How many times is beloved mentioned in the Bible?
The word beloved appears 111 times in the King James Version, in 103 verses. Counting every form (beloved, beloved's), it appears 113 times in 104 verses across 32 of the 66 books. The World English Bible uses beloved 115 times (117 with every form).
The KJV also prints wellbeloved as one word (6 uses, as in Mark 12:6, "one son, his wellbeloved"), which is not counted.
Beloved in the King James Version and the World English Bible
Each form of beloved counted in each translation.
| Form | KJV | WEB |
|---|---|---|
| beloved | 111 | 115 |
| beloved's | 2 | 2 |
| Total | 113 | 117 |
Which books mention beloved most
Beloved appears in 32 books of the 66 in the King James Version. Song of Solomon has the most (33), then Romans (8) and 2 Peter (6).
Also in: Jude (3), Jeremiah (2), Hosea (2), Mark (2), 2 Corinthians (2), Ephesians (2), 1 Peter (2), Nehemiah (1), Proverbs (1), Isaiah (1), Acts (1), 1 Thessalonians (1), 2 Thessalonians (1), 1 Timothy (1), 2 Timothy (1), Hebrews (1), Revelation (1).
First and last mention of beloved
If a man have two wives, one beloved, and another hated, and they have born him children, both the beloved and the hated; and if the firstborn son be hers that was hated:
And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
The verse that uses it most is Song of Solomon 5:9, 4 times:
What is thy beloved more than another beloved, O thou fairest among women? what is thy beloved more than another beloved, that thou dost so charge us?
Where the two translations differ
5 verses match in the KJV but not in the World English Bible, and 7 verses match only in the World English Bible, usually because the other translation chose a different word there.
Psalm 127:2: counted in the KJV only
It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.
It is vain for you to rise up early, to stay up late, eating the bread of toil; for he gives sleep to his loved ones.
Proverbs 4:3: counted in the KJV only
For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
For I was a son to my father, tender and an only child in the sight of my mother.
Song of Solomon 1:4: counted in the World English Bible only
Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee.
Take me away with you. Let us hurry. The king has brought me into his rooms. Friends We will be glad and rejoice in you. We will praise your love more than wine! Beloved They are right to love you.
Song of Solomon 1:13: counted in the World English Bible only
A bundle of myrrh is my wellbeloved unto me; he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts.
My beloved is to me a sachet of myrrh, that lies between my breasts.
Verses with beloved on our topic pages
23 verses that use beloved in the World English Bible are in our topic collections.
Don’t seek revenge yourselves, beloved, but give place to God’s wrath. For it is written, “Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord.”
On: Anger, Self Control, Justice, Letting Go
Put on therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, humility, and perseverance;
On: Kindness, Humility, Mercy, Friendship
So, then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger;
On: Patience, Anger, Self Control, Revenge
Beloved, don’t believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
On: Dreams, What Does the Bible Say About Halloween? 24 Verses, What Does the Bible Say About Witchcraft? 25 Verses, Psychics
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves has been born of God, and knows God.
On: Love, Friendship, God's Love, Bible Verses for a Wedding
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
On: Work, Encouragement, Serving Others
Beloved, don’t be astonished at the fiery trial which has come upon you, to test you, as though a strange thing happened to you.
On: Suffering, Temptation, Persecution
But don’t forget this one thing, beloved, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
On: Patience, What Does the Bible Say About Dinosaurs? 26 Verses, Time
Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be healthy, even as your soul prospers.
On: What Does the Bible Say About Smoking? 24 Verses, Bible Verses for a Birthday, Mental Illness
Beloved, I beg you as foreigners and pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
Beloved, now we are children of God, and it is not yet revealed what we will be. But we know that, when he is revealed, we will be like him; for we will see him just as he is.
On: Heaven, What Does the Bible Say About the Rapture? 24 Verses
So that your beloved may be delivered, save with your right hand, and answer us.
On: Salvation
Common questions
How many times is beloved in the Old Testament and the New Testament?
In the King James Version, counting every form, 50 of the 113 uses are in the Old Testament and 63 in the New Testament. Beloved appears in 32 books of the 66 in the King James Version. Song of Solomon has the most (33), then Romans (8) and 2 Peter (6).
Where is beloved first mentioned in the Bible?
The first use in the King James Version is Deuteronomy 21:15: "If a man have two wives, one beloved, and another hated, and they have born him children, both the beloved and the hated; and if the firstborn son be hers that was hated:" The last is Revelation 20:9.
More word counts: firstborn, law, rich, door, hand, stone, gate, beard, or all 680 words.
Counted by Bible Says About from the full public-domain text of the King James Version (1769 edition) and the World English Bible. Verse text only: headings and psalm titles are left out. A word is a run of letters: a hyphenated name like Beer-sheba counts as two, and an apostrophe stays inside its word (LORD'S is one). Matching ignores capital letters. Data compiled 2026-10-26.