“and showing loving kindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.”
— Exodus 20:6 WEB
Explore Bible verses on the Golden Rule, emphasizing kindness and empathy. Discover practical ways to apply this principle in your daily life.
Verses sourced from the World English Bible (public domain). Selection follows our editorial policy. Last reviewed 2026-04-23. See all sources.
The Golden Rule, expressed in Matthew 7:12, encourages individuals to treat others as they wish to be treated. This principle emphasizes kindness, empathy, and mutual respect, serving as a foundation for ethical behavior and relationships. Practicing this rule can lead to a more compassionate and harmonious community.
“Therefore whatever you desire for men to do to you, you shall also do to them; for this is the law and the prophets.”
The sun rises, casting its gentle light across the world. Each day, countless individuals encounter opportunities to extend kindness and compassion to others. The Golden Rule serves as a guiding principle, urging us to treat others as we wish to be treated. Matthew 7:12 captures this message succinctly: “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” This verse encourages a mindset of empathy and understanding, helping us build harmonious relationships.
Throughout Scripture, we find echoes of this principle. Exodus 20:6 highlights God’s loving kindness toward those who love Him and keep His commandments. Leviticus 19:18 reminds us to love our neighbors as ourselves. These verses, among others, illustrate the importance of fairness, justice, and generosity in our interactions. By following these teachings, we not only fulfill biblical commandments but also contribute to a more compassionate world. The Golden Rule invites us to reflect on our actions and consider the impact they have on others.
“and showing loving kindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.”
— Exodus 20:6 WEB
““‘You shall not steal. “‘You shall not lie. “‘You shall not deceive one another.”
““‘You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor show favoritism to the great; but you shall judge your neighbor in righteousness.”
““‘You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people; but you shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am Yahweh.”
““‘When you reap the harvest of your land, you must not wholly reap into the corners of your field, and you must not gather the gleanings of your harvest. You must leave them for the poor, and for the foreigner. I am Yahweh your God.’””
“and showing loving kindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.”
“For I command you today to love Yahweh your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments, his statutes, and his ordinances, that you may live and multiply, and that Yahweh your God may bless you in the land where you go in to possess it.”
“Do good to your servant, according to your word, Yahweh.”
— Psalms 119:65 WEB
“Therefore I love your commandments more than gold, yes, more than pure gold.”
— Psalms 119:127 WEB
“Keep my commandments and live! Guard my teaching as the apple of your eye.”
— Proverbs 7:2 WEB
“He has shown you, O man, what is good. What does Yahweh require of you, but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?”
— Micah 6:8 WEB
““You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor Leviticus 19:18 and hate your enemy.’not in the Bible, but see Qumran Manual of Discipline Ix, 21-26”
— Matthew 5:43 WEB
“But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you,”
— Matthew 5:44 WEB
“For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same?”
— Matthew 5:46 WEB
“Therefore whatever you desire for men to do to you, you shall also do to them; for this is the law and the prophets.”
— Matthew 7:12 WEB
“For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16 and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.’Exodus 21:17; Leviticus 20:9”
— Matthew 15:4 WEB
“‘Honor your father and your mother.’Exodus 20:12-16; Deuteronomy 5:16-20 And, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”Leviticus 19:18”
— Matthew 19:19 WEB
““Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?””
— Matthew 22:36 WEB
“A second likewise is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’Leviticus 19:18”
— Matthew 22:39 WEB
““The King will answer them, ‘Most certainly I tell you, because you did it to one of the least of these my brothers,The word for “brothers” here may be also correctly translated “brothers and sisters” or “siblings.” you did it to me.’”
— Matthew 25:40 WEB
“You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not give false testimony,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and mother.’”Exodus 20:12-16; Deuteronomy 5:16-20”
— Mark 10:19 WEB
“The second is like this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’Leviticus 19:18 There is no other commandment greater than these.””
— Mark 12:31 WEB
“and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.””
— Mark 12:33 WEB
““As you would like people to do to you, do exactly so to them.”
— Luke 6:31 WEB
“But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back; and your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil.”
