When Christians talk about kissing, you normally hear the words “before marriage” in the conversation. Kissing is mentioned all throughout the Bible, but rarely in the Hollywood way Americans are used to. Rather than romance, Scripture portrays kissing as a sign of love and respect for one another.
Only one of these top 10 is your standard issue romantic kiss, and seven of them are between two men. See for yourself. (All verses English Standard Version.)
10. 1 Samuel 10:1
Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head and kissed him and said, “Has not the Lord anointed you to be prince over his people Israel? And you shall reign over the people of the Lord and you will save them from the hand of their surrounding enemies.
Samuel anoints Saul as the first king of Israel.
9. 2 Corinthians 13:11-12
Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss.
Paul instructs the brothers at Corinth to greet each other not with a handshake but a holy kiss.
8. Genesis 45:14-15
Then he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, and Benjamin wept upon his neck. And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them. After that his brothers talked with him.
Joseph, now in charge of Egypt, reveals his identity to his brothers, who sold him into slavery. (Well, I guess this counts as 11 kisses, so we’ll just count Joseph’s favorite, Benjamin.)
7. Genesis 27:26-27
Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come near and kiss me, my son.” So he came near and kissed him. And Isaac smelled the smell of his garments and blessed him and said…
Jacob pretends to be Esau to steal his blessing from their blinded father, Isaac.
6. Genesis 33:4
But Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept.
Lucky for Jacob, Esau meets him with a kiss instead of a knife after his betrayal.
5. 1 Samuel 20:41
And as soon as the boy had gone, David rose from beside the stone heap and fell on his face to the ground and bowed three times. And they kissed one another and wept with one another, David weeping the most.
After Jonathan warns David of Saul’s plan to kill him, they develop a bond like brothers.
4. Luke 15:20
And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.
The father of the prodigal son is overjoyed at his wayward son’s return.
3. Song of Solomon 1:2 – She
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth!
The only romantic kiss on the list is from the ‘She’ speaker in Song of Solomon.
2. Matthew 26:48-49
Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man; seize him.” And he came up to Jesus at once and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” And he kissed him.
Judas Iscariot betrays Jesus with his infamous kiss.
1. Luke 7:37-38
And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment.
In a stunning example of honor and beauty, the unnamed woman, so humbled in the presence of Jesus, washes his feet with her hair and kisses them.