For a Valentine's card, try "I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine" (Song of Solomon 6:3), "Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away" (Song of Solomon 2:10), "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you" (Philippians 1:3), or "A friend loveth at all times" (Proverbs 17:17). And remember: "thy lovingkindness is better than life" (Psalm 63:3).
Valentine's Day is about saying I love you out loud, and Scripture gives us beautiful words to say it with. This page gathers twelve short, card-ready King James verses: romantic lines for a sweetheart or spouse, warm verses for friends and family (Galentine's cards included), and a closing set on God's love, the love behind every other love. It is built for writing in cards and notes. For a full study of love, see Bible verses about love; for marriage and weddings, see love and marriage and wedding verses.
Card verses for your sweetheart
1. Song of Solomon 2:10
"My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away."
An invitation from the beloved: rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. It is a sweet line for a date-night card or a note tucked into a coat pocket, and it carries the springtime joy of the whole song.
2. Song of Solomon 6:3
"I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine: he feedeth among the lilies."
Perhaps the most popular Valentine verse in the Bible: I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine. Mutual belonging, freely given, is the heart of covenant love. It fits a card, a ring box, or an anniversary gift.
3. Song of Solomon 1:15
"Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves' eyes."
Behold, thou art fair, my love. Scripture is not shy about delight in the one you love. Telling your spouse or sweetheart that they are beautiful, and meaning it, is a very biblical way to celebrate.
4. Proverbs 3:3
"Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:"
Bind mercy and truth about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart. A lovely line for a necklace gift or a handwritten card: the best love is kind and honest, and it lasts because it is written on the heart.
Valentines for friends and family
5. Proverbs 17:17
"A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity."
A friend loveth at all times. Valentine's Day is not only for couples. This short verse is perfect for a best friend, a Galentine's card, or a sibling who has stood with you through adversity.
6. Philippians 1:3
"I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,"
Paul's warm words to a church he loved: I thank my God upon every remembrance of you. Few lines say thank you for being in my life better. Use it for parents, grandparents, friends, mentors, or a small group.
7. 1 Thessalonians 3:12
"And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:"
A blessing you can write in any card: may the Lord make you increase and abound in love toward one another and toward all. It turns a Valentine into a prayer for the people you love.
8. 1 Peter 1:22
"Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:"
Love one another with a pure heart fervently. Fervent means warm and wholehearted, not lukewarm. A good verse for church friends, a youth group exchange, or a family valentine on the fridge.
God's love, the first valentine
9. Isaiah 54:10
"For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee."
Mountains may depart and hills be removed, but God's kindness will not depart. Human love can falter; His covenant love does not. A gentle verse for someone spending Valentine's Day alone or grieving.
10. Psalms 63:3
"Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee."
Thy lovingkindness is better than life. David says God's steadfast love is worth more than life itself. It reminds us that the deepest love we can know comes first from God, not from a card or a date.
11. Psalms 36:7
"How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings."
How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! The psalmist pictures people finding shelter under the shadow of His wings. On a day about love, it is a call to praise the God whose love is the source of every other.
12. Ephesians 5:2
"And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour."
Walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us. Christ's self-giving love is the pattern for every valentine: love that serves and gives, not only love that feels.
A short prayer
Lord, thank You for the people You have given me to love. Help me say it well today and live it every day after. Make my love kind, honest and fervent, and let it point back to Your lovingkindness, which is better than life. 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 is a good Bible verse for a Valentine's card?
Song of Solomon 6:3 ("I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine") is a favorite for a sweetheart or spouse. For friends and family, try Proverbs 17:17 or Philippians 1:3. All are short enough to fit a small card.
Is Valentine's Day in the Bible?
No. Valentine's Day developed later from the memory of an early Christian martyr named Valentine and grew into a celebration of love. The Bible does not mention it, but it says a great deal about love that Christians can celebrate any day.
What Bible verse says we love because God first loved us?
That is 1 John 4:19: "We love him, because he first loved us" (1 John 4:19). It is a beautiful line for a Valentine's card and is covered on our love page.
What if I am single or lonely on Valentine's Day?
God's love does not depend on a date night. Isaiah 54:10 and Psalm 63:3 speak of a kindness that will not depart. You might also read our loneliness page or send a friend a card.
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 · Bible verses about God's love · Bible verses about love and relationships · Bible verses about love and marriage · Bible verses about friendship · Bible verses for a girlfriend
Explore more: All Bible verses by topic · KJV Bible verses · Verse of the day · Prayers · Bible study · Bible reading plans
