To pray over your girlfriend, try "The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel" (Ruth 2:12) or "Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means" (2 Thessalonians 3:16). To honor her: "in honour preferring one another" (Romans 12:10), treating her "as sisters, with all purity" (1 Timothy 5:2).
Whether you want a verse to text your girlfriend, a Scripture to pray over her, or guidance for a dating relationship that honors God, the Bible has wisdom for this season. These twelve King James passages are grouped into prayers for her, ways to honor her, and principles for godly, pure dating. This page focuses on the before-marriage season. For romantic love and the Song of Solomon, see love and relationships; for married life, see wife.
Verses to pray over your girlfriend
1. Ruth 2:12
"The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust."
Boaz spoke this blessing over Ruth before they were ever married: may the LORD reward you, under whose wings you have come to trust. It is a beautiful way to honor a girlfriend's faith and pray God's favor over her.
2. 2 Thessalonians 3:16
"Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all."
May the Lord of peace give you peace always, by all means. A short prayer you can text her before an exam, a hard shift, or a stressful week.
3. Ephesians 3:16-17
"That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,"
Paul prays for inner strength by the Spirit and for Christ to dwell in the heart, rooted and grounded in love. Praying for her spiritual growth, not just her happiness, is a mark of mature love.
4. Psalms 20:4
"Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel."
Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel. A blessing for her goals and dreams.
Ways to love and honor her
5. Romans 12:9-10
"Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;"
Let love be without dissimulation, which means without pretending. Sincere love, kindly affection, and preferring her in honour mean putting her good ahead of your own image or wants.
6. Philippians 2:3-4
"Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others."
Esteem others better than yourself and look to their interests. Ask about her day, her worries, and her goals, and listen well.
7. Colossians 3:12
"Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;"
Put on kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, and longsuffering. These are the clothes of a Christian boyfriend or girlfriend: patient, gentle, and quick to forgive when you disagree.
8. 1 Peter 3:3-4
"Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price."
Peter says true adornment is the hidden person of the heart, a meek and quiet spirit that is of great price to God.
Godly, pure dating
9. 1 Timothy 5:1-2
"Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity."
Paul tells Timothy to treat younger women as sisters, with all purity. Until marriage, a girlfriend is first a sister in Christ, and that changes how you speak to her, touch her, and protect her reputation.
10. 2 Timothy 2:22
"Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart."
Flee youthful lusts; follow righteousness, faith, charity, and peace with those who call on the Lord. Purity is not only avoiding temptation but running toward good things together, with good friends around you.
11. Song of Solomon 2:7
"I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please."
Stir not up, nor awake love, until it please. The bride warns that romantic and physical love has a right time.
12. 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4
"For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;"
God's will is your sanctification: to abstain from fornication and to live in holiness and honour. Godly dating honors her body and future, and keeps your relationship pleasing to God.
A short prayer
Lord, thank You for the woman I am dating. Give her Your peace, strengthen her by Your Spirit, and fulfill Your good plans for her. Help me love her sincerely, honor her above myself, and keep our relationship pure. In Jesus' name, amen.
Go deeper: a SOAP study prompt
Pick one verse above and write: - Scripture: copy the verse by hand. - Observation: what does it say? Who is speaking, to whom? - Application: what does it mean for you today? - Prayer: turn it into a two-line prayer.
New to this method? See our Bible study guide or pick a Bible reading plan.
Download our free SOAP study page · Get the SOAP Bible Study Journal · Try the 30-Day Prayer Journal
Frequently asked questions
What Bible verse can I send my girlfriend?
Short verses work best in a text: 2 Thessalonians 3:16 ("Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means") or Psalm 20:4 ("Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel"). Philippians 1:3 is also lovely.
What does the Bible say about dating?
The Bible does not use the word dating, but it gives clear principles: treat each other with purity (1 Timothy 5:1-2), avoid sexual immorality (1 Thessalonians 4:3-4), do not awaken love too soon (Song of Solomon 2:7), and prefer one another in honour (Romans 12:10).
Should Christians date non-Christians?
Paul warns, "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers" (2 Corinthians 6:14). Many Christians apply this to dating as well as marriage, since dating is often the path to marriage.
How is this different from verses about love or a wife?
This page is for the dating season: praying for and honoring a girlfriend while keeping the relationship pure. See love and relationships for romance and wife for marriage.
Sources: All Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (KJV), public domain in the United States. References were checked against the KJV text from bible-api.com.
Related: Bible verses about love and relationships · Bible verses about relationships · Bible verses about lust · Bible verses for Valentine's Day · Bible verses about a wife · Bible verses about guarding your heart
Explore more: All Bible verses by topic · KJV Bible verses · Verse of the day · Prayers · Bible study · Bible reading plans
