bible verses about brotherly love

Bible Verses About Brotherly Love: 15 Scriptures

Bible verses about brotherly love: 15 Scriptures on philadelphia devotion, honor among believers, and love that treats others like family, with plain notes and links.

Illustrated portrait of Christopher McAllister

By Christopher McAllister

Founder of theBibleand.Love

Published September 28, 2026Updated October 6, 20265 min readRomans 12:10 (NIV)

Two travelers share one cloak as they walk side by side on a windy road.

"Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves."

— Romans 12:10 (NIV)

People who search bible verses about brotherly love want Scripture for family-like affection among believers — devotion that is warm, honor that puts others first, and loyalty that shows up when life is hard. This page is a numbered list of fifteen passages with the NIV text and a short note on each. Sibling love more broadly sits under Love and siblings and Bible verses about sisters. Love aimed outward at neighbors and enemies is under Bible verses about loving others and Bible verses about loving your neighbor.

Word study (lead verse). In Romans 12:10 Paul uses language of philadelphia — brotherly love — from Greek philadelphia (Strong's G5360): affection owed among brothers and sisters in the faith, not cold duty. The same verse presses philostorgos warmth and honor that prefers the other person. See also the lexicon entry at Bible Hub G5360.

Matthew Henry notes that the love Christians owe one another is "affectionate" — "not only love, but a readiness and inclination to love," with honor that prefers others instead of contending for superiority (Blue Letter Bible, Matthew Henry on Romans 12). His concise comment sums the section: all duty toward one another is gathered into love that should be "sincere, free from deceit" (Bible Hub commentaries on Romans 12:10).

15 Bible verses about brotherly love

  1. Romans 12:10. "Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves." Brotherly love is devotion plus honor — warm affection with manners that put the other first.

  2. Hebrews 13:1. "Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters." Philadelphia is not a one-time mood; it is something to keep practicing.

  3. 1 Peter 1:22. "Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart." Sincere brotherly love goes deep, not surface-polite. See Bible verses about loving others.

  4. 1 John 4:7. "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God." Brotherly love is not invented warmth; it flows from God. See 1 John 4:7 and Bible verses about God's love.

  5. 1 John 3:16. "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters." Brotherly love learns its shape from the cross — costly, not cheap.

  6. John 13:34-35. "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." Brotherly love is the visible mark of discipleship.

  7. 1 Thessalonians 4:9. "Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other." God himself tutors the church in philadelphia.

  8. 2 Peter 1:5-7. "…make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; … and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love." Brotherly affection (philadelphia) sits in the growth chain toward full love. See Bible verses about faith.

  9. Romans 12:15-16. "Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another." Brotherly love shares joy and grief — it does not stay distant. See Bible verses about hope.

  10. Galatians 6:2. "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." Philadelphia carries loads — prayer, practical help, presence.

  11. Ephesians 4:32. "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." Kindness and forgiveness keep brotherly love from hardening. See Bible verses about kindness and Bible verses about forgiveness.

  12. Colossians 3:13-14. "Bear with each other and forgive one another… And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." Bearing with each other is brother-language; love is the outer garment. See Colossians 3:14.

  13. 1 Peter 4:8. "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." Deep love among brothers and sisters covers faults instead of rehearsing them. See 1 Peter 4:8.

  14. Philippians 2:3-4. "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others." Brotherly honor looks like humility in the room.

  15. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. "Love is patient, love is kind… It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." Brotherly love looks like this list lived across years in the church. See 1 Corinthians 13:4-7.

How to use these verses

Pick one verse for a small-group opener, a hard conversation with a fellow believer, or a card when someone is carrying a load — not fifteen. Read it out loud. If you need the word philadelphia itself, start with Romans 12:10 or Hebrews 13:1. If you need costly love, start with 1 John 3:16. For sibling language at home, see Love and siblings. For love aimed at neighbors, see Bible verses about loving your neighbor. For a daily verse, open Bible verse of the day.

Questions people ask

What is a good Bible verse about brotherly love?

Romans 12:10 and Hebrews 13:1 are clear starting places: devotion with honor, and love kept alive among brothers and sisters. 1 John 3:16 names the costly shape of that love.

What does philadelphia mean in the Bible?

Philadelphia (Strong's G5360) is brotherly love — affection among believers as family. Romans 12:10 and 1 Peter 1:22 use that family language for the church.

What does the Bible say about loving the brethren?

John 13:34-35 makes love for one another the mark of disciples. 1 Peter 1:22 and 1 Thessalonians 4:9 call for sincere, God-taught love among the brothers and sisters.

Is brotherly love only for men?

No. The Bible's "brothers and sisters" language includes the whole church. Passages on loving one another apply to every believer. See Bible verses about loving others.

Read Love and siblings, Bible verses about sisters, and Bible verses about friendship. For family love more broadly, see Bible verses about family love.

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Sources

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