Bible Verses About Dating

Dating can be exciting, confusing, hopeful, and sometimes painful—all at once. In a culture that often treats dating as casual or disposable, it’s easy to feel unsure about how to navigate relationships with wisdom, integrity, and faith. While the Bible doesn’t speak about modern dating in explicit terms, it offers timeless principles that guide how we love, pursue, and honor one another.

Scripture consistently reminds us that relationships are not just about romance—they are about character, purpose, and honoring God. Dating, like every other part of life, is an opportunity to reflect God’s heart through patience, self-control, humility, and love.

Below are Bible verses that offer wisdom and direction for dating—helping us pursue relationships in ways that are healthy, God-honoring, and rooted in truth.

Guarding the Heart

The Bible places great value on the heart—not as something to give away carelessly, but something to steward wisely.

Proverbs 4:23 - “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

Song of Solomon 2:7 - “Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.”

Dating invites emotional closeness, but Scripture encourages patience and discernment. Guarding your heart doesn’t mean closing yourself off—it means allowing love to grow in the right time and context.

Character Over Chemistry

Attraction matters, but Scripture emphasizes character far more than appearances or emotions.

Proverbs 31:30 - “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.”

1 Samuel 16:7 - “The Lord does not look at the things people look at… The Lord looks at the heart.”

Healthy dating begins by valuing who a person is becoming, not just how they make us feel.

Pursuing Purity and Self-Control

The Bible calls believers to honor God with their bodies and relationships.

1 Thessalonians 4:3–4 - “It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality… learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable.”

Purity isn’t about restriction—it’s about freedom. God’s boundaries are designed to protect hearts, foster trust, and cultivate lasting intimacy.

Seeking Wisdom and Godly Counsel

Dating was never meant to be navigated alone. Scripture values wisdom gained through prayer and community.

Proverbs 15:22 - “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.”

James 1:5 - “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault.”

Inviting God—and trusted voices—into dating decisions helps bring clarity, accountability, and peace.

Love Rooted in God

Biblical love reflects God’s character—patient, kind, and selfless.

1 Corinthians 13:4–7 - “Love is patient, love is kind… It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

Matthew 6:33 - “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

Dating thrives when God is first. When we seek Him above all else, relationships are freed from pressure to provide identity, worth, or fulfillment.

Living Out Biblical Dating Today

Dating according to Scripture doesn’t guarantee a perfect relationship—but it does provide a strong foundation. God’s Word invites us to slow down, ask better questions, and trust Him with both our desires and our future.

Whether you are single, dating, healing from heartbreak, or discerning next steps, God cares deeply about how you love and who you become along the way.

A Prayer for Dating with Wisdom

God, guide our hearts and our decisions. Help us pursue relationships that honor You and reflect Your love. Teach us patience, wisdom, and self-control. Above all, help us trust You with our desires and our future. Amen.

--

Join us this Sunday at The Path Church in Atlanta and be part of a community where love is at the center of everything we do. Get connected today!