Bible Verses About Love

These Bible quotes about love are given from three popular versions: KJV, NIV and the Vulgate (Latin translation by St. Jerome). Some of them may be suited for engraving on wedding rings, engagement rings, purity rings, as well as other objects that are related to weddings, anniversaries and other ways of celebrating love and relationships. Whether you decide to have them engraved or not, using them for guidance may be a good idea!

Genesis 1: 27

KJV:

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

NIV:

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

LATIN (Vulgate)

et creavit Deus hominem ad imaginem suam ad imaginem Dei creavit illum masculum et feminam creavit eos.

Genesis 2: 24

KJV:

Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

NIV:

For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.

LATIN (Vulgate):

quam ob rem relinquet homo patrem suum et matrem et adherebit uxori suae et erunt duo in carne una.

Proverbs 5:19

KJV:

Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love.

NIV:

A loving doe, a graceful deer– may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be captivated by her love.

LATIN (Vulgate):

cerva carissima et gratissimus hinulus ubera eius inebrient te omni tempore in amore illius delectare iugiter.

Proverbs 10:12

KJV:

Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.

NIV:

Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers over all wrongs.

LATIN (Vulgate):

odium suscitat rixas et universa delicta operit caritas.

Proverbs 15:17

KJV:

Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.

NIV:

Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened calf with hatred.

LATIN (Vulgate):

melius est vocare ad holera cum caritate quam ad vitulum saginatum cum odio.

Proverbs 17:9

KJV:

He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.

NIV:

He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.

LATIN (Vulgate):

qui celat delictum quaerit amicitias qui altero sermone repetit separat foederatos

Proverbs 30:18-19

KJV:

There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not:

The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid.

NIV:

“There are three things that are too amazing for me, four that I do not understand:

¹⁹ the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship on the high seas, and the way of a man with a maiden.

LATIN (Vulgate):

tria sunt difficilia mihi et quartum penitus ignoro

viam aquilae in caelo viam colubri super petram viam navis in medio mari et viam viri in adulescentula.

Song of Solomon 1:2

KJV:

Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.

NIV:

Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth— for your love is more delightful than wine.

LATIN (Vulgate):

osculetur me osculo oris sui quia meliora sunt ubera tua vino

Song of Solomon 2:16

KJV:

My beloved is mine, and I am his:

he feedeth among the lilies.

NIV:

My lover is mine and I am his;

he browses among the lilies.

LATIN (Vulgate):

dilectus meus mihi et ego illi

qui pascitur inter lilia

Song of Solomon 4:10

KJV:

How fair is thy love, my sister, my spouse! how much better is thy love than wine! and the smell of thine ointments than all spices!

NIV:

How delightful is your love, my sister, my bride! How much more pleasing is your love than wine, and the fragrance of your perfume than any spice!

LATIN (Vulgate):

quam pulchrae sunt mammae tuae soror mea sponsa pulchriora ubera tua vino et odor unguentorum tuorum super omnia aromata

Note: the Latin version is a lot more bold!

Song of Solomon 8:6

KJV:

Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.

NIV:

Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. (NIV)

LATIN (Vulgate):

pone me ut signaculum super cor tuum ut signaculum super brachium tuum quia fortis est ut mors dilectio dura sicut inferus aemulatio lampades eius lampades ignis atque flammarum

Note: A part of this verse is sometimes quoted separaely: love is as strong as death (fortis est ut mors dilectio)

Song of Solomon 8:7

KJV:

Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned.

NIV:

Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away. If one were to give all the wealth of his house for love, it would be utterly scorned.

LATIN (Vulgate):

aquae multae non poterunt extinguere caritatem nec flumina obruent illam si dederit homo omnem substantiam domus suae pro dilectione quasi nihil despicient eum

Note: you may want to use only the first half of this verse: Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away. (aquae multae non poterunt extinguere caritatem nec flumina obruent illam)

John 15:13

KJV:

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

NIV:

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

LATIN (Vulgate):

maiorem hac dilectionem nemo habet ut animam suam quis ponat pro amicis suis

Ephesians 5:25

KJV:

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

NIV:
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.

LATIN (Vulgate):

viri diligite uxores sicut et Christus dilexit ecclesiam et se ipsum tradidit pro ea

Ephesians 5:33

KJV:

Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

NIV:

However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. (NIV)

LATIN (Vulgate):

verumtamen et vos singuli unusquisque suam uxorem sicut se ipsum diligat uxor autem ut timeat virum

Note: you can leave out verumtamen et vos singuli

Colossians 3:14

KJV:

And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

NIV:

And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

LATIN (Vulgate):

super omnia autem haec caritatem quod est vinculum perfectionis

Note: caritas indeed means love in this context, not charity as KJV would have it.

1 Peter 4:8

KJV:

And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.

NIV:

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

LATIN (Vulgate):

ante omnia mutuam in vosmet ipsos caritatem continuam habentes quia caritas operit multitudinem peccatorum

1 John 3:18

KJV:

My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

NIV:

Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

LATIN (Vulgate):

filioli non diligamus verbo nec lingua sed opere et veritate

1 John 4:8

KJV:

He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

NIV:

Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

LATIN (Vulgate):

qui non diligit non novit Deum quoniam Deus caritas est

Romans 12:10b

KJV:

In honour preferring one another

NIV:

Honor one another above yourselves.

LATIN (Vulgate):

honore invicem praevenientes

Romans 12:12

KJV:

Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

NIV:

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

LATIN (Vulgate):

spe gaudentes in tribulatione patientes orationi instantes

Col 3:18-19

KJV:

Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.

Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.

NIV:

Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.

LATIN (Vulgate):

mulieres subditae estote viris sicut oportet in Domino

viri diligite uxores et nolite amari esse ad illas