Each passage in this love is patient Bible verse list is quoted word for word from the King James Version, which uses the word charity for love and suffereth long for patient.
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
1 Corinthians 13:4 (KJV)
This is the verse behind every love is patient Bible verse search. In the KJV, charity means love, and suffereth long means patient. The same thought is there: love waits, endures and stays kind when it would be easier to give up.
Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
1 Corinthians 13:5 (KJV)
Patience shows in what love will not do. It does not push for its own way, does not flare up at small irritations, and does not assume the worst. A love is patient Bible verse like this one is a mirror for ordinary arguments.
Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
1 Corinthians 13:6-7 (KJV)
Four phrases about endurance close the description. Love bears, believes, hopes and endures. For readers of the love is patient Bible verse, this is the picture of patience in its fullest form: staying committed through difficulty.
Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
1 Corinthians 13:8 (KJV)
Gifts and skills pass away, but love remains. This is why the love is patient Bible verse is read at weddings: it points to the one thing in a marriage that is built to last.
And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
1 Corinthians 13:13 (KJV)
The chapter ends by ranking love above even faith and hope. After describing patience and kindness in detail, Paul declares that this kind of love is the greatest thing a person can practice.
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
1 Corinthians 13:1 (KJV)
Before the famous description begins, Paul says that even brilliant words are noise without love. The love is patient Bible verse is not a decoration; it is the missing ingredient that gives every other gift meaning.
And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
1 Corinthians 13:2 (KJV)
Even great knowledge and faith count for nothing without love. This verse helps us read the love is patient Bible verse as the heart of the Christian life, not an optional extra for the gentle.
With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
Ephesians 4:2 (KJV)
Here patience gets practical. Forbearing one another means putting up with each other’s faults in love. Alongside the love is patient Bible verse, this line explains how to live with real people in real homes.
Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
Colossians 3:12 (KJV)
Paul speaks of clothing ourselves with qualities, and longsuffering is among them. Patient love is something we choose to put on each morning, as deliberately as we choose what to wear.
And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
Colossians 3:14 (KJV)
After listing kindness, humility and patience, Paul adds love as the bond that holds them together. The love is patient Bible verse describes the parts; this verse names the whole.
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
1 John 4:8 (KJV)
The patience we read about in the love is patient Bible verse is not invented by humans. It comes from God’s own nature, and every act of patient love reflects something of him.
We love him, because he first loved us.
1 John 4:19 (KJV)
We can be patient with others because God has been patient with us first. Remembering this turns the love is patient Bible verse from a demand into a response of gratitude.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Galatians 5:22 (KJV)
Love and longsuffering sit side by side in the fruit of the Spirit. Patient love is not mainly willpower; it grows as God works in us over time. Take heart if it feels slow.
Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.
Proverbs 10:12 (KJV)
A quiet companion to the love is patient Bible verse. Love does not broadcast every fault; it covers them with grace. That is patience at work in friendship and marriage.
And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
1 Peter 4:8 (KJV)
Peter asks for fervent love, meaning love that stretches and does not give out. It is the same patient endurance described by Paul, applied to the life of a community of believers.
Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
Romans 12:10 (KJV)
Preferring one another in honour is a practical way to be patient. When we let someone else go first, we slow down our own wants. This verse puts the love is patient Bible verse into everyday habit.
Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.
1 Thessalonians 5:14 (KJV)
The command is direct: be patient toward all men. The context shows what that includes: supporting the weak and comforting the anxious. The love is patient Bible verse reaches beyond family and friends to everyone.
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 (KJV)
Jesus sets the standard for patient love: as I have loved you. His own patience with failing disciples is the model. Anyone who reads the love is patient Bible verse can look to him for a living example.
People often search for the love is patient Bible verse because the phrase appears in many modern translations of 1 Corinthians 13:4. It reads, love is patient, love is kind. The King James Version expresses the same thought with older words: charity suffereth long, and is kind. The meaning is identical, and both versions describe the first quality Paul gives to love.
Patience comes first in the list for a reason. Before love is generous, humble or truthful, it has to be able to wait and endure. A love that cannot be patient will break under the first strain of real life. This is why couples, parents and friends return to this verse again and again.
The love is patient Bible verse also sets the tone for everything that follows in the chapter. Each quality that Paul lists, from kindness to endurance, is a different face of the same steady love. Understanding patience helps us understand the rest.
