Martin Luther King Jr. Quotes on Love: 9 Memorable Statements From Christian Pastor

Martin Luther King Jr., as minister and Civil Rights leader, spoke out against violence and often preached a message of love.

He worked tirelessly to raise the issues of equality and to bring about changes. His work resulted in the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Through his efforts to achieve racial equality, King was awarded the Nobel Peace prize in 1964.

King worked to make a difference for his fellow African-Americans, but he also passed on a message of nonviolence, hope and love that affected generations of people.

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Here are nine quotes from this iconic American about love:

1. “Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” –From his book “Strength to Love,” according to The Atlantic.

2. “I have decided to stick to love...Hate is too great a burden to bear.” – From his book “Where Do We Go From Here”

3. “No one really knows why they are alive until they know what they'd die for.”

4. “Now there is a final reason I think that Jesus says, ‘Love your enemies.’ It is this: that love has within it a redemptive power. And there is a power there that eventually transforms individuals. Just keep being friendly to that person. Just keep loving them, and they can’t stand it too long. Oh, they react in many ways in the beginning. They react with guilt feelings, and sometimes they’ll hate you a little more at that transition period, but just keep loving them. And by the power of your love they will break down under the load. That’s love, you see. It is redemptive, and this is why Jesus says love. There’s something about love that builds up and is creative. There is something about hate that tears down and is destructive. So love your enemies.” – From "Loving Your Enemies"

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5. “There can be no deep disappointment where there is not deep love.”

6. “Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it.”

7. Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy to a friend.”

8. “Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.” – From “The Drum Major Instinct,” February 4, 1968, in Atlanta.

9. I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. That is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant. – From his Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech, Dec. 10, 1964.

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