This list gives you Bible verses for comforting other people, whether a friend is grieving, a child is frightened, or a coworker is quietly falling apart. It is written for anyone who wants to bring God’s comfort to someone else without running out of words or energy. These passages share one thread: the comfort we give flows from the comfort we have first received from God, and that makes us able to sit with others in their pain.
Verses for Sitting with Someone Who Is Grieving
Grief is often the moment when we feel least able to help. These verses remind you that God draws near to the brokenhearted, and that your presence can reflect His nearness even when you have no good words to offer.
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 someone who is crushed inside. When you visit a friend who has lost a parent, you do not need to fix anything. Simply be near, sit quietly, and let them know that God is near them too, even in the silence.
Romans 12:15
Rejoice with those who rejoice. Weep with those who weep.
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Paul calls believers to share in both joy and sorrow. Practically, this means showing up for the family after the funeral, when the casseroles stop and the house grows quiet. Send a text on an ordinary Tuesday to say you are thinking of them.
Matthew 5:4
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
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Jesus promises comfort to those who mourn. When someone you love is grieving, remind them of this promise gently, perhaps by writing it on a card with a handwritten note of your own. Let them know that their tears are seen.
Verses for Encouraging a Friend Who Feels Weak
Sometimes the people around us are not grieving but simply worn out, anxious, or doubting their own strength. These verses point to God as the source of strength, so that you can encourage others without making yourself the hero.
Isaiah 41:10
Don’t you be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. Yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness.
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God’s word to Israel is one of steady presence. If a friend is afraid of a diagnosis or an uncertain job, you can read this verse aloud on the phone with them. Then pray the promise back to God together, asking Him to hold them fast.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort; 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, through the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
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Paul explains that God comforts us so that we can comfort others. This passage helps you see your own past hardship as useful. If you have walked through a painful season, your story may be exactly what a struggling friend needs to hear.
Galatians 6:2
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
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Bearing one another’s burdens is concrete work. Ask a weary parent what one task you could take off their hands this week, whether that is a grocery run, an hour of childcare, or a ride to an appointment.
Philippians 2:4
Each of you not just looking to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others.
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This verse asks you to look beyond your own concerns. When a friend is struggling, pause before offering advice and ask them what they need most. Often they just want to be understood before they want to be helped.
Verses for Speaking Truth in Hard Moments
Comfort is not the same as easy agreement. These verses show how God’s truth and God’s tenderness work together, so that you can speak honestly while still bringing hope to someone who is hurting.
John 14:1
“Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God. Believe also in me.
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Jesus speaks these words to disciples facing his departure. When a friend is anxious about the future, you can echo this command by reminding them that their troubled heart can rest in God. Speak it simply, without rushing past their fear.
Lamentations 3:22-23
22 It is because of the LORD’s loving kindnesses that we are not consumed, because his compassion doesn’t fail. 23 They are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness.
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Even in a book of grief, the writer remembers God’s faithful love. For someone who feels they have run out of hope, you can share this passage as a reminder that God’s mercies are renewed each morning, including the morning after a terrible night.
Proverbs 17:17
A friend loves at all times; and a brother is born for adversity.
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Proverbs describes a friend who loves at all times and is born for adversity. Being that kind of friend means staying in touch after the crisis fades, sending a message on the one-month anniversary when everyone else has moved on.
Isaiah 40:1
“Comfort, comfort my people,” says your God.
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God speaks comfort to His people in a time of exile. When you speak to someone who feels abandoned, you can carry this same tone of tenderness, choosing gentle words that tell them they are not forgotten.
Verses for Praying for Others in Their Pain
Often the most powerful comfort you can give is intercession. These verses encourage you to bring other people before God in prayer, trusting Him to act in ways you cannot see.
Philippians 4:6-7
6 In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.
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Paul invites believers to bring every concern to God with thanksgiving. When you hear that a friend is overwhelmed, pray for them right away and tell them you have done so. Knowing someone is praying can bring real relief.
James 5:16
Confess your offenses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The insistent prayer of a righteous person is powerfully effective.
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James encourages confession and prayer for one another. If someone has confided a struggle to you, ask whether you may pray with them before you part ways, even if you only manage a sentence or two.
1 Thessalonians 5:11
Therefore exhort one another, and build each other up, even as you also do.
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Paul urges believers to encourage one another and build each other up. Choose one person this week and send them a specific word of encouragement, naming something good you have seen in them.
Psalm 147:3
He heals the broken in heart, and binds up their wounds.
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This verse describes God as the one who heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. When you pray for someone whose wounds run deep, you can ask God for exactly this tender care, trusting Him with what you cannot repair.
Colossians 3:12
Put on therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, humility, and perseverance…
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Paul lists compassion, kindness, and patience as clothing for God’s people. Before a difficult conversation, you might pause and ask God to help you put on these qualities so that your words arrive as gentle rather than harsh.
How to Use These Verses
Write a few of these verses on index cards or in a notes app, and keep them where you will see them before you visit or call someone who is hurting. Many people find it helpful to choose one verse each week to carry with them, reading it during a commute or over morning coffee so it becomes part of how they think about the people they love.
When you pray these verses for someone else, speak their names aloud and read the passage as a prayer rather than a lecture. You can say, “Lord, You promised to be near the brokenhearted. Be near my friend today.” Praying Scripture this way keeps the focus on God’s faithfulness and frees you from having to supply all the comfort yourself.
A Short Prayer for Others
Lord, You are the God of all comfort, and You have comforted me in my own troubles. Make me a willing vessel of that comfort for the people around me. Give me patience to listen before I speak, and wisdom to know when to offer a verse and when simply to be present. Where someone is grieving, be near them. Where someone is afraid, steady their heart. Use my hands, my words, and my prayers to show them how much You care. Amen.
