The “One Another” Passages in the New Testament

The phrase “one another” is frequently used in the New Testament to govern how we as believers are to treat one another within the context of the church.  God emphasizes this because, after loving God with our whole hearts, love for one another is the most important evidence of true spiritual vitality (Matthew 22:38-39). 

In the following, I have categorized 52 “one another” passages from the New Testament to help us think about how we are to treat one another.  

Love one another: This is the most common of all “one anothers”, especially from the lips of Jesus in the Gospels. 

• John 13:34-35- “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
• John 15:12- “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” 
• John 15:17- “These things I command you, so that you will love one another.” 
• Romans 12:10- “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.” 
• 1 Thessalonians 3:12- “and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you,” 
• 1 Thessalonians 4:9- “Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another,” 
• 2 Thessalonians 1:3- “We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.” 
• 1 Peter 1:22- “Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart”, 
• 1 Peter 4:8- “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.” 
• 1 John 3:11- “For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.” 
• 1 John 3:23- “And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.” 
• 1 John 4:7- “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.” 
• 1 John 4:11-12- “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.” 
• 2 John 5- “And now I ask you, dear lady—not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another.” 

Our attitudes toward one another: Love for one another must shape how we think about ourselves and one another.  Consider what our attitude ought to be toward one another:

• Be humble toward one another:
  • Philippians 2:3- “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.”
  • 1 Peter 5:5- “Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble’.” 
• Be patient with one another:
  • Ephesians 4:2- “with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,” 
• Don’t compare yourselves with one another
  • 2 Corinthians 10:12- “Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.” 
• Don’t envy one another
  • Galatians 5:26- “Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.” 
• Don’t judge one another
  • Romans 14:13- “Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother.” 
• Live in harmony with one another
  • Romans 12:16- “Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.” 
  • Romans 15:5- “May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus,” 
  • 2 Corinthians 13:11- “Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.” 
• Submit to one another
  • Ephesians 5:21- “submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.”

How We Speak to One Another: Jesus said that out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.  The Scriptures call us to speak to one another in the following ways:

• Edify and encourage one another:
  • Ephesians 5:19- “addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart,” 
  • Colossians 3:16- “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” 
  • Romans 15:14- “I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another.” 
  • 1 Thessalonians 4:18- “Therefore encourage one another with these words.” 
  • 1 Thessalonians 5:11-“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” 
  • Hebrews 3:13-“But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” 
  • Hebrews 10:25- “not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” 
• Don’t lie to one another
  • Colossians 3:9- “Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices.”

Our actions toward one another: Biblical love, contrary to our culture’s perspective, is never merely a feeling,  but always results in action: 

• Bear one another’s burdens
  • Galatians 6:2- “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
• Care for and serve one another
  • 1 Corinthians 12:25- “that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.” 
  • Galatians 5:13- “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” 
  • 1 Peter 4:10- “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:” 
  • 1 Thessalonians 5:15- “See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.” 
• Greet one another
  • Romans 16:16- “Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.” 
  • 1 Corinthians 16:20-” All the brothers send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss.” 
  • 2 Corinthians 13:12- “Greet one another with a holy kiss.” 
  • 1 Peter 5:14- “Greet one another with the kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ.” 
• Pray for one another
  • James 5:16- “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” 
• Show hospitality
  • 1 Peter 4:9- “Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.” 
• Stir one another up
  • Hebrews 10:24- “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works…” 

How we respond to one another when wronged:

• Forgive one another
  • Ephesians 4:32- “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” 
  • Colossians 3:13- “bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” 
• Don’t complain, speak evil, or gossip about one another
  • Galatians 5:15- “But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.” 
  • James 4:11- “Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.” 
  • James 5:9- “Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.” 
• Don’t take one another to court over conflicts
  • 1 Corinthians 6:7- “To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded?” 

Why are these “one anothers” so important?  Because we are members of one another.

• Romans 12:4-5- “For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.”