The company we keep significantly influences our attitudes, actions, and spiritual growth. The Bible underscores the importance of surrounding ourselves with good friends who uplift and encourage us in our faith journeys. Choosing the right friendships can lead to profound personal growth and stronger connections with God.
This compilation of Bible verses about surrounding yourself with good friends offers wisdom on the value of positive relationships. You’ll discover insights into the benefits of fostering friendships rooted in faith, love, and mutual support.
As you reflect on these verses, consider your relationships and how they impact your life. May these scriptures encourage you to seek out and nurture friendships that inspire you to be your best self in Christ.
Bible Verses About Surrounding Yourself With Good Friends
Proverbs 18:24 – The Importance of Friendship in the Bible
“One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” – Proverbs 18:24
Related Christian Quotes:
“Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, ‘What! You too? I thought I was the only one.’” – C.S. Lewis
“True friendship comes when the silence between two people is comfortable.” – David Tyson
“It’s not what we have in life, but who we have in our life that matters.” – Unknown
Also Read: Bible Verses About Destroying Enemies (with Christian Quotes)
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 – Characteristics of a Good Friend
“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them.” – Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
Related Christian Quotes:
“A true friend is someone who is there for you when they would rather be anywhere else.” – Unknown
“Good friends are like stars. You don’t always see them, but you know they’re always there.” – Unknown
“Real friendship is when your friend comes over to your house and then you both just take a nap.” – Unknown
Proverbs 27:17 – Proverbs on Friendship
“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” – Proverbs 27:17
Related Christian Quotes:
“Friendship isn’t a big thing, it’s a million little things.” – Unknown
“Sometimes being a friend means mastering the art of timing.” – Octavia Butler
“A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you.” – Elbert Hubbard
John 15:15 – Jesus’ Example of Friendship
“I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” – John 15:15
Related Christian Quotes:
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” – Mahatma Gandhi
“Friendship with God is the highest honor.” – Unknown
“To be a friend of God is to be trusted by Him.” – Unknown
Proverbs 13:20 – Friendship and Accountability
“Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.” – Proverbs 13:20
Related Christian Quotes:
“You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” – Jim Rohn
“No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.” – John Donne
“When you choose your friends, you choose your future.” – Unknown
1 Corinthians 15:33 – The Influence of Friends on Our Lives
“Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.'” – 1 Corinthians 15:33
Related Christian Quotes:
“Be careful who you share your secrets with. Only a few people will care; the rest will just have curiosity.” – Unknown
“Surround yourself with people who want to change the world.” – Unknown
“The greatest gift of life is friendship, and I have received it.” – Hubert H. Humphrey
Proverbs 22:24-25 – Choosing Friends Wisely
“Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared.” – Proverbs 22:24-25
Related Christian Quotes:
“Choose your friends wisely; you’ll become like them.” – Unknown
“Friends are the family you choose.” – Jess C. Scott
“Define your friends by who they are, not by what they do.” – Unknown
Proverbs 27:9 – Friends Who Lift Us Up
“Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice.” – Proverbs 27:9
Related Christian Quotes:
“A good friend is like a four-leaf clover; hard to find and lucky to have.” – Irish Proverb
“A friend is what the heart needs all the time.” – Henry Van Dyke
“True friends are always together in spirit.” – L.M. Montgomery
Proverbs 17:17 – The Value of Loyal Friends
“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.” – Proverbs 17:17
Related Christian Quotes:
“A loyal friend laughs at your jokes when they’re not so good, and sympathizes with your problems when they’re not so bad.” – Bobby Saget
“Friends show their love in times of trouble, not in happiness.” – Euripides
“True friendship is seen through the heart, not through the eyes.” – Unknown
Colossians 3:13 – Friendship and Forgiveness
“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” – Colossians 3:13
Related Christian Quotes:
“Forgiveness is not an occasional act; it is a constant attitude.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
“Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it.” – Mark Twain
“A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words.” – C.S. Lewis
James 5:16 – Praying for Our Friends
“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” – James 5:16
Related Christian Quotes:
“When we pray for our friends, we are partnering with God in the work of the Holy Spirit.” – Unknown
“The friend who prays for you is the one who knows the worth of prayer.” – Unknown
“It’s not the length of prayer, but the sincerity of it.” – N. W. Eenton
Galatians 6:2 – Friends in Times of Trouble
“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” – Galatians 6:2
Related Christian Quotes:
“A friend is one who overlooks your broken fence and admires the garden.” – Unknown
“The best way to cheer yourself is to try to cheer someone else up.” – Mark Twain
“Sometimes the best gifts come in small packages.” – Unknown
Ecclesiastes 4:10 – The Role of Friends in Our Spiritual Growth
“If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them.” – Ecclesiastes 4:10
Related Christian Quotes:
“Friends are the siblings God never gave us.” – Mencius
“Friendship is the only cement that will ever hold the world together.” – Woodrow Wilson
“There’s not a word yet for old friends who’ve just met.” – Jim Henson
Romans 12:10 – Friendship and Love in the New Testament
“Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” – Romans 12:10
Related Christian Quotes:
“To love and be loved is to feel the sun from both sides.” – David Viscott
“Love is friendship that has caught fire.” – Ann Landers
“True love is eternal, infinite, and always like itself.” – Honore de Balzac
1 Thessalonians 5:11 – Being a Good Friend
“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:11
Related Christian Quotes:
“Encouragement is awesome — it can change a person’s whole day.” – Unknown
