The Bible connects the purpose of human life with God: knowing Him, loving Him and our neighbor, living for His glory, and doing good. This is a summary of several passages of Scripture, not a direct quotation of a single definition of the meaning of life.
What does the Bible say about this?
- Jesus calls love for God with all your heart, soul, and mind the greatest commandment, and the second, like it, love for your neighbor as yourself; all the Law and the Prophets depend on these two (Matt. 22:37–40).
- Jesus defines eternal life as knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ, whom He sent (John 17:3).
- Paul writes that everything we do should be done for the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31).
- Believers are created in Christ for good works, which God prepared beforehand (Eph. 2:10).
- At the end of the book, Ecclesiastes concludes: fear God and keep His commandments (Eccl. 12:13).
- Conclusion: taken together, these passages connect the purpose of life with God—knowing Him, loving Him and our neighbor, living for His glory, and doing good. None of them is itself called a definition of the meaning of life; Eccl. 12:13 is the author’s conclusion, not a definition for the entire Bible; Eph. 2:10 speaks about believers in Christ.
The brief answer was prepared by the editorial team; the verse texts are from the “Father’s Blessing” Bible.
Key Scripture Passages
5 Scripture Passages · Father’s Blessing Bible
Matthew 22:37–40
37 Jesus said to him: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind: 38 this is the first and greatest commandment; 39 and the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself; 40 on these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.
John 17:3
And this is eternal life: that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.
1 Corinthians 10:31
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
Ephesians 2:10
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand for us to do.
Ecclesiastes 12:13
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all;
