Family relationships, especially between siblings, can be filled with both love and challenges. The Bible has plenty to say about how we should treat our brothers and sisters, both in our biological family and in the family of God. Let’s see what wisdom Scripture offers for these important relationships.
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What Does The Bible Say About Brother And Sister Relationships
Genesis 4:9
Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”
This verse highlights the importance of sibling relationships and the responsibility we have to care for and protect our brothers and sisters.
Proverbs 17:17
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.
Brothers and sisters are meant to support and stand by each other, especially during difficult times. This verse emphasizes the loyalty and love that should exist between siblings.
Matthew 5:23-24
Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.
This verse teaches the importance of resolving conflicts and maintaining a healthy relationship with our brothers and sisters. It encourages us to seek reconciliation and unity with them before approaching God in worship.
1 John 4:20-21
Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.
This verse emphasizes that our love for God is closely intertwined with our love for our brothers and sisters. It challenges us to show genuine love and compassion towards them as an expression of our love for God.
Proverbs 18:24
One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
This verse suggests that a true friend can sometimes provide the same level of support and loyalty as a brother or sister. It reminds us of the value of deep, meaningful relationships.
Psalm 133:1
How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!
This verse speaks to the joy and blessing that comes from siblings living in harmony and unity. It encourages us to strive for peaceful and loving relationships.
Galatians 6:2
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
This verse urges us to support and help our brothers and sisters in their times of need. It reminds us of the responsibility we have to carry each other’s burdens and emulate the love and compassion of Christ.
Ephesians 4:32
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
This verse encourages us to show kindness, compassion, and forgiveness towards our brothers and sisters. It reminds us of the example set by God in forgiving us through Christ.
Colossians 3:13
Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
This verse emphasizes the importance of forgiveness in maintaining healthy sibling relationships. It reminds us to be patient and understanding with our brothers and sisters, just as God has been with us.
1 Peter 3:8
Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.
This verse encourages us to cultivate qualities such as empathy, love, compassion, and humility in our relationships with our brothers and sisters. It calls us to treat them with kindness and understanding.
Hebrews 13:1
Let mutual love continue.
This verse reminds us of the importance of maintaining love and affection towards our brothers and sisters. It encourages us to nurture and deepen the bond of love that exists between siblings.
1 Corinthians 16:14
Let all that you do be done in love.
This verse serves as a reminder to approach our interactions with our brothers and sisters with love and genuine care. It invites us to prioritize love in all aspects of our relationship with them.
Proverbs 27:10
Never abandon a friend—either yours or your father’s. When disaster strikes, you won’t have to ask your brother for assistance. It’s better to go to a neighbor than to a brother who lives far away.
This verse encourages us to prioritize our relationships with our brothers and sisters. It reminds us not to abandon them in times of need and highlights the support they can provide.
Matthew 18:15
If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over.
This verse teaches us to approach conflicts with brothers and sisters in a loving and constructive manner. It emphasizes the importance of gentle correction and reconciliation within sibling relationships.
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.
This verse reminds us that God has instructed us to love our brothers and sisters. It affirms the importance of demonstrating love and care towards our siblings as an expression of our faith.
Romans 12:10
Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.
This verse emphasizes the need for devotion and honor within sibling relationships. It encourages us to prioritize our brothers and sisters and demonstrate love and respect towards them.
Proverbs 27:17
As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.
This verse highlights the significance of sibling relationships in our personal growth and development. It suggests that our brothers and sisters can challenge and inspire us to become better individuals.
Galatians 5:13
You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.
This verse reminds us of the call to serve and love our brothers and sisters selflessly. It encourages us to use our freedom in Christ to build up and support one another.
Romans 13:8
Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.
This verse emphasizes the debt of love we owe to our brothers and sisters. It highlights that loving one another is a fulfillment of God’s law and a reflection of our relationship with Him.
Psalm 133:3
For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.
This verse declares that when brothers and sisters live together in unity, it brings God’s blessing upon their lives. It affirms the positive outcomes that result from strong sibling relationships.
Proverbs 20:7
The righteous lead blameless lives; blessed are their children after them.
This verse speaks to the impact of righteous living on future generations. It suggests that when brothers and sisters live in righteousness, it can have a positive influence on their children and their whole family.
1 Corinthians 1:10
I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.
This verse calls for unity and agreement among brothers and sisters in Christ. It encourages us to seek harmony and oneness in our relationships with one another.
Matthew 12:50
For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.
This verse expands the definition of sibling relationships to include all those who share in doing the will of God. It reminds us of the spiritual bond we have with fellow believers.
1 Timothy 5:1-2
Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.
This verse instructs us on how to interact with different age groups within the family of believers. It encourages us to treat one another with respect and purity, resembling the relationships we have with our biological family members.
1 Peter 2:17
Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.
This verse emphasizes the importance of showing respect and love to the family of believers. It reminds us to honor our brothers and sisters in Christ as part of our responsibility in the Christian community.
James 2:15-16
If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?
This verse challenges us to back up our words with action. It teaches us to care for the physical and practical needs of our brothers and sisters, rather than simply offering empty words of comfort.
Philippians 2:4
Let each of you look not only to his own interests but also to the interests of others.
This verse encourages us to have an attitude of selflessness and genuine concern for the well-being of our brothers and sisters. It reminds us to prioritize their needs and interests alongside our own.