“A friend is one that knows you as you are, understands where you have been, accepts who you have become, and still gently allows you to grow.” – William Shakespeare
“Say it now to someone you love: ‘I believe in you.’” – Unknown
John 15:13 – The Impact of Bad Company
“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” – John 15:13
Related Christian Quotes:
“Bad company corrupts good character.” – 1 Corinthians 15:33
“The people you surround yourself with influence your behaviors, beliefs, and values.” – Unknown
“You cannot hang out with negative people and expect to live a positive life.” – Joel Osteen
Philippians 2:4 – Friendship and Mentorship
“Not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” – Philippians 2:4
Related Christian Quotes:
“Mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and a push in the right direction.” – John C. Crosby
“Every good relationship, especially friendship, is about the trust and respect.” – Sienna Miller
“Surround yourself with people who consistently make you better.” – Unknown
David and Jonathan – Biblical Stories of Friendship
“And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.” – 1 Samuel 18:3
Related Christian Quotes:
“A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.” – Walter Winchell
“There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship.” – Thomas Aquinas
“Friendship doubles your joy and divides your grief.” – Marcus Tullius Cicero
Acts 2:42 – The Joy of Fellowship
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” – Acts 2:42
Related Christian Quotes:
“Fellowship is a gift of God.” – Unknown
“Friendship flourishes at the table.” – Andrea M. Schwartz
“Fellowship means sharing and caring.” – Unknown
1 Samuel 20:42 – Friends vs. Foes: Recognizing True Friends
“Jonathan said to David, ‘Go in peace, for we have sworn friendship with each other in the name of the Lord.'” – 1 Samuel 20:42
Related Christian Quotes:
“Your friends will determine the quality and direction of your life.” – Unknown
“The right kind of friendship can help you have a happier and more fulfilling life.” – Unknown
“Choose your friends with caution. Plan your future with purpose.” – John C. Maxwell
Hebrews 10:24-25 – The Power of Encouragement Among Friends
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another.” – Hebrews 10:24-25
Related Christian Quotes:
“Encouragement is the oxygen of the soul.” – George M. Adams
“When we encourage others, we can be sure that we are having the kind of impact on them that will last a lifetime.” – Matt Biondi
“Friends are the family we choose for ourselves.” – Edna Buchanan
Proverbs 28:7 – Building Lasting Friendships
“Whoever keeps the law is a discerning son, but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father.” – Proverbs 28:7
Related Christian Quotes:
“Good friends are like stars; you don’t always see them, but you know they are always there.” – Unknown
“Build relationships before you need them.” – Zig Ziglar
“Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.” – Sun Tzu
1 Peter 4:10 – Biblical Principles for Healthy Friendships
“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” – 1 Peter 4:10
Related Christian Quotes:
“Your gifts are not for you; they are for your friends.” – Unknown
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” – Mahatma Gandhi
“A friend is someone who understands your past, believes in your future, and accepts you just the way you are.” – Unknown
Proverbs 15:22 – The Wisdom of Seeking Godly Counsel
“Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” – Proverbs 15:22
Related Christian Quotes:
“Wise leaders generally have wise advisers because it takes a wise person to recognize wisdom.” – Proverbs 13:20
“When you’re in trouble it’s best to call in the friends who are willing to resolve issues with you.” – Unknown
“Friends are like stars, you don’t always see them, but you know they’re always there.” – Unknown
Romans 12:15 – Friendship Across Differences
“Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” – Romans 12:15
Related Christian Quotes:
“True friendship is about being there for one another in good and bad times.” – Unknown
“There’s nothing like a really loyal, dependable, good friend. Nothing.” – Jennifer Aniston
“Friendship is instantly forgotten when it becomes convenient.” – John C. Maxwell
Proverbs 3:27 – Gratitude for True Friends
“Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act.” – Proverbs 3:27
Related Christian Quotes:
“Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul.” – Henry Ward Beecher
“True friendship is a plant of slow growth.” – George Washington
“Gratitude turns what we have into enough.” – Aesop
Proverbs 18:1 – The Role of Friends in Difficult Times
“An unfriendly person pursues selfish ends and against all sound judgment starts quarrels.” – Proverbs 18:1
Related Christian Quotes:
“A friend is what the heart needs all the time.” – Henry Van Dyke
“Who finds a faithful friend finds a treasure.” – Unknown
“The greatest gift is not found in a store, but in the hearts of true friends.” – Unknown
Ruth 1:16-17 – Lasting Friendships in the Bible
“But Ruth replied, ‘Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go, I will go, and where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your God my God.'” – Ruth 1:16-17
Related Christian Quotes:
“A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you.” – Elbert Hubbard
“We all need someone who understands.” – Unknown
“Life is partly what we make it, and partly what it is made by the friends we choose.” – Tennessee Williams
Proverbs 27:6 – Cultivating Kindness and Compassion Among Friends
“Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.” – Proverbs 27:6
Related Christian Quotes:
“Real friends stab you in the front.” – Oscar Wilde
“Friends should be like books, few but hand-selected.” – C.J. Langenhoven
“A true friend is someone who knows how crazy you are and still chooses to be seen with you in public.” – Unknown
Final Thoughts
Friendship, as depicted in the Bible, emphasizes the deep value of relationships that nurture and support our spiritual journeys. As we explore the scriptures, it becomes evident that surrounding ourselves with good friends is not just beneficial but essential for our growth in faith and character.
True friends embody qualities such as loyalty, wisdom, compassion, and accountability, helping us navigate the ups and downs of life. As we build and nurture these friendships, we are encouraged to uphold standards of mutual respect and encouragement, demonstrating Christ-like love towards each other.
Cherish your friendships, and let them lead you towards a deeper understanding of community and faith.