Bible Verses About Kindness

"And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."

"The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh."

"Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering."

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith."

"She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness."

"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."

"Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?"

"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?"

"Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up."

"The desire of a man is his kindness: and a poor man is better than a liar."

What does the Bible say about kindness?

Kindness is not weakness—it is strength expressed through gentleness. The Bible reveals kindness as both a divine attribute and a fruit of the Spirit that believers are called to cultivate. Key King James Version passages include Ephesians 4:32, Proverbs 11:17, Colossians 3:12. This page collects 10 KJV verses about kindness, each quoted in full.

Why is kindness important in Christianity?

Kindness is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22) and a reflection of God's own character. Romans 2:4 says God's kindness leads to repentance, suggesting that our kindness can be a witness that draws others to Christ. Jesus specifically commanded kindness even toward enemies (Luke 6:35).

How is kindness different from being nice?

Being nice is often surface-level politeness motivated by social expectation. Biblical kindness is a deep, Spirit-empowered choice to do good regardless of the response. It includes hard acts like speaking truth in love (Ephesians 4:15) and confronting sin with gentleness (Galatians 6:1).

How is kindness different from being a pushover?

Biblical kindness is not weakness or people-pleasing. Jesus was kind but also confronted hypocrisy (Matthew 23) and overturned money changers' tables (John 2:15). Kindness speaks truth in love (Ephesians 4:15), sets boundaries, and serves others' genuine good — which sometimes means saying 'no.'

Is it possible to be too kind?

Biblical kindness is not passive tolerance of sin but active love that speaks truth (Ephesians 4:15). Proverbs 27:6 says faithful wounds from a friend are better than deceptive kisses, showing that true kindness sometimes involves difficult conversations.