And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
Be kind and forgive one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Forgiving is not the same as accepting harm.
Bible Verses About Kindness
Kindness in the Bible starts with God: “my kindness shall not depart from thee,” He says in Isaiah 54:10. Because He is kind to us, we are told, “be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted” (Ephesians 4:32). Here is a verse to carry into today.
A verse for you
Ephesians 4:32
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
Be kind and forgive one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Forgiving is not the same as accepting harm.
KJV16 Bible verses about kindness
Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
Chosen and loved by God, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience each day, like clothing.
He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
What God asks, in one line: do justice, love kindness and mercy, and walk humbly with Him.
As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
Whenever you have the chance, do good to everyone, starting with the people closest to you in faith.
For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee.
Mountains may move, but God’s kindness toward you will not.
The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.
Mercy does good to the one who shows it; cruelty ends up hurting the one who is cruel.
But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.
Kindness even to the ungrateful, because that is how God treats them.
But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
God’s kindness came first and saved us by mercy, not by anything we had done.
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Every kindness to someone overlooked, Jesus says, is done to Him.
Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:
Keep kindness and truth together, close as a necklace and written on your heart.
Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:
A short list for living together: one mind, compassion, love, a tender heart and courtesy.
Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
Do not forget to welcome strangers; some have welcomed angels without knowing it.
Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
It is God’s kindness, not His harshness, that leads people to turn back to Him.
Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
The golden rule: treat others the way you want to be treated.
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
Love described in actions: patient, kind, not proud, thinking no evil. Bearing all things is never a call to stay in harm.
Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad.
Anxiety weighs the heart down, and a good word can lift it again.
What the Bible says
The Old Testament’s great word for kindness is the Hebrew hesed: loyal, covenant love that keeps showing up. The King James Version translates it as mercy, kindness, lovingkindness and goodness. When Micah sums up what God asks, “to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God,” the middle phrase is literally to love hesed. The New Testament’s Greek word for kindness appears in the KJV as kindness, goodness and, in the fruit of the Spirit, gentleness.
Christian kindness flows from God’s kindness first. Titus 3 says that “the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared” and saved us “Not by works of righteousness which we have done.” Romans 2:4 adds that it is “the goodness of God” that leads people to repentance. We are kind because we have been treated kindly.
Biblical kindness is more than being nice. It is tenderhearted (Ephesians 4:32), and it acts: it does good “unto all men” (Galatians 6:10), welcomes strangers (Hebrews 13:2) and serves the overlooked, in whom Jesus says we serve Him (Matthew 25:40). It reaches even enemies, because God “is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.” And it is often small: a good word to a heavy heart (Proverbs 12:25), patience, a meal, a visit.
Kindness does not mean letting yourself be mistreated or staying quiet about harm. The same Bible that calls for kindness calls for justice and truth: “Let not mercy and truth forsake thee.” Being kind can include setting a boundary, saying no, or telling someone a hard truth gently.
A prayer
Lord, Your kindness toward me has not departed, even when I did not deserve it. Make me kind as You are kind: tenderhearted, forgiving and quick to do good. Help me see the people around me today, especially the ones who are easy to overlook. Give me a good word for a heavy heart. And where kindness needs courage or truth, give me those too. Amen.
Questions people ask
What is the best-known Bible verse about kindness?
Ephesians 4:32: “be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” Micah 6:8 is also much loved.
What does the Bible say about being kind to people who are unkind?
Jesus asks us to do good even to enemies, “hoping for nothing again,” because God is kind to the ungrateful (Luke 6:35). That is not the same as trusting someone who hurts you or staying in harm’s way; it means refusing to repay cruelty with cruelty (Proverbs 15:1).
Is kindness a fruit of the Spirit?
Yes. In Galatians 5:22 the KJV lists “gentleness, goodness”; many modern translations render the first of those words “kindness.” The Reina-Valera has “benignidad, bondad.” Paul presents them as what the Spirit grows in a life, not a standard you must reach alone.
What are some short verses about kindness for children or a classroom?
Ephesians 4:32 (“be ye kind one to another”), Galatians 6:10, Matthew 7:12 (the Golden Rule) and 1 Corinthians 16:14: “Let all your things be done with charity.”
Keep exploring
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