Love in the Bible: God's Love and Our Call to Love

Abraham said to God, “Oh that Ishmael might live before you!”

and he said, “See now, my lords, please come into your servant’s house, stay all night, wash your feet, and you can rise up early, and go on your way.” They said, “No, but we will stay in the street all night.”

He said, “Now take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go into the land of Moriah. Offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will tell you of.”

She said, “Drink, my lord.” She hurried, and let down her pitcher on her hand, and gave him a drink.

When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will also draw for your camels, until they have finished drinking.”

She said moreover to him, “We have both straw and feed enough, and room to lodge in.”

Her brother and her mother said, “Let the young lady stay with us a few days, at least ten. After that she will go.”

Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife. He loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.

Now Isaac loved Esau, because he ate his venison. Rebekah loved Jacob.

When he had been there a long time, Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold, Isaac was caressing Rebekah, his wife.

Make me savoury food, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat, and that my soul may bless you before I die.”

Go now to the flock and get me two good young goats from there. I will make them savoury food for your father, such as he loves.

His father Isaac said to him, “Come near now, and kiss me, my son.”

He came near, and kissed him. He smelled the smell of his clothing, and blessed him, and said, “Behold, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the LORD has blessed.

When Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban, his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban, his mother’s brother, Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother.

Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept.

When Laban heard the news of Jacob, his sister’s son, he ran to meet Jacob, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all these things.

Jacob loved Rachel. He said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter.”

Jacob served seven years for Rachel. They seemed to him but a few days, for the love he had for her.

He went in also to Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him seven more years.

She conceived again, and bore a son. She said, “Now this time my husband will be joined to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi.

and didn’t allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters? Now have you done foolishly.

Early in the morning, Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them. Laban departed and returned to his place.

Esau ran to meet him, embraced him, fell on his neck, kissed him, and they wept.

Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; let that which you have be yours.”

His soul joined to Dinah, the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the young lady, and spoke kindly to the young lady.

Hamor talked with them, saying, “The soul of my son, Shechem, longs for your daughter. Please give her to him as a wife.

The young man didn’t wait to do this thing, because he had delight in Jacob’s daughter, and he was honoured above all the house of his father.

Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age, and he made him a tunic of many colours.

But Jacob didn’t send Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, with his brothers; for he said, “Lest perhaps harm happen to him.”

Joseph hurried, for his heart yearned over his brother; and he sought a place to weep. He entered into his room, and wept there.

We said to my lord, ‘We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother; and his father loves him.’

We said to my lord, ‘The boy can’t leave his father, for if he should leave his father, his father would die.’

Now therefore when I come to your servant my father, and the boy is not with us; since his life is bound up in the boy’s life;

Now therefore, please let your servant stay instead of the boy, my lord’s slave; and let the boy go up with his brothers.

He fell on his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck.

He kissed all his brothers, and wept on them. After that his brothers talked with him.

Joseph prepared his chariot, and went up to meet Israel, his father, in Goshen. He presented himself to him, and fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while.

The time came near that Israel must die, and he called his son Joseph, and said to him, “If now I have found favour in your sight, please put your hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me. Please don’t bury me in Egypt,

Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he couldn’t see well. Joseph brought them near to him; and he kissed them, and embraced them.

Joseph fell on his father’s face, wept on him, and kissed him.

The woman conceived and bore a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him three months.

When she could no longer hide him, she took a papyrus basket for him, and coated it with tar and with pitch. She put the child in it, and laid it in the reeds by the river’s bank.

His sister stood far off, to see what would be done to him.

You shall tell Pharaoh, ‘The LORD says, Israel is my son, my firstborn,

“You, in your loving kindness, have led the people that you have redeemed. You have guided them in your strength to your holy habitation.

Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and bowed and kissed him. They asked each other of their welfare, and they came into the tent.

you shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me,

and showing loving kindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

But if the servant shall plainly say, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children. I will not go out free;’

“If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall surely bring it back to him again.

If you see the donkey of him who hates you fallen down under his burden, don’t leave him. You shall surely help him with it.

The LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, “The LORD! The LORD, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness and truth,

keeping loving kindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and disobedience and sin; and who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the children’s children, on the third and on the fourth generation.”

“‘You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your neighbour, and not bear sin because of him.

“‘You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people; but you shall love your neighbour as yourself. I am the LORD.

“‘If a stranger lives as a foreigner with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong.

The stranger who lives as a foreigner with you shall be to you as the native-born amongst you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you lived as foreigners in the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.

“‘If your brother has become poor, and his hand can’t support himself amongst you, then you shall uphold him. He shall live with you like an alien and a temporary resident.

Take no interest from him or profit; but fear your God, that your brother may live amongst you.

You shall not lend him your money at interest, nor give him your food for profit.

“‘If your brother has grown poor amongst you, and sells himself to you, you shall not make him to serve as a slave.

I will set my tent amongst you, and my soul won’t abhor you.

If the LORD delights in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it to us: a land which flows with milk and honey.

‘The LORD is slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, forgiving iniquity and disobedience; and he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation.’

Please pardon the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of your loving kindness, and just as you have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.”

Because he loved your fathers, therefore he chose their offspring after them, and brought you out with his presence, with his great power, out of Egypt;

and showing loving kindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might.

For you are a holy people to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for his own possession, above all peoples who are on the face of the earth.

The LORD didn’t set his love on you nor choose you, because you were more in number than any people; for you were the fewest of all peoples;

but because the LORD loves you, and because he desires to keep the oath which he swore to your fathers, the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

Know therefore that the LORD your God himself is God, the faithful God, who keeps covenant and loving kindness to a thousand generations with those who love him and keep his commandments,

It shall happen, because you listen to these ordinances and keep and do them, that the LORD your God will keep with you the covenant and the loving kindness which he swore to your fathers.

He will love you, bless you, and multiply you. He will also bless the fruit of your body and the fruit of your ground, your grain and your new wine and your oil, the increase of your livestock and the young of your flock, in the land which he swore to your fathers to give you.

You shall consider in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you.

Now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, and to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,

Only the LORD had a delight in your fathers to love them, and he chose their offspring after them, even you above all peoples, as it is today.

He executes justice for the fatherless and widow and loves the foreigner in giving him food and clothing.

Therefore love the foreigner, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.

Therefore you shall love the LORD your God, and keep his instructions, his statutes, his ordinances, and his commandments, always.

