others. We are to think almost what we require and utilize that viewpoint as a premise for the assembly wants of others—even our foes who abuse us for taking after Jesus.
Ephesians 4:29-32 – Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths
Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Ephesians 4:29-32 ESV
Smudged or filthy words proceed from corruption within the speaker, and they degenerate the minds and conduct of those who listen to them, hence, Christians ought to be careful of all such talk because they grieve the holy spirit to withdraw His presence and influence. Instead, kind words should proceed out of our mouths.
Colossians 3:12-14
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
Colossians 3:12-14 ESV
Paul at this point opens the thought of taking after Christ to incorporate each perspective of our lives: anything we think or do, as devotees, is to be consistent with the case of our Master Jesus Christ.
Romans 12:18
If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.
Romans 12:18 ESV
As believers, we ought to live serenely with everyone. This would incorporate both siblings in Christ, as well as unbelievers. Never let yourself be the reason for an un-peaceful relationship with another person.
Romans 12:17-21
Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Romans 12:17-21 ESV
Paul declares that we must resist our natural human instinct for revenge and refuse to pay back evil when evil is done to us. Whether the person who hurts us is a believer or unbeliever. We should learn to cease that moment to demonstrate that in Christ, we are honorable people.
Philippians 2:3
Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
Philippians 2:3 ESV
When motives of pride and wrongful ambition drive our decisions, love and unity are no more true goals. When putting the needs of others first, believers pursue the kind of humility that leads to mutual love and harmony. The emphasis should be on others not on ourselves.
John 13:34
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.
John 13:34 ESV
Here, Jesus made it clear that love for others is the cornerstone of obedience to God. This is emphasized through His own love which He has set as a standard for believers to emulate.
Mark 12:31
The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Mark 12:31 ESV
In this passage, Jesus explains that everyone around us should be loved by us in the same manner we love ourselves. This implies that in order to be kind and compassionate towards others we have to first be these things to ourselves.
1 Corinthians 13:4-13
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. …
1 Corinthians 13:4-13 ESV
Godly love, also known as agape love is defined by what Christians do or do not do. Paul here focuses on the aspect of love between brothers and sisters in the body of Christ. This kind of love is the greatest.
Luke 6:35
But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.
Luke 6:35 ESV
As followers of Christ, we are expected to actively follow the standard of Christ and work for the welfare of our enemies, giving to those that cannot repay and remaining steadfast in the face of persecution and insults for the sake of Christ.
Proverbs 11:17
A man who is kind benefits himself, but a cruel man hurts himself.
Proverbs 11:17 ESV
When a kind man shares his resources with others, he honors the lord, and in return, attracts blessings from the lord and respect from recipients. On the other hand, a cruel man who is unkind gains no admirers and has nothing to look forward to but disdain and ill wishes.
Colossians 3:12
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,
Colossians 3:12 ESV
In this verse, Apostle Paul goes ahead to list five positive traits Christians should emulate. All of these are under the umbrella of love in the most genuine form. Therefore, as special individuals set apart for the great work of the master, we must be guided by these traits in order to carry on our duties successfully.
Proverbs 31:26
She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
Proverbs 31:26 ESV
This verse speaks of a noble, accomplished wife/woman, who is relied upon to speak wisdom because she has tamed her tongue enough to only speak with kindness. From an ideal point of view, the “she” isn’t a specific individual, therefore, we all should accept that it is possible to tame the tongue and speak with kindness and wisdom.
FAQ
How does God want us to treat others?
God wants us to treat others the way we would want to be treated. Therefore, if someone is mean or cruel to us, we should pray for them and ask God to show them mercy.
Jesus said that we should love our neighbors as ourselves because we are created in God’s image (Matthew 22:39). If we live like this, then we will be treating others as God wants us to treat them.