It also helps to remember where the verse lies on the page. Verse four opens with patience and kindness, and verses five to seven continue with what love avoids and what it carries. Reading the whole passage, rather than the single line, shows that patience is part of a complete portrait. Read slowly through the seven verses, and the love is patient Bible verse stops being a slogan and becomes a description you can compare with your own habits and relationships.
When the King James translators worked in 1611, the English word charity carried the meaning of love in its fullest sense. Today charity usually means giving to those in need, which can confuse modern readers. In the love is patient Bible verse, charity simply means the self-giving love the Greek word agape describes.
Likewise, suffereth long is an older way of saying that love is patient. It literally points to a long temper, a person who takes a long time to become angry. It is the opposite of a short fuse. The phrase tells us love can bear delay, irritation and disappointment without turning bitter.
Comparing translations is a good habit. Reading the love is patient Bible verse in a modern version beside the KJV can make the passage richer. Sites such as Bible Gateway let you view several versions at once, and you may notice details you had never seen before.
For deeper study, tools like Blue Letter Bible show that the Greek word behind suffereth long is makrothymeo, which combines the ideas of long and temper. Seeing the original word gives extra depth to the love is patient Bible verse and shows why translators chose phrases like patient, longsuffering and slow to anger. You do not need Greek to benefit, but a quick look can make the verse come alive.
Paul wrote to the church in Corinth, a gifted but divided community. Members argued over leaders, boasted about spiritual abilities and mistreated one another at shared meals. Into that setting, Paul placed his famous chapter. The love is patient Bible verse was first a correction for a quarrelsome church.
Chapter 12 describes the many gifts of the Spirit, and chapter 14 gives guidance for using them in worship. Chapter 13 sits between them like a hinge. It says that without love, every gift is empty. This placement shows that patient love is not a side topic but the point that gives every other spiritual activity its worth.
Knowing this background changes how we read the passage. It is not a greeting card. It is a challenge to a community that had forgotten how to treat each other. Readers today who meet the love is patient Bible verse at a wedding are also meeting a serious call to character.
Marriage tests patience like nothing else. Two people share a home, a budget and a future, and their habits rub against each other daily. The love is patient Bible verse is a favorite at weddings because it names the quality couples will need most in the years ahead.
Patience in marriage looks like listening without interrupting, waiting for the right moment to raise a concern, and forgiving the same small irritations without keeping a record. It means giving your spouse room to grow and change, even when change is slow. It is not weakness but strength.
Many couples choose to read the passage together on their anniversary, replacing the word love with their own names to see where they fall short and where they have grown. For more passages on this theme, visit Bible verses about marriage and Bible verses for wedding.
Patience is especially important when a couple faces disappointment: a job loss, an illness, or years of waiting for a child. In those times, the love is patient Bible verse offers steady companionship. It says that love bears all things and hopes all things, which means it does not walk away when the road gets long. Couples who return to this passage often say it helped them hold on through the hardest seasons.
Parents are called to practice patient love every day, often with little sleep. Children ask the same question ten times, spill the juice and test every boundary. The love is patient Bible verse gives parents an ideal to aim for, and grace for the days they fall short.
Patience with children is not the same as permissiveness. A patient parent still sets limits, but does so calmly and consistently, explaining rather than shouting. Children who experience patient love learn that they are valued even when they fail, and that lesson shapes how they see God.
Extended families need the same grace. Holidays, differences in opinion and old habits can bring tension. Let the love is patient Bible verse remind you to pause, breathe and respond with kindness. Our page on Bible verses about family love offers more encouragement.
Good friendships are patient. Friends forgive missed calls, listen to the same story twice, and wait through seasons when life gets busy. The love is patient Bible verse applies as much to friends as to spouses, because the same kindness and endurance hold any close relationship together.
A patient friend does not keep a ledger of who called last or who owes whom. Proverbs 10:12 says that love covereth all sins, which means that friends overlook minor offenses and address serious ones gently. This kind of loyalty is rare and precious.
If a friendship is strained, try the love is patient Bible verse as a self-check. Am I being kind? Am I easily provoked? Am I keeping a record of wrongs? Honest answers can point to small changes that restore warmth. Patience often opens the door to reconciliation.
Patient love is not limited to the home. Colleagues, neighbors and fellow church members also need it. Paul’s command to be patient toward all men in 1 Thessalonians 5:14 shows that patience is meant for the whole community, including those who are difficult.
At work, this might mean explaining something again without sighing, giving a new colleague time to learn, or answering criticism calmly. Such behavior builds trust and makes a quiet witness. The love is patient Bible verse gives faith a practical expression in ordinary offices and shops.
