When my friend Jake passed away last year, I didn’t know what to do with myself. We’d been buddies since high school, and suddenly he wasn’t there to text about random stuff or grab coffee with on weekends. The whole thing just felt surreal.
I ended up flipping through my Bible one night, not really looking for anything specific. But I kept finding verses that seemed to get exactly what I was going through. Some talked about the pain of losing people we care about. Others reminded me that death isn’t really the end of the story.
These aren’t your typical funeral verses either. Some are about friendship itself, others deal with grief in ways that actually make sense. A few even made me smile thinking about Jake and how he would’ve rolled his eyes at the sappy ones.
If you’re dealing with losing a friend right now, these 30 verses might help. They won’t fix everything, but sometimes you just need to know you’re not alone in feeling this way.
Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord.
And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation.
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God.
To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.
Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints.
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
He will swallow up death forever, and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces.
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, will be able to separate us from the love of God.
For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.
Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.
This is my comfort in my affliction, that Your promise gives me life.
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.
And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.
Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven.
Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.
Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death He might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil.
To console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.
When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: Death has been swallowed up in victory.
Famous and Strong Quotes about a friend that passed away
The memory of a beloved friend is like a light that never goes out.
The friend who is absent is not worth talking about.
We may encounter many defeats, but we must not be defeated.
For death is a bridge which unites us with those we love.
No one ever told me that grief felt so like fear.
Honoring the Memory of a Beloved Friend
Dear God,
My heart feels so heavy today. I never imagined how much it would hurt to lose someone who meant so much to me. The empty space where their laughter used to be feels impossible to fill.
Help me remember the joy we shared instead of focusing on what went wrong. Was I a good enough friend? I keep wondering if I could have done something different. But maybe some friendships are meant to be seasons in our lives, not lifetimes.
Thank you for the memories we made together – the late-night conversations, the inside jokes, the way they understood me when no one else did. Even though it hurts now, I’m grateful our paths crossed.
Give me strength to forgive, to let go with grace, and to trust that you have good plans ahead for both of us.
Amen.