Bible verses About Kindness

Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

Paul uses the image of getting dressed. Just as people choose clothes each morning, believers can choose to put on mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Notice the order of the verse. Before the instruction comes the identity, chosen, holy, and loved by God. Kindness flows from knowing we are already loved, not from trying to earn that love.

Never let loyalty and kindness leave you! Tie them around your neck as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart.

This proverb uses two memorable images, tying loyalty and kindness around the neck like a necklace and writing them on the heart. One is visible to others and the other is deep inside. Together they suggest that kindness should be both seen in how we act and rooted in who we are. The Hebrew word behind kindness here often describes God's own steadfast, faithful love.

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

Paul calls these qualities fruit, which is a helpful picture. Fruit is not manufactured overnight. It grows slowly as a healthy tree stays rooted and receives what it needs. Kindness sits in the middle of the list, next to patience and goodness. As people stay close to God, his Spirit gradually grows these qualities in them, often in ways others notice first.

“Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked.

Jesus sets a remarkably high bar here. Kindness toward friends comes naturally, but he calls his followers to do good even to people who are difficult or unappreciative. He grounds this in God's own character, since God is kind even to the unthankful. This kind of kindness is not weakness or approval of wrongdoing. It is a choice to reflect the generosity of the Father.

Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?

Paul reminds readers that God's kindness has a purpose. His patience is not indifference. It is an open door, an invitation to turn toward him. Many people imagine that God changes hearts mainly through fear, but this verse says his kindness leads the way. It is a helpful reminder for anyone hoping to influence others, too, since kindness often opens hearts that pressure cannot.