It shall happen, if you shall listen diligently to my commandments which I command you today, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,

For if you shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you—to do them, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cling to him—

you shall not listen to the words of that prophet, or to that dreamer of dreams; for the LORD your God is testing you, to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

You shall walk after the LORD your God, fear him, keep his commandments, and obey his voice. You shall serve him, and cling to him.

If a poor man, one of your brothers, is with you within any of your gates in your land which the LORD your God gives you, you shall not harden your heart, nor shut your hand from your poor brother;

but you shall surely open your hand to him, and shall surely lend him sufficient for his need, which he lacks.

It shall be, if he tells you, “I will not go out from you,” because he loves you and your house, because he is well with you,

and if you keep all this commandment to do it, which I command you today, to love the LORD your God, and to walk ever in his ways, then you shall add three cities more for yourselves, in addition to these three.

If a man has two wives, the one beloved and the other hated, and they have borne him children, both the beloved and the hated, and if the firstborn son is hers who was hated,

You shall not see your brother’s ox or his sheep go astray and hide yourself from them. You shall surely bring them again to your brother.

If your brother isn’t near to you, or if you don’t know him, then you shall bring it home to your house, and it shall be with you until your brother comes looking for it, and you shall restore it to him.

So you shall do with his donkey. So you shall do with his garment. So you shall do with every lost thing of your brother’s, which he has lost and you have found. You may not hide yourself.

You shall not see your brother’s donkey or his ox fallen down by the way, and hide yourself from them. You shall surely help him to lift them up again.

Nevertheless the LORD your God wouldn’t listen to Balaam, but the LORD your God turned the curse into a blessing to you, because the LORD your God loved you.

When a man takes a new wife, he shall not go out in the army, neither shall he be assigned any business. He shall be free at home one year, and shall cheer his wife whom he has taken.

The man who is tender amongst you, and very delicate, his eye will be evil towards his brother, towards the wife whom he loves, and towards the remnant of his children whom he has remaining,

The tender and delicate woman amongst you, who would not venture to set the sole of her foot on the ground for delicateness and tenderness, her eye will be evil towards the husband that she loves, towards her son, towards her daughter,

and return to the LORD your God and obey his voice according to all that I command you today, you and your children, with all your heart and with all your soul,

The LORD your God will circumcise your heart, and the heart of your offspring, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.

if you will obey the LORD your God’s voice, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, if you turn to the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in his ways and to keep his commandments, his statutes, and his ordinances, that you may live and multiply, and that the LORD your God may bless you in the land where you go in to possess it.

to love the LORD your God, to obey his voice, and to cling to him; for he is your life, and the length of your days, that you may dwell in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

He found him in a desert land, in the waste howling wilderness. He surrounded him. He cared for him. He kept him as the apple of his eye.

As an eagle that stirs up her nest, that flutters over her young, he spread abroad his wings, he took them, he bore them on his feathers.

Yes, he loves the people. All his saints are in your hand. They sat down at your feet. Each receives your words.

About Benjamin he said, “The beloved of the LORD will dwell in safety by him. He covers him all day long. He dwells between his shoulders.”

Only take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to keep his commandments, to hold fast to him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.”

Take good heed therefore to yourselves, that you love the LORD your God.

“So let all your enemies perish, LORD, but let those who love him be as the sun when it rises in its strength.” Then the land had rest forty years.

Samson’s wife wept before him, and said, “You just hate me, and don’t love me. You’ve told a riddle to the children of my people, and haven’t told it to me.” He said to her, “Behold, I haven’t told my father or my mother, so why should I tell you?”

It came to pass afterward that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.

She said to him, “How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when your heart is not with me? You have mocked me these three times, and have not told me where your great strength lies.”

Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each of you to her mother’s house. May the LORD deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me.

May The LORD grant you that you may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband.” Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices, and wept.

They said to her, “No, but we will return with you to your people.”

They lifted up their voices and wept again; then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth stayed with her.

Ruth said, “Don’t urge me to leave you, and to return from following you, for where you go, I will go; and where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your God my God.

Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May The LORD do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me.”

Boaz answered her, “I have been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you have left your father, your mother, and the land of your birth, and have come to a people that you didn’t know before.

Then she said, “Let me find favour in your sight, my lord, because you have comforted me, and because you have spoken kindly to your servant, though I am not as one of your servants.”

At meal time Boaz said to her, “Come here, and eat some bread, and dip your morsel in the vinegar.” She sat beside the reapers, and they passed her parched grain. She ate, was satisfied, and left some of it.

Also pull out some for her from the bundles, and leave it. Let her glean, and don’t rebuke her.”

She took it up, and went into the city. Then her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned; and she brought out and gave to her that which she had left after she had enough.

Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, shall I not seek rest for you, that it may be well with you?

He said, “You are blessed by the LORD, my daughter. You have shown more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, because you didn’t follow young men, whether poor or rich.

He said, “Bring the mantle that is on you, and hold it.” She held it; and he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on her; then he went into the city.

When she came to her mother-in-law, she said, “How did it go, my daughter?” She told her all that the man had done for her.

She said, “He gave me these six measures of barley; for he said, ‘Don’t go empty to your mother-in-law.’”

He shall be to you a restorer of life and sustain you in your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, who is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.”

Naomi took the child, laid him in her bosom, and became nurse to him.

but he gave a double portion to Hannah, for he loved Hannah, but the LORD had shut up her womb.

Moreover his mother made him a little robe, and brought it to him from year to year when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.

Saul said to the Kenites, “Go, depart, go down from amongst the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them; for you showed kindness to all the children of Israel when they came up out of Egypt.” So the Kenites departed from amongst the Amalekites.

David came to Saul and stood before him. He loved him greatly; and he became his armour bearer.

When he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.

Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David with his clothing, even including his sword, his bow, and his sash.

But all Israel and Judah loved David; for he went out and came in before them.

Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved David; and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him.

Saul commanded his servants, “Talk with David secretly, and say, ‘Behold, the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you. Now therefore be the king’s son-in-law.’”

Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David; and Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him.

Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan, Saul’s son, greatly delighted in David.

Then Jonathan said to David, “Whatever your soul desires, I will even do it for you.”

You shall not only show me the loving kindness of the LORD while I still live, that I not die;

but you shall also not cut off your kindness from my house forever, no, not when the LORD has cut off every one of the enemies of David from the surface of the earth.”

Jonathan caused David to swear again, for the love that he had to him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul.

As soon as the boy was gone, David arose out of the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times. They kissed one another and wept with one another, and David wept the most.

Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives. In their death, they were not divided. They were swifter than eagles. They were stronger than lions.

I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan. You have been very pleasant to me. Your love to me was wonderful, surpassing the love of women.

I will be his father, and he will be my son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the stripes of the children of men;

but my loving kindness will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before you.

David said, “Is there yet any who is left of Saul’s house, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”

David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent by his servants to comfort him concerning his father. David’s servants came into the land of the children of Ammon.

When Uriah’s wife heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband.

but the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and raised. It grew up together with him and with his children. It ate of his own food, drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was like a daughter to him.

David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in to her, and lay with her. She bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. The LORD loved him;

and he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet, and he named him Jedidiah, for the LORD’s sake.

After this, Absalom the son of David had a beautiful sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.

Amnon was so troubled that he became sick because of his sister Tamar, for she was a virgin, and it seemed hard to Amnon to do anything to her.

He said to him, “Why, son of the king, are you so sad from day to day? Won’t you tell me?” Amnon said to him, “I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.”

Then Amnon hated her with exceedingly great hatred; for the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. Amnon said to her, “Arise, be gone!”

King David longed to go out to Absalom, for he was comforted concerning Amnon, since he was dead.

Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king’s heart was towards Absalom.

So Joab came to the king and told him; and when he had called for Absalom, he came to the king and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king; and the king kissed Absalom.

It was so, that when any man came near to bow down to him, he stretched out his hand, took hold of him, and kissed him.

Absalom said to Hushai, “Is this your kindness to your friend? Why didn’t you go with your friend?”

But the people said, “You shall not go out, for if we flee away, they will not care for us, neither if half of us die, will they care for us. But you are worth ten thousand of us. Therefore now it is better that you are ready to help us out of the city.”

The king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.” All the people heard when the king commanded all the captains concerning Absalom.

The king was much moved, and went up to the room over the gate and wept. As he went, he said, “My son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! I wish I had died instead of you, Absalom, my son, my son!”

The king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, “My son Absalom, Absalom, my son, my son!”

in that you love those who hate you and hate those who love you. For you have declared today that princes and servants are nothing to you. For today I perceive that if Absalom had lived and we had all died today, then it would have pleased you well.

He also brought me out into a large place. He delivered me, because he delighted in me.

He gives great deliverance to his king, and shows loving kindness to his anointed, to David and to his offspring, forever more.”

David spoke to the LORD when he saw the angel who struck the people, and said, “Behold, I have sinned, and I have done perversely; but these sheep, what have they done? Please let your hand be against me, and against my father’s house.”

Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father, except that he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places.

Solomon said, “You have shown to your servant David my father great loving kindness, because he walked before you in truth, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with you. You have kept for him this great loving kindness, that you have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is today.

Then the woman whose the living child was spoke to the king, for her heart yearned over her son, and she said, “Oh, my lord, give her the living child, and in no way kill him!” But the other said, “He shall be neither mine nor yours. Divide him.”

Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon, for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the place of his father, and Hiram had always loved David.

and he said, “LORD, the God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven above, or on earth beneath; who keeps covenant and loving kindness with your servants who walk before you with all their heart;

Blessed is the LORD your God, who delighted in you, to set you on the throne of Israel. Because the LORD loved Israel forever, therefore he made you king, to do justice and righteousness.”

Now King Solomon loved many foreign women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh: women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites,

of the nations concerning which the LORD said to the children of Israel, “You shall not go amongst them, neither shall they come amongst you, for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods.” Solomon joined to these in love.

He laid his body in his own grave; and they mourned over him, saying, “Alas, my brother!”

Please, let’s make a little room on the roof. Let’s set a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp stand for him there. When he comes to us, he can stay there.”

There was no king like him before him, who turned to the LORD with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; and there was none like him who arose after him.

Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever.

and with them Heman and Jeduthun and the rest who were chosen, who were mentioned by name, to give thanks to the LORD, because his loving kindness endures forever;

I will be his father, and he will be my son. I will not take my loving kindness away from him, as I took it from him who was before you;

David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. David’s servants came into the land of the children of Ammon to Hanun to comfort him.

In addition, because I have set my affection on the house of my God, since I have a treasure of my own of gold and silver, I give it to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house:

Solomon said to God, “You have shown great loving kindness to David my father, and have made me king in his place.

Then Huram the king of Tyre answered in writing, which he sent to Solomon, “Because the LORD loves his people, he has made you king over them.”

when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the LORD, saying, “For he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever!” then the house was filled with a cloud, even the LORD’s house,

Then he said, “LORD, the God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven or on earth—you who keep covenant and loving kindness with your servants who walk before you with all their heart;

Blessed be the LORD your God, who delighted in you and set you on his throne to be king for the LORD your God, because your God loved Israel, to establish them forever. Therefore he made you king over them, to do justice and righteousness.”

They spoke to him, saying, “If you are kind to these people, please them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.”

Rehoboam loved Maacah the granddaughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines; for he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and became the father of twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.

Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to King Jehoshaphat, “Should you help the wicked, and love those who hate the LORD? Because of this, wrath is on you from before the LORD.

The LORD, the God of their fathers, sent to them by his messengers, rising up early and sending, because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place;

and said, “I beg you, LORD, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and loving kindness with those who love him and keep his commandments,

Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who keeps covenant and loving kindness, don’t let all the travail seem little before you that has come on us, on our kings, on our princes, on our priests, on our prophets, on our fathers, and on all your people, since the time of the kings of Assyria to this day.

Didn’t Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet amongst many nations there was no king like him, and he was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless foreign women caused even him to sin.

He brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter; for she had neither father nor mother. The maiden was fair and beautiful; and when her father and mother were dead, Mordecai took her for his own daughter.

Mordecai walked every day in front of the court of the women’s house, to find out how Esther was doing, and what would become of her.

The king loved Esther more than all the women, and she obtained favour and kindness in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown on her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.

For how can I endure to see the evil that would come to my people? How can I endure to see the destruction of my relatives?”

“To him who is ready to faint, kindness should be shown from his friend; even to him who forsakes the fear of the Almighty.

You have granted me life and loving kindness. Your visitation has preserved my spirit.

but I would strengthen you with my mouth. The solace of my lips would relieve you.

All my familiar friends abhor me. They whom I loved have turned against me.

whether it is for correction, or for his land, or for loving kindness, that he causes it to come.

“The wings of the ostrich wave proudly, but are they the feathers and plumage of love?

But as for me, in the abundance of your loving kindness I will come into your house. I will bow towards your holy temple in reverence of you.

