'Friend' in the Bible

The Lord said, “Shall I keep secret from Abraham [My friend and servant] what I am going to do,

But quite a while later, Judah’s wife, the daughter of Shua, died; and when the time of mourning was ended, he went up to his sheepshearers at Timnah with his friend Hirah the Adullamite.

When Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite, to get his pledge [back] from the woman, he was unable to find her.

And so the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses returned to the camp, his attendant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.

“If your brother, the son of your mother, or your son or daughter, or the wife you cherish, or your friend who is as [precious to you as] your own life (soul), entices you secretly, saying, ‘Let us go and serve other gods’ (gods whom neither you nor your fathers have known,

But Samson’s wife was given to his companion who had been his friend.

But Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab the son of Shimeah, David’s brother; and Jonadab was a very shrewd (cunning) man.

So Hushai, David’s friend, returned to the city, and [at about the same time] Absalom came into Jerusalem.

Now it happened when Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, came to Absalom, Hushai said to him, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”

Absalom said to Hushai, “Is this your loyalty to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?”

Azariah the son of Nathan was in charge of the deputies; Zabud the son of Nathan was priest and was the king’s friend [and trusted advisor];

Ahithophel was counselor to the king; and Hushai the Archite was the king’s companion and friend.

O our God, did You not drive out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Your friend Abraham?

“For the despairing man there should be kindness from his friend;So that he does not abandon (turn away from) the fear of the Almighty.

“You would cast lots (gamble) over the fatherlessAnd bargain away your friend.

“I am a joke to my friends;I, one whom God answered when he called upon Him—A just and blameless man is a joke [and laughed to scorn].

He does not slander with his tongue,Nor does evil to his neighbor,Nor takes up a reproach against his friend;

I behaved as if grieving for my friend or my brother;I bowed down in mourning, as one who sorrows for his mother.

Even my own close friend in whom I trusted,Who ate my bread,Has lifted up his heel against me [betraying me].

But it is you, a man my equal and my counsel,My companion and my familiar friend;

Lover and friend You have placed far from me;My familiar friends are in darkness.

Say to [skillful and godly] wisdom, “You are my sister,”And regard understanding and intelligent insight as your intimate friends;

A friend loves at all times,And a brother is born for adversity.

The man of too many friends [chosen indiscriminately] will be broken in pieces and come to ruin,But there is a [true, loving] friend who [is reliable and] sticks closer than a brother.

Many will seek the favor of a generous and noble man,And everyone is a friend to him who gives gifts.

He who loves purity of heartAnd whose speech is gracious will have the king as his friend.

Faithful are the wounds of a friend [who corrects out of love and concern],But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful [because they serve his hidden agenda].

Do not abandon your own friend and your father’s friend,And do not go to your brother’s house in the day of your disaster.Better is a neighbor who is near than a brother who is far away.

As iron sharpens iron,So one man sharpens [and influences] another [through discussion].

“His mouth is full of sweetness;Yes, he is altogether lovely and desirable.This is my beloved and this is my friend,O daughters of Jerusalem.” Cross references: Song of Solomon 5:1 : John 16:33 Song of Solomon 5:2 : Job 11:13-15 Song of Solomon 5:3 : Is 32:9; Heb 3:15 Song of Solomon 5:8 : Ps 63:1 Song of Solomon 5:9 : John 10:26 Song of Solomon 5:10 : Ps 45:2; John 1:14 Song of Solomon 5:16 : Ps 92:15; Col 1:15 end of crossrefs

“But you, Israel, My servant,Jacob whom I have chosen,The offspring of Abraham My friend,

Therefore, thus says the Lord,“Behold, I am laying stumbling blocks before this people.The fathers and the sons togetherWill stumble against them;The neighbor and his friend will perish.”

And I will make them eat the flesh of their sons and their daughters, and each one will eat one another’s flesh during the siege and distress brought by their enemies and those who seek their lives.”’

Do not trust in a neighbor [because of the moral corruption in the land];Do not have confidence in a friend.Guard the doors of your mouthFrom her who lies in your bosom.

The Son of Man came eating and drinking [with others], and they say, ‘Look! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners [including non-observant Jews]!’ Yet wisdom is justified and vindicated by her deeds [in the lives of those who respond to Me].”

But the owner of the estate replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no injustice. Did you not agree with me for a denarius?

and he said, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without wearing the wedding clothes [that were provided for you]?’ And the man was speechless and without excuse.

Jesus said to Judas, “Friend, do what you came for.” Then they came and seized Jesus and arrested Him.

The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a man who is a glutton and a [heavy] wine-drinker, a friend of tax collectors and sinners [including non-observant Jews].’

Then He said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and goes to him at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves [of bread];

for a friend of mine who is on a journey has just come to visit me, and I have nothing to serve him’;

I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything just because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence and boldness he will get up and give him whatever he needs.

But when you are invited, go and sit down [to eat] at the last place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; and then you will be honored in the presence of all who are at the table with you.

He said this, and after that said, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him.”

So Pilate said to Him, “Then You are a King?” Jesus answered, “You say [correctly] that I am a King. This is why I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth [who is a friend of the truth and belongs to the truth] hears and listens carefully to My voice.”

As a result of this, Pilate kept making efforts to release Him, but the Jews kept screaming, “If you release this Man, you are no friend of Caesar! Anyone who makes himself out [to be] a king opposes Caesar [and rebels against the emperor]!”

So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these [others do—with total commitment and devotion]?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You [with a deep, personal affection, as for a close friend].” Jesus said to him, “Feed My lambs.”

Again He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me [with total commitment and devotion]?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You [with a deep, personal affection, as for a close friend].” Jesus said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.”

He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me [with a deep, personal affection for Me, as for a close friend]?” Peter was grieved that He asked him the third time, “Do you [really] love Me [with a deep, personal affection, as for a close friend]?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know everything; You know that I love You [with a deep, personal affection, as for a close friend].” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.

Now Herod [Agrippa I] was extremely angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; and their delegates came to him in a united group, and after persuading Blastus, the king’s chamberlain [to support their cause], they asked for peace, because their country was fed by [imports of grain and other goods from] the king’s country.

Now an overseer must be blameless and beyond reproach, the husband of one wife, self-controlled, sensible, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,

And he must be hospitable [to believers, as well as strangers], a lover of what is good, sensible (upright), fair, devout, self-disciplined [above reproach—whether in public or in private].

And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and this [faith] was credited to him [by God] as righteousness and as conformity to His will,” and he was called the friend of God.

You adulteresses [disloyal sinners—flirting with the world and breaking your vow to God]! Do you not know that being the world’s friend [that is, loving the things of the world] is being God’s enemy? So whoever chooses to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.