64 Saint Augustine Quotes on God, Love, Truth, and Life

Last updated on May 20, 2024

Augustine of Hippo (born 13 November 354 AD, Thagaste – died 28 August 430 AD, Ruins of Hippo (Hippo Regius), Annaba, Algeria) was an early Christian theologian and philosopher. His writings and works have had a profound influence on the development of Western philosophy and Western Christianity, and he is viewed as one of the most important Church Fathers of the Latin Church in the Patristic Period. Confessions (c. 400), regarded as the first autobiography in the West, and City of God (c. 413–426) are two of Saint Augustine's works that are considered classics of Western literature.

12 Best Saint Augustine Quotes

The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page. ― Saint Augustine — The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.

I was not yet in love, yet I loved to love… I sought what I might love, in love with loving. ― Saint Augustine — I was not yet in love, yet I loved to love… I sought what I might love, in love with loving.

Right is right even if no one is doing it; wrong is wrong even if everyone is doing it. ― Saint Augustine — Right is right even if no one is doing it; wrong is wrong even if everyone is doing it.

There is no saint without a past, no sinner without a future. ― Saint Augustine — There is no saint without a past, no sinner without a future.

To fall in love with God is the greatest romance; to seek him the greatest adventure; to find him, the greatest human achievement. ― Saint Augustine — To fall in love with God is the greatest romance; to seek him the greatest adventure; to find him, the greatest human achievement.

Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you. ― Saint Augustine — Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you.

Resentment is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die. ― Saint Augustine — Resentment is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die.

In order to discover the character of people we have only to observe what they love. ― Saint Augustine — In order to discover the character of people we have only to observe what they love.

The truth is like a lion; you don’t have to defend it. Let it loose; it will defend itself. ― Saint Augustine — The truth is like a lion; you don’t have to defend it. Let it loose; it will defend itself.

The words printed here are concepts. You must go through the experiences. ― Saint Augustine — The words printed here are concepts. You must go through the experiences.

Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore, seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. ― Saint Augustine — Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore, seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand.

The measure of love is to love without measure. ― Saint Augustine — The measure of love is to love without measure.

20 Saint Augustine Quotes on god

If you believe what you like in the Gospel, and reject what you don't like, it is not the Gospel you believe, but yourself. ― Saint Augustine — If you believe what you like in the Gospel, and reject what you don't like, it is not the Gospel you believe, but yourself.

God had one son on earth without sin, but never one without suffering. ― Saint Augustine — God had one son on earth without sin, but never one without suffering.

Because God has made us for Himself, our hearts are restless until they rest in Him. ― Saint Augustine — Because God has made us for Himself, our hearts are restless until they rest in Him.

A Christian is: a mind through which Christ thinks, a heart through which Christ loves, a voice through which Christ speaks, and a hand through which Christ helps. ― Saint Augustine — A Christian is: a mind through which Christ thinks, a heart through which Christ loves, a voice through which Christ speaks, and a hand through which Christ helps.

Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in thee. ― Saint Augustine — Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in thee.

God has promised forgiveness to your repentance, but He has not promised tomorrow to your procrastination. ― Saint Augustine — God has promised forgiveness to your repentance, but He has not promised tomorrow to your procrastination.

God loves each of us as if there were only one of us. ― Saint Augustine — God loves each of us as if there were only one of us.

God provides the wind, Man must raise the sail. ― Saint Augustine — God provides the wind, Man must raise the sail.

If you understood him, it would not be God. ― Saint Augustine — If you understood him, it would not be God.

If God seems slow in responding, it is because He is preparing a better gift. He will not deny us. God withholds what you are not yet ready for. He wants you to have a lively desire for His greatest gifts. All of which is to say, pray always and do not lose heart.
Saint Augustine

Remember this. When people choose to withdraw far from a fire, the fire continues to give warmth, but they grow cold. When people choose to withdraw far from light, the light continues to be bright in itself but they are in darkness. This is also the case when people withdraw from God.
Saint Augustine

God is always trying to give good things to us, but our hands are too full to receive them. ― Saint Augustine — God is always trying to give good things to us, but our hands are too full to receive them.

Find out how much God has given you and from it take what you need; the remainder is needed by others. ― Saint Augustine — Find out how much God has given you and from it take what you need; the remainder is needed by others.

Faith is to believe what you do not yet see; the reward for this faith is to see what you believe. ― Saint Augustine — Faith is to believe what you do not yet see; the reward for this faith is to see what you believe.

As the soul is the life of the body, so God is the life of the soul. As therefore the body perishes when the soul leaves it, so the soul dies when God departs from it. ― Saint Augustine — As the soul is the life of the body, so God is the life of the soul. As therefore the body perishes when the soul leaves it, so the soul dies when God departs from it.

He who is filled with love is filled with God himself. ― Saint Augustine — He who is filled with love is filled with God himself.

He who denies the existence of God, has some reason for wishing that God did not exist. ― Saint Augustine — He who denies the existence of God, has some reason for wishing that God did not exist.