But let all those who take refuge in you rejoice. Let them always shout for joy, because you defend them. Let them also who love your name be joyful in you.

Return, LORD. Deliver my soul, and save me for your loving kindness’ sake.

what is man, that you think of him? What is the son of man, that you care for him?

For the LORD is righteous. He loves righteousness. The upright shall see his face.

But I trust in your loving kindness. My heart rejoices in your salvation.

Show your marvellous loving kindness, you who save those who take refuge by your right hand from their enemies.

For the Chief Musician. By David the servant of the LORD, who spoke to the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. He said, I love you, LORD, my strength.

He brought me out also into a large place. He delivered me, because he delighted in me.

He gives great deliverance to his king, and shows loving kindness to his anointed, to David and to his offspring, forever more.

For the king trusts in the LORD. Through the loving kindness of the Most High, he shall not be moved.

Surely goodness and loving kindness shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the LORD’s house forever.

LORD, remember your tender mercies and your loving kindness, for they are from old times.

Don’t remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions. Remember me according to your loving kindness, for your goodness’ sake, LORD.

All the paths of the LORD are loving kindness and truth to such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.

For your loving kindness is before my eyes. I have walked in your truth.

LORD, I love the habitation of your house, the place where your glory dwells.

One thing I have asked of the LORD, that I will seek after: that I may dwell in the LORD’s house all the days of my life, to see the LORD’s beauty, and to enquire in his temple.

I will be glad and rejoice in your loving kindness, for you have seen my affliction. You have known my soul in adversities.

Make your face to shine on your servant. Save me in your loving kindness.

Praise be to the LORD, for he has shown me his marvellous loving kindness in a strong city.

Oh love the LORD, all you his saints! The LORD preserves the faithful, and fully recompenses him who behaves arrogantly.

Many sorrows come to the wicked, but loving kindness shall surround him who trusts in the LORD.

He loves righteousness and justice. The earth is full of the loving kindness of the LORD.

Behold, the LORD’s eye is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his loving kindness,

Let your loving kindness be on us, LORD, since we have hoped in you.

Your loving kindness, LORD, is in the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

How precious is your loving kindness, God! The children of men take refuge under the shadow of your wings.

Oh continue your loving kindness to those who know you, your righteousness to the upright in heart.

For the LORD loves justice, and doesn’t forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.

I have not hidden your righteousness within my heart. I have declared your faithfulness and your salvation. I have not concealed your loving kindness and your truth from the great assembly.

Don’t withhold your tender mercies from me, LORD. Let your loving kindness and your truth continually preserve me.

Let all those who seek you rejoice and be glad in you. Let such as love your salvation say continually, “Let the LORD be exalted!”

GOD will command his loving kindness in the daytime. In the night his song shall be with me: a prayer to the God of my life.

Rise up to help us. Redeem us for your loving kindness’ sake.

He chooses our inheritance for us, the glory of Jacob whom he loved. Selah.

We have thought about your loving kindness, God, in the middle of your temple.

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David, when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy on me, God, according to your loving kindness. According to the multitude of your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions.

For the Chief Musician. A contemplation by David, when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, “David has come to Ahimelech’s house.” Why do you boast of mischief, mighty man? God’s loving kindness endures continually.

But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in God’s house. I trust in God’s loving kindness forever and ever.

He will send from heaven, and save me, he rebukes the one who is pursuing me. Selah. God will send out his loving kindness and his truth.

For your great loving kindness reaches to the heavens, and your truth to the skies.

My God will go before me with his loving kindness. God will let me look at my enemies in triumph.

But I will sing of your strength. Yes, I will sing aloud of your loving kindness in the morning. For you have been my high tower, a refuge in the day of my distress.

So that your beloved may be delivered, save with your right hand, and answer us.

He shall be enthroned in God’s presence forever. Appoint your loving kindness and truth, that they may preserve him.

Also to you, Lord, belongs loving kindness, for you reward every man according to his work.

Because your loving kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise you.

Blessed be God, who has not turned away my prayer, nor his loving kindness from me.

But as for me, my prayer is to you, LORD, in an acceptable time. God, in the abundance of your loving kindness, answer me in the truth of your salvation.

Answer me, LORD, for your loving kindness is good. According to the multitude of your tender mercies, turn to me.

The children also of his servants shall inherit it. Those who love his name shall dwell therein.

Let all those who seek you rejoice and be glad in you. Let those who love your salvation continually say, “Let God be exalted!”

Whom do I have in heaven? There is no one on earth whom I desire besides you.

Has his loving kindness vanished forever? Does his promise fail for generations?

But chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion which he loved.

For the Chief Musician. On an instrument of Gath. A Psalm by the sons of Korah. How lovely are your dwellings, LORD of Armies!

My soul longs, and even faints for the courts of the LORD. My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.

Show us your loving kindness, LORD. Grant us your salvation.

For you, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, abundant in loving kindness to all those who call on you.

For your loving kindness is great towards me. You have delivered my soul from the lowest Sheol.

But you, Lord, are a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness and truth.

The LORD loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.

Is your loving kindness declared in the grave? Or your faithfulness in Destruction?

A contemplation by Ethan, the Ezrahite. I will sing of the loving kindness of the LORD forever. With my mouth, I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.

I indeed declare, “Love stands firm forever. You established the heavens. Your faithfulness is in them.”

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne. Loving kindness and truth go before your face.

But my faithfulness and my loving kindness will be with him. In my name, his horn will be exalted.

I will keep my loving kindness for him forever more. My covenant will stand firm with him.

But I will not completely take my loving kindness from him, nor allow my faithfulness to fail.

Lord, where are your former loving kindnesses, which you swore to David in your faithfulness?

Satisfy us in the morning with your loving kindness, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

“Because he has set his love on me, therefore I will deliver him. I will set him on high, because he has known my name.

to proclaim your loving kindness in the morning, and your faithfulness every night,

When I said, “My foot is slipping!” Your loving kindness, LORD, held me up.

You who love the LORD, hate evil! He preserves the souls of his saints. He delivers them out of the hand of the wicked.

He has remembered his loving kindness and his faithfulness towards the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

For the LORD is good. His loving kindness endures forever, his faithfulness to all generations.

A Psalm by David. I will sing of loving kindness and justice. To you, LORD, I will sing praises.

For your servants take pleasure in her stones, and have pity on her dust.

who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies,

The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness.

For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his loving kindness towards those who fear him.

