A faithful friend is one of the rarest treasures Scripture names. The Bible prizes the friend who loves at all times, who sharpens as iron sharpens iron, and who sticks closer than a brother — and it warns plainly about companions who pull a soul downward. These passages describe friendship as God designed it, with Jesus Himself as the pattern.
17 A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
In the original: רע ריע rêa‛ rêya‛ H7453 — From H7462; an associate (more or less close): - brother, companion, fellow, friend, husband, lover, neighbour, X (an-) other.
See also: Proverbs 18:24 · John 15:13 · 1 Samuel 20:17 · Proverbs 19:7
24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
In the original: רע ריע rêa‛ rêya‛ H7453 — From H7462; an associate (more or less close): - brother, companion, fellow, friend, husband, lover, neighbour, X (an-) other.
See also: Proverbs 17:17 · John 15:13 · Proverbs 27:9 · 2 Samuel 1:26
13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. 15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
In the original: φίλος philos G5384 — Properly dear, that is, a friend ; actively fond, that is, friendly (still as a noun, an associate, neighbor, etc.): - friend.
See also: John 10:11 · Ephesians 5:2 · Romans 5:6 · Psalms 25:14
9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. 10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. 11 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? 12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
In the original: חבר châbêr H2270 — From H2266; an associate: - companion, fellow, knit together.
See also: Proverbs 27:17 · Genesis 2:18 · 1 Corinthians 12:18 · Numbers 11:14
17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
In the original: רע ריע rêa‛ rêya‛ H7453 — From H7462; an associate (more or less close): - brother, companion, fellow, friend, husband, lover, neighbour, X (an-) other.
See also: Hebrews 10:24 · Proverbs 27:9 · Job 4:3 · 1 Samuel 23:16
9 Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel. by...: Heb. from the counsel of the soul 10 Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not; neither go into thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity: for better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off.
In the original: רע ריע rêa‛ rêya‛ H7453 — From H7462; an associate (more or less close): - brother, companion, fellow, friend, husband, lover, neighbour, X (an-) other.
See also: Proverbs 16:23 · Proverbs 18:24 · Proverbs 17:17 · Proverbs 16:21
1 And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. 2 And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father's house. 3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.
In the original: אהב אהב 'âhab 'âhêb H157 — A primitive root; to have affection for (sexually or otherwise): - (be-) love (-d, -ly, -r), like, friend.
See also: Proverbs 18:24 · 1 Samuel 20:17 · 2 Samuel 1:26 · 1 Samuel 18:3
16 And Jonathan Saul's son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God.
See also: Isaiah 35:3 · Hebrews 12:12 · Job 4:3 · 2 Timothy 2:1
20 He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed. destroyed: Heb. broken
In the original: רעה râ‛âh H7462 — A primitive root; to tend a flock, that is, pasture it; intransitively to graze (literally or figuratively); generally to rule ; by extension to associate with (as a friend): - X break, companion, keep com
See also: 1 Corinthians 15:33 · Proverbs 15:31 · Proverbs 9:6 · 2 Corinthians 6:14
24 Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: 25 Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.
In the original: רעה râ‛âh H7462 — A primitive root; to tend a flock, that is, pasture it; intransitively to graze (literally or figuratively); generally to rule ; by extension to associate with (as a friend): - X break, companion, keep com
See also: Proverbs 29:22 · 2 Corinthians 6:14 · 1 Corinthians 15:33 · Proverbs 13:20
33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
In the original: ὁμιλία homilia G3657 — From G3658; companionship (" homily" ), that is, (by implication) intercourse: - communication.
See also: Proverbs 13:20 · Matthew 24:4 · 1 Corinthians 5:6 · Proverbs 9:6
16 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Intreat...: or, Be not against me 17 Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.
In the original: רוּת rûth H7327 — Probably for H7468; friend ; Ruth, a Moabitess: - Ruth.
See also: 2 Samuel 15:21 · Ruth 2:11 · 2 Kings 2:2 · Psalms 45:10
11 Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him. 12 And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven. 13 So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.
In the original: רע ריע rêa‛ rêya‛ H7453 — From H7462; an associate (more or less close): - brother, companion, fellow, friend, husband, lover, neighbour, X (an-) other.
See also: Romans 12:15 · Genesis 50:10 · Job 42:11 · Lamentations 2:10
28 A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends. soweth: Heb. sendeth forth
In the original: אלּוּף אלּף 'alûph 'allûph H441 — From H502; familiar ; a friend, also gentle ; hence a bullock (as being tame; applied, although masculine, to a cow); and so a chieftain (as notable like neat cattle): - captain, duke, (chief) frien
See also: Proverbs 17:9 · James 3:14 · Romans 1:29 · Proverbs 18:8
4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
In the original: φίλος philos G5384 — Properly dear, that is, a friend ; actively fond, that is, friendly (still as a noun, an associate, neighbor, etc.): - friend.
See also: 1 John 2:15 · Romans 8:7 · John 15:19 · Matthew 6:24