verses on helpful words, giving, forgiveness and God's goodness — 21 passages from our curated pool.
Draw from this topic · 21 passages
One passage from the kindness shelf, drawn in your browser — no repeats until you have seen them all.
These 21 passages cover helpful words, practical generosity, forgiveness and God's goodness. Use the draw to discover one, or choose a starting passage below when you have a specific question.
Looking for a Bible verse for a random act of kindness? Start with 1 John 3:18 and read verses 16–18 before choosing an action. A random result is a reading starting point, not a personal prediction or instruction.
Each starting verse below belongs to this 21-passage shelf. Follow the longer reading to check whom the passage addresses and what comes before and after it.
1 John 3:16–18 offers a concrete example: a person sees a fellow believer's material need. The steps below distinguish that setting from one possible application today.
In 1 John 3:16–18, verse 17 describes someone with material resources who sees a brother in need. Verse 18's instruction to love in action follows that concrete situation.
Read 1 John 3:16–18 (KJV)A present-day example is asking, “Would a meal on Thursday help?” Check what is needed before deciding what to give. This is an editorial application, not an instruction in the passage to provide a particular meal.
Open 1 John 3:18, choose KJV, WEB or ASV, and retain the reference and translation with the quotation. If you rewrite the sentence in your own words, label it a paraphrase rather than a Bible quotation.
Compare the three translations of 1 John 3:18A verse on this shelf may not contain the English word kindness in every translation. These are two examples from the KJV, WEB and ASV texts available on this site; they are not a dictionary definition for all 21 passages.
| Verse | KJV | WEB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psalm 107:1 | mercy | loving kindness | lovingkindness |
| Proverbs 12:25 | good word | kind word | good word |
For the setting of the first example, read Psalm 107:1–9 (KJV). English wording alone does not establish that two passages use the same original-language word.
The longer readings below help distinguish an instruction to give or do good from a prediction about its outcome.
Luke 6:31 belongs to instructions about loving enemies and doing good without making repayment the condition. The passage speaks of God's reward; it does not promise that the recipient will respond kindly.
Read Luke 6:27–36 (KJV)2 Corinthians 9:7 says to give as each person has decided, without reluctance or compulsion. The longer passage describes supplying needs and giving thanks to God. It does not give a formula for how much money a giver will receive.
Read 2 Corinthians 9:6–15 (KJV)The shelf follows this site's topic tags. Its label does not mean every passage uses the same word or addresses the same situation.
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”Matthew 5:16
“And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”Matthew 22:39
“And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.”Luke 6:31
“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.”John 13:34
“This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.”John 15:12
“I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.”Acts 20:35
“Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”2 Corinthians 9:7
“And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”Ephesians 4:32
“Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;”Colossians 3:12
“The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.”Proverbs 11:25
“O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.”Psalms 34:8
“O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.”Psalms 107:1
“Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad.”Proverbs 12:25
“Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.”Proverbs 16:24
“Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.”Proverbs 27:17
“Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”Romans 12:21
“Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.”Galatians 6:2
“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”Ephesians 4:29
“Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.”Colossians 3:13
“My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.”1 John 3:18
“Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.”1 John 4:11
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