This page gives you Bible verses for friends, for those moments when you want to pray for a friend, encourage one who is struggling, or give thanks for the friendships God has placed in your life. The verses below are grouped by situation so you can find the right word quickly. Each one points to something central about how God calls us to love, support and stay faithful to the people beside us.
Verses for Praying Over a Friend Who Is Struggling
When a friend is going through a hard season, it can be difficult to know what to say. These verses remind you that God is near, that he hears prayer, and that his care reaches the person you love even when you cannot fix their problem.
Psalm 34:18
The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves those who have a crushed spirit.
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This verse speaks to a friend who feels crushed by grief or disappointment. Write their name on a card and pray this verse over them before you text to ask how they are doing.
Galatians 6:2
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
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Paul calls believers to carry one another’s burdens. Choose one practical load your friend is carrying, such as a meal, a ride or an hour of listening, and take it off their plate this week.
Romans 12:15
Rejoice with those who rejoice. Weep with those who weep.
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Sometimes the most loving thing is simply to be present. Next time your friend shares good news or sad news, respond with full attention rather than rushing to advice or your own story.
Proverbs 17:17
A friend loves at all times; and a brother is born for adversity.
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This proverb describes a friend who stays steady in every season. Set a reminder to reach out to someone you love on a day when nothing is wrong, so that your presence is already established when trouble comes.
Verses About Faithfulness and Lasting Friendship
These passages describe what it looks like to be a faithful friend over years rather than weeks. They are useful when you are thinking about a long friendship, or when you feel tempted to give up on a relationship that has become strained.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. 10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him who is alone when he falls, and doesn’t have another to lift him up.
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The Teacher observes that two people accomplish more than one, and help each other up when they fall. Name one task you could tackle together with a friend, whether a project, a volunteer shift or a long walk, and suggest it this month.
John 15:13
Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
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Jesus describes love at its highest in terms of friendship and sacrifice. Consider one small way you can lay something down for a friend, such as your time, your convenience or your pride, and do it without announcing it.
1 Corinthians 13:7
Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
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Paul lists the endurance of love, which bears, believes, hopes and perseveres. When a friend disappoints you, pause and ask whether you can extend the patience you would want for yourself.
Proverbs 27:17
Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens his friend’s countenance.
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Iron sharpens iron, and one person sharpens another. Invite a friend into honest conversation about a goal you both care about, and let them help you think more clearly.
Verses for Thanking God for the Friends He Gives
Gratitude for friendship is a good place to start when you are feeling lonely or taking your relationships for granted. These verses turn your attention to God as the giver of every good relationship and remind you to thank him for the people already in your life.
Philippians 1:3-5
3 I thank my God whenever I remember you, 4 always in every request of mine on behalf of you all, making my requests with joy, 5 for your partnership in furtherance of the Good News from the first day until now…
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Paul thanks God every time he remembers the Philippians and partners with them in the gospel. Make a list of three friends and, for each one, name a specific way they have shared in your life this year.
Colossians 3:14
Above all these things, walk in love, which is the bond of perfection.
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Paul urges believers to put on love, which binds everything together in harmony. Ask God to show you where love is still missing between you and someone close, and pray for the bond to grow.
James 1:17
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, nor turning shadow.
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James reminds us that every good gift comes from above. Thank God by name for one friend who has blessed you, and tell that friend what you have thanked God for.
1 Thessalonians 5:11
Therefore exhort one another, and build each other up, even as you also do.
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Paul encourages believers to build one another up, just as they already do. Send a message this week that names a particular strength you see in a friend and tells them plainly why it matters.
How to Use These Verses
You can write these verses on a card, in a note to a friend, or in the front of a journal where you keep prayer requests. A verse written by hand and tucked into a birthday card often means more than a message typed quickly on a phone, and it gives the person something to return to on a hard day.
Read a verse slowly in the morning before you see the friend in question, and pray it aloud for them by name. Then, when you are with them, let the verse shape how you listen and speak. Over time, these passages become a habit of prayer that keeps your friendships tied to God rather than to your mood.
A Short Prayer for Friends
Lord, thank you for the friends you have placed in my life. Some of them have carried me through seasons I could not have survived alone, and others have taught me patience and honesty. Help me to be the kind of friend who shows up, listens well and speaks truth with love. Where a friend is hurting, draw near to them and comfort them in ways only you can. Where friendship has grown strained, give me humility and a willingness to repair what I have damaged. Let my friendships point others toward your faithfulness. Amen.
