21 Characteristics of True Love According to the Bible

Couple learning True Love in the Bible
Photo by Ben White

Do you want to know if your partner is truly in love with you? Do you want to know if you truly love someone? Do you want to learn how to grow your love or inspire other people to purify their love? Do you want to understand what true love really means?

True love is extraordinary. It’s not an easy thing to do. It could even be the hardest thing to do in this world as we know it. We might think that we’re already giving true love, but the truth is… it might not just be enough.

If you want to know and understand what true love really is, here are 21 signs, qualities or characteristics of a genuine love according to the verses in the Holy Bible.

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21 Characteristics of True Love According to the Bible

1. Love is patient.
True love can tolerate pain or suffering without complaining or getting angry.

2. Love is kind.
True love has a gentle, caring and compassionate heart. It feels your sorrow; it feels your joy.

 3. Love is not envious.
True love is content and thankful for its blessings and current possessions. It doesn’t envy other people.

 4. Love is humble.
True love is not proud and boastful. It is humble enough to admit its own mistakes and strive to correct them. It also forgives to get rid of hatred and enjoy the peacefulness.

 “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.” – 1 Corinthians 13:4

5. Love is respectful.
True love respects and honors you as a person. It doesn’t put you into shame or humiliation.

6. Love is selfless.
True love is always thoughtful and concerned about the welfare of its beloved. It’s not selfish, inconsiderate, and greedy.

7. Love is calm.
True love always maintains the clarity of mind and softness of heart. Its heart is deep and its mind is not narrow.

8. Love is righteous.
True love always does the right thing. It disciplines itself to avoid wrongdoings.

“It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.” – 1 Corinthians 13:5 

9. Love is honest.
True love is truthful. It’s happy living an honest life. It doesn’t lie and hide in darkness.

“Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.” – 1 Corinthians 13:6

10. Love protects.
True love always protects you and wants you to be safe.

Characteristics of True Love According to the Bible
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11. Love is trusting.
True love trusts. It relies and depends on you. It recognizes your abilities, talents, skills and the good things in you.

12. Love is hopeful.
True love is optimistic. It includes you in its plans. It sees a bright future with you.

13. Love is persistent.
True love doesn’t easily give up.

“It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” – 1 Corinthians 13:7

14. Love banishes fear.
True love eliminates fear, anxieties and insecurities that torment one’s heart, mind, and soul.

“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” – 1 John 4:18

15. Love loves even those who don’t love it.
True love does good things even to those who hate it. It will love you even though you are treating it as your enemy.

“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that.” – Luke 6:27-33

16. Love comes from God.
True love brings you closer to God.

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.” – 1 John 4:7

 17. Love makes great sacrifice.
True love does extraordinary things. It goes out of its comfort zone or sacrifices things important to it just to show its love.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16

18. Love loves thru true actions.
True love is not based on words or hypocritical deeds, but it is based on truthful actions. It doesn’t only believe or hope, but it does actions that will make the things it believes or hopes a reality.

“Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” – 1 John 3:18-19

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” – 1 Corinthians 13:13

Characteristics of True Love According to the Bible
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19. Love loves itself.
True love takes care of itself, not hurt itself. It develops itself to be stronger, healthier and more capable to continue on loving.

“In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.” – Ephesians 5:28

20. Love binds a person’s good virtues in perfect unity.
True love transforms you into a whole new and better person.

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” – Colossians 3:12-14

21. Love gives you the confidence to face even the end of time.
True love keeps you away from sins and cleanses your soul so that you may become confident even on the Day of Judgment.

“In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment because in this world we are like him.” – 1 John 4:17

True love is indeed powerful and that’s why it’s not an easy thing to do. Giving pure love involves making great sacrifices and enduring a lot of pain. However, it rewards genuine happiness and fulfillment in life and beyond.

Perhaps we cannot make our love perfect on our first try. But love is not only a one-time act – it’s an act that we should practice consistently. Remember that practice makes perfect. Therefore, don’t stop trying to love truly.

I hope this article serves as your guide, not only in identifying if someone is giving you real love, but most importantly in learning how to give it. Take note that true love is more on giving rather than receiving. So start building true love inside you.

Feel free to share this article and share the right love in the world.

Note: All Bible verses presented in this article are based on the New International Version (NIV).

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ALSO READ:

True Love vs. Fake Love: 20 Differences You Must Know

20 Signs She’s the Woman You Should Marry According to the Bible

12 Signs He’s the Guy You Should Marry According to the Bible

 

Victorino Q. Abrugar
Vic is the founder of InspiringTips.com. He regularly writes for the site and also serves as its digital marketing strategist. Vic likes to talk about true love, meaningful life, quantum physics, spiritual growth, and more.

36 thoughts on “21 Characteristics of True Love According to the Bible”

  1. I agree with every factor that you have pointed out. Thank you for sharing your beautiful thoughts on this.

    Reply
  2. Wow awesome I have subscribed and would love to know about your writings and projects . Praise God such a practical and real world way to follow the scriptures. I will especially meditate and memorize what the characteristics of love is for my marriage and neighbors. I want to be a better person but fear may be standing in my way. This was so helpful to think about what love is to overcome my fears of reaching out to others etc. and just do it . As you mentioned love and fear are not compatible. I look forward to your writings do you have any other ways to follow up on your projects ? Thank you!

