34 Bible Verses about Good Friends

I send greetings to Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow-workers in [the service of] Christ Jesus. They risked their own lives for me, so not only I, but also all the Gentile churches [i.e., people converted from among the Gentiles] are grateful to them [for this]. I also send greetings to the church that meets in their house. Greetings to my dear friend Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in Asia [Note: This was a province in the western part of present-day Turkey].

Now when I came to Troas [See Acts 16:8], in order to preach the good news about Christ, and when a door [of opportunity] was opened to me in [the service of] the Lord [there], I had no peace of mind because I did not find my brother Titus [there]. So, I said "good-bye" to them and went on to Macedonia.

But I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow-worker and fellow-soldier, and your messenger [to me] and minister to my needs.

Tychicus will tell you all about my affairs. [Note: This man probably delivered this letter as well as the one to the Ephesians. See Eph. 6:21]. He is our dearly loved brother and faithful minister and fellow-slave in [the service of] the Lord.

Luke, my dearly loved physician, and Demas [See II Tim. 4:10] send you their greetings.

[It is being sent] to Timothy, my dearly loved son. May you have unearned favor, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. I thank God, whom I worship [or, "serve"] with a clear conscience, as my forefathers did, that I can remember you [i.e., your commitment] continually in my prayers night and day. Remembering how you cried [Note: This was probably when Paul and Timothy last parted], I long to see you [again], so that I can be filled with joy.

Then some people came, bringing a man afflicted with paralysis, who was being carried by four friends. And when they were unable to get near Jesus, because of the [large] crowd, they removed [a section of] the roof [directly above Him]. [Note: The roof was a flat area, where people retired for rest, prayer, etc., and easily accessible from an outside stairway]. And when they had broken open [a sizable hole], they lowered the cot on which the paralyzed man was lying.

And many women, who had followed Jesus from Galilee and had ministered to His needs, were watching [all this] from a distance. Among them were Mary from Magdala; Mary, the mother of James and Joseph [i.e., probably the wife of Clopas. See John 19:25]; and the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee [i.e., Salome. Mark 15:40].

Now as the Sabbath day ended and the first day of the week [i.e., Sunday] approached [Note: See Mark 16:1-2 for the exact timing], Mary from Magdala and the other Mary [i.e., Jesus' mother. See Matt. 27:56] went to look at the grave site.

For I long to see you so that I can provide you with some spiritual gift [See I Cor. 12:1-11], for the purpose of strengthening you [in the faith]. What I mean is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith.

No one has [any] greater love than to give up his life for his friends.

Someone would not likely die to rescue a righteous person, though possibly someone would dare to die in order to rescue a good person.

And when he finds it, he places it on his shoulders [i.e., to return it], and is so glad.

Be happy with those who are joyful. Cry with those who are sad.

But [instead], we should speak [and practice] truth in a loving way, so that we can, in all respects, grow up [spiritually] into [union with] Christ, who is the head [i.e., of His body, the church].

So, we should stop judging one another any more. But instead, you people should determine not to put anything in your brother's way [to cause him] to trip or fall [away from God].

And we should consider how we can stir up one another to love [more] and to perform good deeds.

So, my dearly loved brothers, those whom I long to see, [who are] my [reason for] being glad and [who are] my crown of victory; stand firm in [your devotion to] the Lord, my dear ones.

And these [new converts] continued regularly [to listen] to the teaching of the apostles and to share with them; they broke bread [in memory of Jesus] and continued praying. Everyone [who saw this happen] was filled with awe at the many miracles and [supernatural] signs performed by the apostles.

And all the believers [in Jesus] were together and shared everything. They sold their belongings and property and divided [the money] among all [the believers] according to each one's need.

So, the large number of believers were united in heart and soul [i.e., mind and spirit] and not one of them said that anything he owned [really] belonged to him, but they shared all things in common. And the apostles testified concerning the resurrection of the Lord Jesus with great power, and the favor [of God] was upon all of them. And no one lacked anything, for all who owned property or houses sold [some of] them and brought the moneyread more.
and gave it to the apostles, who distributed it to each person who had a need.

[In response to this prediction], the disciples decided to send as much relief as they could to help the brothers living in Judea.

For God assigned Peter to be an apostle to the circumcised ones [i.e., Jews], and me to be an apostle to the Gentiles. Also, when they perceived that this [special] favor [of preaching to Gentiles] was granted to me, James, Cephas [i.e., Peter] and John, the highly regarded pillars [i.e., leaders of the church] extended to me and Barnabas their right hands [signifying an agreement] to share [in the preaching of the Gospel], with us going to the Gentiles and they going to the circumcised ones [i.e., Jews].

I thank my God [in prayer] every time I think of you. In my every request for all of you, I make it with joy for your sharing [with me] in [carrying on] the work of the Gospel from the first day [I left there] until now. [See 4:14-16].

This is why we always pray for you also, so that our God will consider you worthy to be [i.e., to have been] called [into the kingdom] by Him, and will fulfill, by His power, every good purpose [or, "desire for goodness"] of yours and every act produced by [your] faith. [We pray this] so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be honored by you, and that you will be honored by Him, according to the unearned favor of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

So, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another to be healed [from sin sickness]. The special request of a righteous person is empowered with [great] effectiveness.

If it is at all possible, as far as your part is concerned, live peacefully with all people.

I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to be like-minded in [fellowship with] the Lord. Yes, and I am asking you also, [my] faithful partner [Note: This person is unknown, but may have been one of Paul's preacher companions], help those women, for they have worked hard with me in [spreading] the Gospel, along with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow-workers, whose names are in the book of life. [See Rev. 3:5; Heb. 12:23].

[Love] is not glad about the evil [that people do], but is glad about the truth [i.e., the good in their lives].

Above everything else, have a warm love for one another, for such a love keeps many sins from occurring [between you].

Brothers, if any one of you is overwhelmed by a [particular] sin, those of you who are spiritually minded should [attempt to] restore such a person [to faithfulness]. But do it in a gentle way, being very careful that you yourself do not become tempted [to get involved in any sin]. Take on yourselves the [spiritual] burdens of one another, for in doing so you will be fulfilling Christ's law [of love, John 13:35].

My brothers, if anyone among you strays away from the truth [of God's inspired message], and someone brings him back [to it], that person should know that whoever brings a sinner back from the error of his way will save that soul from [spiritual] death and will cover over a large number of sins [i.e., the many sins of that person will become forgiven].

[Then] the Son of man came eating and drinking [at festive occasions] and they said, 'Look, He is a glutton and a drunkard and a friend of tax collectors and worldly people.' It proves that [God's] wise counsel is right by the way things turn out."

[Then] the Son of man came eating and drinking [at festive occasions] and you said, 'Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and worldly people.'