The Bible portrays kindness as a core attribute of God and a virtue believers should embody, often linked to love, forgiveness, and mercy.

Key Verses

Ephesians 4:32 instructs believers to "be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you."

Luke 6:35 calls for loving enemies and doing good, noting that God "is kind to the ungrateful and the evil."

Romans 2:4 highlights God's kindness leading to repentance, demonstrating its transformative power.

God's Character

Kindness reflects God's nature, described in Joel 2:13 as Him being "slow to anger, and great in loving-kindness" (chesed in Hebrew, mentioned over 250 times in the Old Testament). Ephesians 2:7 speaks of God showing "the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus."

Practical Commands

Romans 12:10 urges believers to "love one another with brotherly affection" and "outdo one another in showing honor." Zechariah 7:10 prohibits oppressing the vulnerable, emphasizing heart-level kindness by avoiding evil schemes. These teachings encourage proactive, everyday kindness mirroring Christ's example.