— Luke 6:35 WEB
“He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind;Deuteronomy 6:5 and your neighbor as yourself.”Leviticus 19:18”
— Luke 10:27 WEB
“He said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.””
— Luke 10:37 WEB
“You know the commandments: ‘Don’t commit adultery,’ ‘Don’t murder,’ ‘Don’t steal,’ ‘Don’t give false testimony,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’”Exodus 20:12-16; Deuteronomy 5:16-20”
— Luke 18:20 WEB
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also love one another.”
— John 13:34 WEB
“If you love me, keep my commandments.”
— John 14:15 WEB
““This is my commandment, that you love one another, even as I have loved you.”
— John 15:12 WEB
““I command these things to you, that you may love one another.”
— John 15:17 WEB
“In all things I gave you an example, that so laboring you ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’””
— Acts 20:35 WEB
“Repay no one evil for evil. Respect what is honorable in the sight of all men.”
— Romans 12:17 WEB
“Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.”
— Romans 13:8 WEB
“For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,”TR adds “You shall not give false testimony,” “You shall not covet,” Exodus 20:13-15,17; Deuteronomy 5:17-19,21 and whatever other commandments there are, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”Leviticus 19:18”
— Romans 13:9 WEB
“Love doesn’t harm a neighbor. Love therefore is the fulfillment of the law.”
— Romans 13:10 WEB
“Let all that you do be done in love.”
“For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”Leviticus 19:18”
— Galatians 5:14 WEB
“And be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you.”
— Ephesians 4:32 WEB
“See that no one returns evil for evil to anyone, but always follow after that which is good, for one another, and for all.”
“However, if you fulfill the royal law, according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,”Leviticus 19:18 you do well.”
— James 2:8 WEB
“because it is written, “You shall be holy; for I am holy.”Leviticus 11:44-45”
— 1 Peter 1:16 WEB
“Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.”
— 1 Peter 2:17 WEB
“not rendering evil for evil, or insult for insult; but instead blessing; knowing that to this were you called, that you may inherit a blessing.”
— 1 Peter 3:9 WEB
“This is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, even as he commanded.”
— 1 John 3:23 WEB
“Beloved, if God loved us in this way, we also ought to love one another.”
— 1 John 4:11 WEB
“This commandment we have from him, that he who loves God should also love his brother.”
— 1 John 4:21 WEB
“This is love, that we should walk according to his commandments. This is the commandment, even as you heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it.”
— 2 John 1:6 WEB
“Blessed are those who do his commandments,NU reads “wash their robes” instead of “do his commandments”. that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter in by the gates into the city.”
Reflect
Consider how your daily actions reflect the Golden Rule. Are your interactions marked by kindness and empathy? Leviticus 19:18 calls us to love our neighbors as ourselves. Let this guide you.
Pray
Dear God, help me to treat others with kindness and respect. Open my heart to love my neighbor as myself. Guide my actions to reflect Your love.
Apply
This week, practice the Golden Rule by performing one act of kindness each day. Aim to bring joy, understanding, or support to someone who needs it.
The Golden Rule is a fundamental ethical principle found in Matthew 7:12, which states, "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you." This rule encourages individuals to treat others with the same care and respect they would like to receive. It is a simple yet powerful guide for fostering compassion and empathy in relationships. This principle is not only central to Christian teachings but also resonates with many other ethical and moral frameworks.
The Golden Rule is explicitly stated in Matthew 7:12, where Jesus says, "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." This verse is part of the Sermon on the Mount, a collection of teachings by Jesus. It emphasizes the importance of treating others with kindness and fairness, echoing themes found throughout the Bible, such as in Leviticus 19:18, which advises loving your neighbor as yourself.
Applying the Golden Rule involves treating people with the same kindness, respect, and understanding you desire. Start by actively listening to others, offering help when needed, and showing compassion in daily interactions. Leviticus 19:18 encourages loving your neighbor as yourself, which means considering their needs and feelings. Simple acts like lending a hand, sharing encouraging words, or being patient can embody the Golden Rule in practical ways.
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