Some of my favorite verses from the Bible

1 John 4:10-11

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

1 John 3:18

Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

Philippians 2.1-4

Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

Luke 1:37

For with God nothing shall be impossible.

Psalm 75:6-7

No one from the East or the West or from the desert can exalt a man. But it is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another.

Jonah 3:1

And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time, saying,

I like how this verse shows that God is a God of second chances. Jonah disobeyed the first time, and was worse for wear, but God came back to him a second time.

Daniel 1.1-2

In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.

This is a rather chilling verse - God did not spare His chosen city when the inhabitants turned away from Him. God did not mind the embarrassment of having his people carted away. He does what is best ultimately for His children.

Philippians 2.3,4

"Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others."

Ecclesiastes 5.19

"Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work - this is a gift of God."

Proverbs 27:6

Faithful [are] the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy [are] deceitful.

Psalm 88:18

You have taken my companions and loved ones from me; the darkness is my closest friend.

I like this chapter for its honesty. Most of the Psalms of despair start by describing how bad things are, then recount how God has been faithful in the past, and end by the author reiterating his faith that God will save. This Psalm alone starts and end with despair. I find it comforting that even when things are so bad, He appreciates honesty and is there for us whether we can vocalize that or not.

Ezekiel 28:7

Behold, therefore I will bring strangers upon thee, the terrible of the nations: and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of thy wisdom, and they shall defile thy brightness.

This prophesy against the King of Tyre is prototypical of the downfall of many empires. "they shall draw their swords against the beauty of thy wisdom". The barbarians from the borders of the empire sweep into a rich, comfortable populace caring not for philosophy and arts, but after plunder.