In church life, patience means bearing with differing opinions, slower committees and imperfect leaders. It also means welcoming newcomers warmly. A community known for patient love becomes a place where people feel safe enough to grow. For more on kindness in community, see Bible verses about kindness.
Many of us find it easier to be patient with others than with ourselves. We replay mistakes and demand quick progress in areas where God is working slowly. The love is patient Bible verse reminds us that the same patience we offer others is something God extends to us.
Psalm 103:8 says the LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. If God is patient with us, we are free to be patient with ourselves. That does not excuse sin, but it removes the pressure of perfectionism and replaces it with steady, hopeful growth.
Try speaking to yourself as you would to a friend. Notice small steps of progress and thank God for them. When you fail, confess honestly, receive forgiveness and begin again. The love is patient Bible verse applies to your own heart as well as to the hearts of others.
All human patience flows from God’s patience. The Old Testament repeats that the LORD is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. In the New Testament, Peter says God is longsuffering toward us, wanting everyone to come to repentance. The love is patient Bible verse reflects this divine character.
This changes how we practice patience. We are not trying to manufacture a virtue from scratch; we are learning to reflect the One who has been patient with us. When we remember how long God waited for us, our impatience with others often softens.
John writes that God is love, and we love because he first loved us. Reading the love is patient Bible verse alongside these truths reveals that Paul is describing the character of God himself, lived out in human lives. It is both a standard and a gift.
Consider the story of the prodigal son, where the father waits at the edge of the road, watching for his child. That picture of waiting love is the clearest illustration of the love is patient Bible verse in the Gospels. God does not rush us or give up on us, and when we return he runs to meet us with open arms.
Patient love is not always warm. Sometimes it feels like gritting your teeth in a hospital waiting room or biting back a sharp reply. The love is patient Bible verse describes love that bears and endures all things, which implies that love will sometimes be costly.
This kind of patience is a decision, not a mood. It says, I will stay kind, I will keep showing up and I will trust God for the outcome. Such commitment can be especially hard when the other person does not change or does not appreciate what you do.
If you are exhausted by caring for someone, remember that you also need rest and support. Even patient love needs boundaries and care for oneself. God does not ask you to run on empty. Lean on friends, pray for strength and ask for help when needed.
Caregivers know this well. Looking after an aging parent or a sick spouse calls for love that persists without applause. The love is patient Bible verse honors that quiet work. It says that endurance is not a lesser form of love but one of its truest expressions, seen by God even when no one else notices.
Patience grows slowly, like fruit on a tree. Galatians 5:22 places longsuffering among the fruit of the Spirit, which means it is cultivated by staying close to God. Daily prayer, Scripture reading and fellowship form the soil. The love is patient Bible verse is a seed to plant there.
Practical habits help too. Pause before responding. Count to ten. Ask a clarifying question. Choose one relationship each week where you will deliberately slow down and listen. These small practices train the heart over time and prepare it for bigger tests.
Pray specifically for patience, but be ready for opportunities to practice it. Many people notice that as soon as they ask God for patience, their day becomes full of delays. Rather than a problem, see each delay as a classroom where the love is patient Bible verse can be lived out.
Right after the call to be patient, Paul says love is not easily provoked. The phrase suggests a temper that does not flare up at every irritation. It is closely linked to patience, and both come from a settled heart. The love is patient Bible verse and this phrase together shape a calm, steady character.
Everyone gets irritated sometimes. The key is what we do next. A patient person gives themselves a moment before replying, considers the other person’s perspective and responds in a way they will not regret. Over time, such habits make us more peaceful people.
If anger is a challenge for you, our page of Bible verses about patience and Bible verses about self-control offer more encouragement. Pair them with the love is patient Bible verse for daily practice.
Paul puts patience and kindness together in a single breath. Patience is the ability to wait and endure; kindness is the active goodwill that shows itself in deeds. The love is patient Bible verse would be incomplete without the second half, and love is kind.
Kindness turns patience into something warm. A person can be patient in a cold, resentful way, but love is patient and kind at once. It brings a gentle word, a helpful act or a thoughtful gesture, even when the other person is slow, tired or difficult.
To grow in kindness, look for small opportunities: hold a door, send an encouraging message or offer to help with a chore. These simple acts make patient love visible. If you want more to read, visit our page on Bible verses about gentleness.
The love is patient Bible verse is probably the most common reading at Christian weddings. Its words are beautiful, and they describe the character that makes a marriage last. Couples often choose it for the ceremony, vows or printed programs.
