The Bible has a lot to say about love, and it is considered a fundamental characteristic of who God is. The Bible uses several different words for "love" in the Hebrew and Greek, interchanging them depending on context. Some of these words mean "affectionate love," others indicate "friendship," and still others, "erotic, sexual love." There is also a distinct word for the type of love that God displays, which is agape in Greek, and it refers to a benevolent and charitable love that seeks the best for the loved one.

One of the most well-known passages on love in the Bible is 1 Corinthians 13, which describes love as patient, kind, not envious, not boastful, not proud, not dishonoring, not self-seeking, not easily angered, keeping no record of wrongs, not delighting in evil but rejoicing with the truth, always protecting, always trusting, always hoping, and always persevering. Love never fails.

The Bible gives many examples of love, including the caring provision of Boaz for Ruth, the deep friendship of David and Jonathan, the poetic, passionate love of Solomon and the Shulamite, the enduring commitment of Hosea to Gomer, the fatherly love of Paul for Timothy and John for the church, and the sacrificial, saving love of Christ for the elect.

The most ignored definition of love in the Bible is that biblical love demands obedience. 1 John 5:3 says, "This is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome." Therefore, loving God means obeying His commands, and loving others means acting in a way that seeks their best interests.