Like a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.

But the LORD’s loving kindness is from everlasting to everlasting with those who fear him, his righteousness to children’s children,

Praise the LORD! Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever.

Our fathers didn’t understand your wonders in Egypt. They didn’t remember the multitude of your loving kindnesses, but were rebellious at the sea, even at the Red Sea.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever.

Let them praise the LORD for his loving kindness, for his wonderful deeds to the children of men!

Let them praise the LORD for his loving kindness, for his wonderful deeds to the children of men!

Let them praise the LORD for his loving kindness, for his wonderful deeds to the children of men!

Let them praise the LORD for his loving kindness, for his wonderful deeds for the children of men!

Whoever is wise will pay attention to these things. They will consider the loving kindnesses of the LORD.

For your loving kindness is great above the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

That your beloved may be delivered, save with your right hand, and answer us.

In return for my love, they are my adversaries; but I am in prayer.

They have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love.

Help me, LORD, my God. Save me according to your loving kindness;

I love the LORD, because he listens to my voice, and my cries for mercy.

For his loving kindness is great towards us. The LORD’s faithfulness endures forever. Praise the LORD!

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever.

Let Israel now say that his loving kindness endures forever.

Let the house of Aaron now say that his loving kindness endures forever.

Now let those who fear the LORD say that his loving kindness endures forever.

Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever.

VAV Let your loving kindness also come to me, LORD, your salvation, according to your word.

I will delight myself in your commandments, because I love them.

I reach out my hands for your commandments, which I love. I will meditate on your statutes.

The earth is full of your loving kindness, LORD. Teach me your statutes.

Please let your loving kindness be for my comfort, according to your word to your servant.

Preserve my life according to your loving kindness, so I will obey the statutes of your mouth.

MEM How I love your law! It is my meditation all day.

SAMEKH I hate double-minded men, but I love your law.

You put away all the wicked of the earth like dross. Therefore I love your testimonies.

Deal with your servant according to your loving kindness. Teach me your statutes.

Therefore I love your commandments more than gold, yes, more than pure gold.

Turn to me, and have mercy on me, as you always do to those who love your name.

Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and your servant loves them.

Hear my voice according to your loving kindness. Revive me, LORD, according to your ordinances.

Consider how I love your precepts. Revive me, LORD, according to your loving kindness.

I hate and abhor falsehood. I love your law.

Those who love your law have great peace. Nothing causes them to stumble.

My soul has observed your testimonies. I love them exceedingly.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Those who love you will prosper.

For my brothers’ and companions’ sakes, I will now say, “Peace be within you.”

For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek your good.

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.

Israel, hope in the LORD, for there is loving kindness with the LORD. Abundant redemption is with him.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever.

Give thanks to the God of gods, for his loving kindness endures forever.

Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his loving kindness endures forever;

to him who alone does great wonders, for his loving kindness endures forever;

to him who by understanding made the heavens, for his loving kindness endures forever;

to him who spread out the earth above the waters, for his loving kindness endures forever;

to him who made the great lights, for his loving kindness endures forever;

the sun to rule by day, for his loving kindness endures forever;

the moon and stars to rule by night, for his loving kindness endures forever;

to him who struck down the Egyptian firstborn, for his loving kindness endures forever;

and brought out Israel from amongst them, for his loving kindness endures forever;

with a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm, for his loving kindness endures forever;

to him who divided the Red Sea apart, for his loving kindness endures forever;

and made Israel to pass through the middle of it, for his loving kindness endures forever;

but overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea, for his loving kindness endures forever;

to him who led his people through the wilderness, for his loving kindness endures forever;

to him who struck great kings, for his loving kindness endures forever;

and killed mighty kings, for his loving kindness endures forever;

Sihon king of the Amorites, for his loving kindness endures forever;

Og king of Bashan, for his loving kindness endures forever;

and gave their land as an inheritance, for his loving kindness endures forever;

even a heritage to Israel his servant, for his loving kindness endures forever;

who remembered us in our low estate, for his loving kindness endures forever;

If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill.

Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I don’t remember you, if I don’t prefer Jerusalem above my chief joy.

I will bow down towards your holy temple, and give thanks to your Name for your loving kindness and for your truth; for you have exalted your Name and your Word above all.

The LORD will fulfil that which concerns me. Your loving kindness, LORD, endures forever. Don’t forsake the works of your own hands.

Cause me to hear your loving kindness in the morning, for I trust in you. Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, for I lift up my soul to you.

In your loving kindness, cut off my enemies, and destroy all those who afflict my soul, for I am your servant.

my loving kindness, my fortress, my high tower, my deliverer, my shield, and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues my people under me.

LORD, what is man, that you care for him? Or the son of man, that you think of him?

The LORD is gracious, merciful, slow to anger, and of great loving kindness.

The LORD is good to all. His tender mercies are over all his works.

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. Your dominion endures throughout all generations. The LORD is faithful in all his words, and loving in all his deeds.

The LORD preserves all those who love him, but he will destroy all the wicked.

The LORD opens the eyes of the blind. The LORD raises up those who are bowed down. The LORD loves the righteous.

The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his loving kindness.

Don’t let kindness and truth forsake you. Bind them around your neck. Write them on the tablet of your heart.

for whom the LORD loves, he corrects, even as a father reproves the son in whom he delights.

I love those who love me. Those who seek me diligently will find me.

that I may give wealth to those who love me. I fill their treasuries.

rejoicing in his whole world. My delight was with the sons of men.

Don’t reprove a scoffer, lest he hate you. Reprove a wise person, and he will love you.

One who spares the rod hates his son, but one who loves him is careful to discipline him.

He who despises his neighbour sins, but he who has pity on the poor is blessed.

Don’t they go astray who plot evil? But love and faithfulness belong to those who plan good.

The way of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, but he loves him who follows after righteousness.

Better is a dinner of herbs, where love is, than a fattened calf with hatred.

He who covers an offence promotes love; but he who repeats a matter separates best friends.

A friend loves at all times; and a brother is born for adversity.

He who loves disobedience loves strife. One who builds a high gate seeks destruction.

He who gets wisdom loves his own soul. He who keeps understanding shall find good.

That which makes a man to be desired is his kindness. A poor man is better than a liar.

Many men claim to be men of unfailing love, but who can find a faithful man?

Love and faithfulness keep the king safe. His throne is sustained by love.

Don’t rejoice when your enemy falls. Don’t let your heart be glad when he is overthrown,

An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.