If you are planning a wedding, consider reading the passage in the KJV for its traditional sound, or pairing it with a modern version for clarity. Some couples ask a friend to read it aloud, while others include it in their wedding bulletin with a short explanation.
The verse also makes a meaningful anniversary gift. Write it on a card or have it framed, with a handwritten note about how your spouse has shown patient love. For more ideas, browse Bible verses for wedding and Bible verses about romantic love.
One misunderstanding is that patient love means tolerating abuse. It does not. Love seeks the good of the other person and does not rejoice in wrongdoing. The love is patient Bible verse never asks anyone to remain in danger, and seeking safety and help is consistent with love.
Another is that patience means never speaking up. In fact, love rejoices in the truth, and sometimes truth must be spoken. The difference lies in tone and timing. A patient person speaks calmly and with care, aiming to help rather than to wound.
A third misunderstanding is that patience happens naturally for good people. Paul’s letter shows it must be learned, even in a church full of gifts. Anyone can grow, and growth begins with honesty. Read the love is patient Bible verse slowly and ask God to show you the next step.
Children can learn this verse through simple memory work. Start with the first line, love is patient, love is kind, and let them repeat it at bedtime. Short, rhythmic words are easy to remember and stay with a child for life.
Make it concrete with examples. When a sibling takes a turn too long, ask what patient love would do. When a friend is slow, talk about waiting kindly. The love is patient Bible verse becomes real when it connects with their daily moments.
Parents can model patience too, which is the most powerful lesson. When you apologize for a short temper and try again, children see that patient love includes humility. Our page of Bible verses about love has other passages suitable for young readers.
Older children and teens can go deeper. Invite them to rewrite the passage in their own words, placing their name in each line, or to find examples of patient love in a movie or a book. Discussing the love is patient Bible verse in this way helps young people connect an ancient text with their own friendships and family life.
Prayer is a good place to start growing in patient love. You might pray, Lord, make me patient as you have been patient with me. Or take the love is patient Bible verse and pray it line by line, asking God to make each quality real in your relationships.
Be specific. Mention the person you find most difficult, and ask God to help you see them with compassion. Often, prayer changes our attitude before it changes the situation. As you pray, you may find that frustration gives way to understanding.
End by thanking God for his patience with you. Gratitude softens the heart and fuels further patience. Return to the love is patient Bible verse whenever you need a reminder, and let it shape your prayers for the people you love.
To put this passage into practice, choose one line to focus on for a week. Perhaps it is love is not easily provoked, or love bears all things. Write it on a card, read it each morning and look for chances to apply it. The love is patient Bible verse grows when it is lived, not only admired.
At night, reflect on how the day went. Where did patience show up? Where did it fail? Offer both to God with gratitude and confession, and begin again tomorrow. Growth in love is a lifelong journey, and no one reaches the end of it.
Above all, trust that the love Paul describes is possible because Christ lives in those who believe. He is patient with us, and he enables us to be patient with others. Return to this page whenever you wish, and let the love is patient Bible verse guide you one day at a time.
If this love is patient Bible verse page was helpful, these related collections are a good next step: Bible verses about love, Bible verses about patience, Bible verses for patience, Bible verses about kindness, Bible verses about God’s love, Bible verses about unconditional love, Bible verses about marriage and love, Bible verses about romantic love, Bible verses about family love, Bible verses about gentleness, Love thy neighbor Bible verse.
To study these verses in more depth, try Bible Gateway, Bible Hub, Bible Study Tools, Blue Letter Bible.
The love is patient Bible verse is 1 Corinthians 13:4, which begins love is patient, love is kind in modern versions. The King James Version reads charity suffereth long, and is kind. Both describe the same enduring, gentle love.
In 1611, charity meant self-giving love. The King James translators used it for the Greek word agape. So the love is patient Bible verse in the KJV reads charity suffereth long, with exactly the same meaning as love is patient.
It is found in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, part of what is often called the love chapter. The love is patient Bible verse begins that description, followed by qualities like kindness, humility and endurance.
Couples choose it because it describes the daily qualities that sustain a marriage: patience, kindness, forgiveness and endurance. The love is patient Bible verse is a beautiful reminder of the commitment they are making.
Start with small habits: pause before responding, listen fully and show kindness in simple ways. Pray for patience and expect chances to practice it. The love is patient Bible verse grows with daily use.
No. The love is patient Bible verse describes love that seeks the good of others and rejoices in truth. Patient love can set healthy boundaries and seek safety while still responding with kindness and calm.