He who created us without our help will not save us without our consent. ― Saint Augustine — He who created us without our help will not save us without our consent.

Love is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is.
Saint Augustine

What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like.
Saint Augustine

We speak, but it is God who teaches. ― Saint Augustine — We speak, but it is God who teaches.

Christ is not valued at all, unless he is valued above all. ― Saint Augustine — Christ is not valued at all, unless he is valued above all.

10 Saint Augustine Quotes on love

If you are silent, be silent out of love. If you speak, speak out of love. ― Saint Augustine — If you are silent, be silent out of love. If you speak, speak out of love.

Love the sinner and hate the sin. ― Saint Augustine — Love the sinner and hate the sin.

Love begins with a smile, grows with a kiss, and ends with a teardrop. ― Saint Augustine — Love begins with a smile, grows with a kiss, and ends with a teardrop.

He that is jealous is not in love. ― Saint Augustine — He that is jealous is not in love.

Since love grows within you, so beauty grows. For love is the beauty of the soul. ― Saint Augustine — Since love grows within you, so beauty grows. For love is the beauty of the soul.

Trust the past to the mercy of God, the present to His love, and the future to His providence. ― Saint Augustine — Trust the past to the mercy of God, the present to His love, and the future to His providence.

There is no love without hope, no hope without love, and neither love nor hope without faith. ― Saint Augustine — There is no love without hope, no hope without love, and neither love nor hope without faith.

22 Inspirational Saint Augustine Quotes (LIFE)

Patience is the companion of wisdom. ― Saint Augustine — Patience is the companion of wisdom.

Since you cannot do good to all, you are to pay special attention to those who, by the accidents of time, or place, or circumstances, are brought into closer connection with you. ― Saint Augustine — Since you cannot do good to all, you are to pay special attention to those who, by the accidents of time, or place, or circumstances, are brought into closer connection with you.

The mind commands the body and is instantly obeyed. The mind commands itself and meets resistance. ― Saint Augustine — The mind commands the body and is instantly obeyed. The mind commands itself and meets resistance.

It is no advantage to be near the light if the eyes are closed. ― Saint Augustine — It is no advantage to be near the light if the eyes are closed.

This is the very perfection of a man, to find out his own imperfections. ― Saint Augustine — This is the very perfection of a man, to find out his own imperfections.

You aspire to great things? Begin with little ones. ― Saint Augustine — You aspire to great things? Begin with little ones.

In the absence of justice, what is sovereignty but organized robbery? ― Saint Augustine — In the absence of justice, what is sovereignty but organized robbery?

Habit, if not resisted, soon becomes necessity. ― Saint Augustine — Habit, if not resisted, soon becomes necessity.

The purpose of all wars, is peace. ― Saint Augustine — The purpose of all wars, is peace.

The punishment of every disordered mind is its own disorder. ― Saint Augustine — The punishment of every disordered mind is its own disorder.

Forgiveness is the remission of sins. For it is by this that what has been lost, and was found, is saved from being lost again. ― Saint Augustine — Forgiveness is the remission of sins. For it is by this that what has been lost, and was found, is saved from being lost again.

If we live good lives, the times are also good. As we are, such are the times. ― Saint Augustine — If we live good lives, the times are also good. As we are, such are the times.

In doing what we ought we deserve no praise, because it is our duty. ― Saint Augustine — In doing what we ought we deserve no praise, because it is our duty.

Bad times, hard times, this is what people keep saying; but let us live well, and times shall be good. We are the times: Such as we are, such are the times. ― Saint Augustine — Bad times, hard times, this is what people keep saying; but let us live well, and times shall be good. We are the times: Such as we are, such are the times.

A thing is not necessarily true because badly uttered, nor false because spoken magnificently. ― Saint Augustine — A thing is not necessarily true because badly uttered, nor false because spoken magnificently.

Complete abstinence is easier than perfect moderation. ― Saint Augustine — Complete abstinence is easier than perfect moderation.

It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels. ― Saint Augustine — It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels.

Humility is the foundation of all the other virtues hence, in the soul in which this virtue does not exist there cannot be any other virtue except in mere appearance. ― Saint Augustine — Humility is the foundation of all the other virtues hence, in the soul in which this virtue does not exist there cannot be any other virtue except in mere appearance.

Grant what thou commandest and then command what thou wilt. ― Saint Augustine — Grant what thou commandest and then command what thou wilt.

Men go abroad to wonder at the heights of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motions of the stars, and they pass by themselves without wondering. ― Saint Augustine — Men go abroad to wonder at the heights of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motions of the stars, and they pass by themselves without wondering.

Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan a tower that will pierce the clouds? Lay first the foundation of humility. ― Saint Augustine — Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan a tower that will pierce the clouds? Lay first the foundation of humility.

Indeed, man wishes to be happy even when he so lives as to make happiness impossible. ― Saint Augustine — Indeed, man wishes to be happy even when he so lives as to make happiness impossible.

Will is to grace as the horse is to the rider. ― Saint Augustine — Will is to grace as the horse is to the rider.