If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat. If he is thirsty, give him water to drink;

A lying tongue hates those it hurts; and a flattering mouth works ruin.

Better is open rebuke than hidden love.

The wounds of a friend are faithful, although the kisses of an enemy are profuse.

“Oh, my son! Oh, son of my womb! Oh, son of my vows!

She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.

She opens her arms to the poor; yes, she extends her hands to the needy.

a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

For all this I laid to my heart, even to explore all this: that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God; whether it is love or hatred, man doesn’t know it; all is before them.

Also their love, their hatred, and their envy has perished long ago; neither do they any longer have a portion forever in anything that is done under the sun.

Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your life of vanity, which he has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity, for that is your portion in life, and in your labour in which you labour under the sun.

Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth; for your love is better than wine.

Your oils have a pleasing fragrance. Your name is oil poured out, therefore the virgins love you.

Take me away with you. Let’s 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.

I am dark, but lovely, you daughters of Jerusalem, like Kedar’s tents, like Solomon’s curtains.

Tell me, you whom my soul loves, where you graze your flock, where you rest them at noon; for why should I be as one who is veiled beside the flocks of your companions?

I have compared you, my love, to a steed in Pharaoh’s chariots.

Your cheeks are beautiful with earrings, your neck with strings of jewels.

We will make you earrings of gold, with studs of silver.

While the king sat at his table, my perfume spread its fragrance.

My beloved is to me a sachet of myrrh, that lies between my breasts.

My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms from the vineyards of En Gedi.

Behold, you are beautiful, my love. Behold, you are beautiful. Your eyes are like doves.

Behold, you are beautiful, my beloved, yes, pleasant; and our couch is verdant.

The beams of our house are cedars. Our rafters are firs.

I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys.

As a lily amongst thorns, so is my love amongst the daughters.

As the apple tree amongst the trees of the wood, so is my beloved amongst the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, his fruit was sweet to my taste.

He brought me to the banquet hall. His banner over me is love.

Strengthen me with raisins, refresh me with apples; for I am faint with love.

His left hand is under my head. His right hand embraces me.

I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, or by the hinds of the field, that you not stir up, nor awaken love, until it so desires.

The voice of my beloved! Behold, he comes, leaping on the mountains, skipping on the hills.

My beloved is like a roe or a young deer. Behold, he stands behind our wall! He looks in at the windows. He glances through the lattice.

My beloved spoke, and said to me, “Rise up, my love, my beautiful one, and come away.

The fig tree ripens her green figs. The vines are in blossom. They give out their fragrance. Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away.”

My dove in the clefts of the rock, in the hiding places of the mountainside, let me see your face. Let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet and your face is lovely.

Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that plunder the vineyards; for our vineyards are in blossom.

My beloved is mine, and I am his. He browses amongst the lilies.

Until the day is cool, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be like a roe or a young deer on the mountains of Bether.

By night on my bed, I sought him whom my soul loves. I sought him, but I didn’t find him.

I will get up now, and go about the city; in the streets and in the squares I will seek him whom my soul loves. I sought him, but I didn’t find him.

The watchmen who go about the city found me; “Have you seen him whom my soul loves?”

I had scarcely passed from them, when I found him whom my soul loves. I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother’s house, into the room of her who conceived me.

I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, or by the hinds of the field, that you not stir up nor awaken love, until it so desires.

He made its pillars of silver, its bottom of gold, its seat of purple, the middle of it being paved with love, from the daughters of Jerusalem.

Behold, you are beautiful, my love. Behold, you are beautiful. Your eyes are like doves behind your veil. Your hair is as a flock of goats, that descend from Mount Gilead.

Your lips are like scarlet thread. Your mouth is lovely. Your temples are like a piece of a pomegranate behind your veil.

Your two breasts are like two fawns that are twins of a roe, which feed amongst the lilies.

Until the day is cool, and the shadows flee away, I will go to the mountain of myrrh, to the hill of frankincense.

You are all beautiful, my love. There is no spot in you.

Come with me from Lebanon, my bride, with me from Lebanon. Look from the top of Amana, from the top of Senir and Hermon, from the lions’ dens, from the mountains of the leopards.

You have ravished my heart, my sister, my bride. You have ravished my heart with one of your eyes, with one chain of your neck.

How beautiful is your love, my sister, my bride! How much better is your love than wine, the fragrance of your perfumes than all kinds of spices!

Your lips, my bride, drip like the honeycomb. Honey and milk are under your tongue. The smell of your garments is like the smell of Lebanon.

My sister, my bride, is a locked up garden; a locked up spring, a sealed fountain.

Your shoots are an orchard of pomegranates, with precious fruits, henna with spikenard plants,

spikenard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, with every kind of incense tree; myrrh and aloes, with all the best spices,

a fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, flowing streams from Lebanon.

Awake, north wind, and come, you south! Blow on my garden, that its spices may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and taste his precious fruits.

I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride. I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk. Friends Eat, friends! Drink, yes, drink abundantly, beloved.

I was asleep, but my heart was awake. It is the voice of my beloved who knocks: “Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled; for my head is filled with dew, and my hair with the dampness of the night.”

My beloved thrust his hand in through the latch opening. My heart pounded for him.

I rose up to open for my beloved. My hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with liquid myrrh, on the handles of the lock.

I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, If you find my beloved, that you tell him that I am faint with love.

How is your beloved better than another beloved, you fairest amongst women? How is your beloved better than another beloved, that you do so adjure us?

My beloved is white and ruddy. The best amongst ten thousand.

His head is like the purest gold. His hair is bushy, black as a raven.

His eyes are like doves beside the water brooks, washed with milk, mounted like jewels.

His cheeks are like a bed of spices with towers of perfumes. His lips are like lilies, dropping liquid myrrh.

His hands are like rings of gold set with beryl. His body is like ivory work overlaid with sapphires.

His legs are like pillars of marble set on sockets of fine gold. His appearance is like Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.

His mouth is sweetness; yes, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, daughters of Jerusalem.

Where has your beloved gone, you fairest amongst women? Where has your beloved turned, that we may seek him with you?

My beloved has gone down to his garden, to the beds of spices, to pasture his flock in the gardens, and to gather lilies.

I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine. He browses amongst the lilies.

You are beautiful, my love, as Tirzah, lovely as Jerusalem, awesome as an army with banners.

Turn away your eyes from me, for they have overcome me. Your hair is like a flock of goats, that lie along the side of Gilead.