    Reply
  3. I like that all the explanations start with the words ‘True love’. The origin of this kind of love is from the inside. It is voluntary. You should not force or manipulate some one into loving you. Let me add that true love is freely given. It has no expectations. The giver of true love does not expect anything in return.

    Reply
  4. the best article i have read in many days,i have learnt a great deal today and am in the process
    of restoring my brokenness and my family.i chose to go God’s way for His is the best.He says He has plans to prosper us not harm us and indeed i have seen God truly work and walk over my mountains.His love is a reckless one in a good way,never cares of Him getting in trouble for us.Isaiah 42:14-16 shows how great His love is.He is incomparable,unstoppable,never defeated,never fails,help in times of trouble,true friend,He is I AM WHO I AM.I love Him.
    thank you for this God bless you and keep you.

    Reply
    • i am in a relationship with my step brother and we truly love each other in all way like siblings, mom dad love, partner love and he came in my life after 17 years i didnt h=know he existed and he came in our family when i was about to 18 and we fell in love, felt like soulmates, and god was clearing path for us to be together its like he want us to be with each other we feel intoxicant when we hug each other …..now there’s a problem im living with him alone almost 1 year and my family is telling me to comeback since im living and i never feel like leaving him alone i feel empty without him so does he. now i get very less time to meet my family somettimes i dont feel like going also i cannot tell them that im in a rel. with him because they will never accept it now what should i do , i just want answer from god but some pov from people too.

      Reply
  5. I am not a Christian but interested in reading the bible and other resources because I am interested in the research of human living and what are the channels of happiness.

    Reply
  6. Write these attributes down on a piece of paper and recite then everyday for a year. At the end of the year you will be living like love. You will automatically draw close to God/Jesus. In pure love and happiness. I love you all

    Reply
  7. It’s Fri 10 april 2020. It’s Good Friday in Sydney. I am searching the net for something from the bible as I am preparing an inspiration post for today when by chance I came across this site and your posts. I’ve read a few so far. But the posts about what is love.. that’s God intervening for me. Since 2012 the song “I want to know what love is?” Kept constantly playing on the radio, for 3 years I believed it related to my ex that I had broken up with. Then I realised nope, God was poking me. So I wandered in my wilderness until 2018 when my transformation began… it was only late last year or beginning of this year I connected the song to God himself and now He’s guided me to here to learn and understand what love is. So thank you for writing this and thank you for all your other posts. Keep writing and I am to join the writing in some way. May God bless you and your family. 😊❤

    Reply
  8. Thank you for this article..it helps me in my lessons for my Sunday School class with highschool students..God bless…hope you can share other lessons for my reference..thank you once again…

    Reply
    • Hi. I was inspired by your blog. Are this blogs free for using it as part of my youtube channel?

      Thank you

      Reply
  9. each and every day is a new day to give love to others is their anything better to do? it is important to give love to yourself first because who can give something to anyone unless you have it within yourself to give! Lovehassubstance. loveiseternal if u memorize the attributes of hate will u recognize them and possibly quench them before they come out of yur own mouth? When quenching hate will their ther be more recognizableroomforlove ?trueloveisworthtryinghardfor!bereadytogiveloveandreceiveit

    Reply
  10. Yes i have been hurt in love..so now i say to god..god who loves us..all..bring me true love to my heart soul and mind..i pray for this..love is the best way..

    Reply
    • try memorizing all the attributes of love plus all the things god says it does also memorize all the attributes of hate ,,,,,,,,,,it took me 6 months,,,,,, then ask god to put them in your heart so they come out naturally also mix your conversation with things that are admiral honorable noble pure true and good ,,,,,,,,, its possible to change your self to something a little better when trying……..asking to purify yourself each day will help you with circumstances and situations that arise that may challenge u with this ………….it is a gradual change for more love

      Reply
      • True indeed
        Hmmm I believe that learning to love is a process…

        Since “God is love” and love is His attribute/ DNA we are made in His image and likeness then that same Spirit of God lives inside of us. Thus, love is inside of us and can be stirred to work inside and it will manifest externally in our actions NOT mere Words. Love like Faith grows and love is in action.

        I also believe that love is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit (like faith, patience, faith, joy, peace, goodness, and self- control) therefore as we grow spiritually and mature (a process) just yeild to the Power of the Spirit of God to teach us how to love Him fervently and also share this love with others in the Name of Jesus and by the Power of the Holy Spirit.

        Remember that it is a process and as we grow in love we CAN Love unconditionally and consciously strive to exercise true and genuine love to others even those we as “enemies” we can lo e them and pray for them.
        But start growing the seed if live internally in the heart…not easy but I am learning each moment
        So help me God.

        Reply
    • God is Love!!! All attributes of His love are listed here & they’re explanations. God’s Love is shown throughout the Bible. Sometimes I can’t fathom the awesomeness of God’s Love or even His awesomeness! He says that His ways are not our ways, and our thoughts are not His thoughts. We can only see in part His nature, infinite power & love , Grace & mercy towards us. You may not see love around you, but God loves you so much that He came down from His Heavenly Throne & became a man to die a horrible death for the payment of every ones sin in order to restore us to Him as Adam was before he sinned & then Jesus Rose Again that if we believe, we can have eternal life with Him & truly know of His Love.

      Reply

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