Your teeth are like a flock of ewes, which have come up from the washing, of which every one has twins; not one is bereaved amongst them.

Your temples are like a piece of a pomegranate behind your veil.

There are sixty queens, eighty concubines, and virgins without number.

My dove, my perfect one, is unique. She is her mother’s only daughter. She is the favourite one of her who bore her. The daughters saw her, and called her blessed. The queens and the concubines saw her, and they praised her.

Who is she who looks out as the morning, beautiful as the moon, clear as the sun, and awesome as an army with banners?

I went down into the nut tree grove, to see the green plants of the valley, to see whether the vine budded, and the pomegranates were in flower.

Without realising it, my desire set me with my royal people’s chariots.

Return, return, Shulammite! Return, return, that we may gaze at you. Lover Why do you desire to gaze at the Shulammite, as at the dance of Mahanaim?

How beautiful are your feet in sandals, prince’s daughter! Your rounded thighs are like jewels, the work of the hands of a skilful workman.

Your body is like a round goblet, no mixed wine is wanting. Your waist is like a heap of wheat, set about with lilies.

Your two breasts are like two fawns, that are twins of a roe.

Your neck is like an ivory tower. Your eyes are like the pools in Heshbon by the gate of Bathrabbim. Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon which looks towards Damascus.

Your head on you is like Carmel. The hair of your head like purple. The king is held captive in its tresses.

How beautiful and how pleasant you are, love, for delights!

This, your stature, is like a palm tree, your breasts like its fruit.

I said, “I will climb up into the palm tree. I will take hold of its fruit.” Let your breasts be like clusters of the vine, the smell of your breath like apples.

Your mouth is like the best wine, that goes down smoothly for my beloved, gliding through the lips of those who are asleep.

I am my beloved’s. His desire is towards me.

Come, my beloved! Let’s go out into the field. Let’s lodge in the villages.

Let’s go early up to the vineyards. Let’s see whether the vine has budded, its blossom is open, and the pomegranates are in flower. There I will give you my love.

The mandrakes produce fragrance. At our doors are all kinds of precious fruits, new and old, which I have stored up for you, my beloved.

Oh that you were like my brother, who nursed from the breasts of my mother! If I found you outside, I would kiss you; yes, and no one would despise me.

I would lead you, bringing you into the house of my mother, who would instruct me. I would have you drink spiced wine, of the juice of my pomegranate.

His left hand would be under my head. His right hand would embrace me.

I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, that you not stir up, nor awaken love, until it so desires.

Who is this who comes up from the wilderness, leaning on her beloved? Beloved Under the apple tree I awakened you. There your mother conceived you. There she was in labour and bore you.

Set me as a seal on your heart, as a seal on your arm; for love is strong as death. Jealousy is as cruel as Sheol. Its flashes are flashes of fire, a very flame of the LORD.

Many waters can’t quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a man would give all the wealth of his house for love, he would be utterly scorned.

I am a wall, and my breasts like towers, then I was in his eyes like one who found peace.

Come away, my beloved! Be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of spices!

Let me sing for my well beloved a song of my beloved about his vineyard. My beloved had a vineyard on a very fruitful hill.

A throne will be established in loving kindness. One will sit on it in truth, in the tent of David, judging, seeking justice, and swift to do righteousness.

Behold, for peace I had great anguish, but you have in love for my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption; for you have cast all my sins behind your back.

“Comfort, comfort my people,” says your God.

He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will gather the lambs in his arm, and carry them in his bosom. He will gently lead those who have their young.

Since you have been precious and honoured in my sight, and I have loved you, therefore I will give people in your place, and nations instead of your life.

“Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yes, these may forget, yet I will not forget you!

Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands. Your walls are continually before me.

In overflowing wrath I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting loving kindness I will have mercy on you,” says the LORD your Redeemer.

For the mountains may depart, and the hills be removed, but my loving kindness will not depart from you, and my covenant of peace will not be removed,” says the LORD who has mercy on you.

Also the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD to serve him, and to love the LORD’s name, to be his servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath from profaning it, and holds fast my covenant,

You have set up your memorial behind the doors and the posts, for you have exposed yourself to someone besides me, and have gone up. You have enlarged your bed and made you a covenant with them. You loved what you saw on their bed.

You will not be called Forsaken any more, nor will your land be called Desolate any more; but you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the LORD delights in you, and your land will be married.

For as a young man marries a virgin, so your sons will marry you. As a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so your God will rejoice over you.

I will tell of the loving kindnesses of the LORD and the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD has given to us, and the great goodness towards the house of Israel, which he has given to them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his loving kindnesses.

In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and in his pity he redeemed them. He bore them, and carried them all the days of old.

I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and delight in my people; and the voice of weeping and the voice of crying will be heard in her no more.

“Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her. Rejoice for joy with her, all you who mourn over her;

As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you. You will be comforted in Jerusalem.”

“Go and proclaim in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, ‘The LORD says, “I remember for you the kindness of your youth, your love as a bride, how you went after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.

“Keep your feet from being bare, and your throat from thirst. But you said, ‘It is in vain. No, for I have loved strangers, and I will go after them.’

How well you prepare your way to seek love! Therefore you have even taught the wicked women your ways.

“But I said, ‘How I desire to put you amongst the children, and give you a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the armies of the nations!’ and I said, ‘You shall call me “My Father”, and shall not turn away from following me.’

They will spread them before the sun, the moon, and all the army of the sky, which they have loved, which they have served, after which they have walked, which they have sought, and which they have worshipped. They will not be gathered or be buried. They will be like dung on the surface of the earth.

But let him who glories glory in this, that he has understanding, and knows me, that I am the LORD who exercises loving kindness, justice, and righteousness in the earth, for I delight in these things,” says the LORD.

“I have forsaken my house. I have cast off my heritage. I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies.

The LORD appeared of old to me, saying, “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love. Therefore I have drawn you with loving kindness.

Is Ephraim my dear son? Is he a darling child? For as often as I speak against him, I still earnestly remember him. Therefore my heart yearns for him. I will surely have mercy on him,” says the LORD.

You show loving kindness to thousands, and repay the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them. The great, the mighty God, the LORD of Armies is your name:

the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those who say, ‘Give thanks to the LORD of Armies, for the LORD is good, for his loving kindness endures forever;’ who bring thanksgiving into the LORD’s house. For I will cause the captivity of the land to be reversed as at the first,” says the LORD.

It is because of The LORD’s loving kindnesses that we are not consumed, because his mercies don’t fail.

For though he causes grief, yet he will have compassion according to the multitude of his loving kindnesses.

“‘“Now when I passed by you, and looked at you, behold, your time was the time of love; and I spread my garment over you and covered your nakedness. Yes, I pledged myself to you and entered into a covenant with you,” says the Lord GOD, “and you became mine.

People give gifts to all prostitutes; but you give your gifts to all your lovers, and bribe them, that they may come to you on every side for your prostitution.

therefore see, I will gather all your lovers, with whom you have taken pleasure, and all those whom you have loved, with all those whom you have hated. I will even gather them against you on every side, and will uncover your nakedness to them, that they may see all your nakedness.

They come to you as the people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear your words, but don’t do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goes after their gain.

I prayed to the LORD my God, and made confession, and said, “Oh, Lord, the great and dreadful God, who keeps covenant and loving kindness with those who love him and keep his commandments,

At the beginning of your petitions the commandment went out, and I have come to tell you, for you are greatly beloved. Therefore consider the matter and understand the vision.

He said to me, “Daniel, you greatly beloved man, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for I have been sent to you, now.” When he had spoken this word to me, I stood trembling.

He said, “Greatly beloved man, don’t be afraid. Peace be to you. Be strong. Yes, be strong.” When he spoke to me, I was strengthened, and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.”

“Say to your brothers, ‘My people!’ and to your sisters, ‘My loved one!’

“Therefore behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her.

The LORD said to me, “Go again, love a woman loved by another, and an adulteress, even as the LORD loves the children of Israel, though they turn to other gods, and love cakes of raisins.”

“Ephraim, what shall I do to you? Judah, what shall I do to you? For your love is like a morning cloud, and like the dew that disappears early.

“When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.

I drew them with cords of a man, with ties of love; and I was to them like those who lift up the yoke on their necks; and I bent down to him and I fed him.

“How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboiim? My heart is turned within me, my compassion is aroused.

“I will heal their waywardness. I will love them freely; for my anger is turned away from them.

Tear your heart and not your garments, and turn to the LORD, your God; for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and relents from sending calamity.

Then the LORD was jealous for his land, and had pity on his people.

Hate evil, love good, and establish justice in the courts. It may be that the LORD, the God of Armies, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.”

My people, what have I done to you? How have I burdened you? Answer me!

Who is a God like you, who pardons iniquity, and passes over the disobedience of the remnant of his heritage? He doesn’t retain his anger forever, because he delights in loving kindness.

The LORD, your God, is amongst you, a mighty one who will save. He will rejoice over you with joy. He will calm you in his love. He will rejoice over you with singing.

So the angel who talked with me said to me, “Proclaim, saying, ‘The LORD of Armies says: “I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy.

“Thus has the LORD of Armies spoken, saying, ‘Execute true judgement, and show kindness and compassion every man to his brother.

Don’t oppress the widow, the fatherless, the foreigner, nor the poor; and let none of you devise evil against his brother in your heart.’

The LORD of Armies says: “I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath.”

and let none of you devise evil in your hearts against his neighbour, and love no false oath; for all these are things that I hate,” says the LORD.

The LORD of Armies says: “The fasts of the fourth, fifth, seventh, and tenth months shall be for the house of Judah joy, gladness, and cheerful feasts. Therefore love truth and peace.”

“I have loved you,” says the LORD. Yet you say, “How have you loved us?” “Wasn’t Esau Jacob’s brother?” says the LORD, “Yet I loved Jacob;

Behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

If anyone sues you to take away your coat, let him have your cloak also.

Whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.

Give to him who asks you, and don’t turn away him who desires to borrow from you.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’

But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you,

that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust.

For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same?

If you only greet your friends, what more do you do than others? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same?

for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You can’t serve both God and Mammon.

See the birds of the sky, that they don’t sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns. Your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you of much more value than they?

Or who is there amongst you who, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?

Or if he asks for a fish, who will give him a serpent?

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

Therefore, whatever you desire for men to do to you, you shall also do to them; for this is the law and the prophets.

Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I want to. Be made clean.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion for them because they were harassed and scattered, like sheep without a shepherd.

But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

Therefore don’t be afraid. You are of more value than many sparrows.

He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me isn’t worthy of me.

Whoever gives one of these little ones just a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple, most certainly I tell you, he will in no way lose his reward.”

“Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit on him. He will proclaim justice to the nations.

Jesus went out, and he saw a great multitude. He had compassion on them and healed their sick.

Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This will never be done to you.”

While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them. Behold, a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to him.”

Whoever receives one such little child in my name receives me,

See that you don’t despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.

For the Son of Man came to save that which was lost.

“What do you think? If a man has one hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine, go to the mountains, and seek that which has gone astray?

Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

‘Honour your father and your mother.’ And, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’”

But afterward he sent to them his son, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’

Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’

This is the first and great commandment.

A second likewise is this, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’

The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I would have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you would not!

Because iniquity will be multiplied, the love of many will grow cold.

Many women were there watching from afar, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, serving him.

Amongst them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth

and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut out in the rock. Then he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed.

Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.

Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.

A voice came out of the sky, “You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Being moved with compassion, he stretched out his hand, and touched him, and said to him, “I want to. Be made clean.”

Jesus came out, saw a great multitude, and he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.

“I have compassion on the multitude, because they have stayed with me now three days and have nothing to eat.

If I send them away fasting to their home, they will faint on the way, for some of them have come a long way.”

A cloud came, overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.”

He took a little child and set him in the middle of them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them,

“Whoever receives one such little child in my name receives me; and whoever receives me, doesn’t receive me, but him who sent me.”

For whoever will give you a cup of water to drink in my name because you are Christ’s, most certainly I tell you, he will in no way lose his reward.

He took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.

Jesus looking at him loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack. Go, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me, taking up the cross.”

Therefore still having one, his beloved son, he sent him last to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.

The second is like this: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

and to love him with all the heart, with all the understanding, all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

While he was at Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster jar of ointment of pure nard—very costly. She broke the jar and poured it over his head.

But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for me.

For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want to, you can do them good; but you will not always have me.

She has done what she could. She has anointed my body beforehand for the burying.

He bought a linen cloth, and taking him down, wound him in the linen cloth and laid him in a tomb which had been cut out of a rock. He rolled a stone against the door of the tomb.

Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses, saw where he was laid.

When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint him.

Very early on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.

They were saying amongst themselves, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?”

He answered them, “He who has two coats, let him give to him who has none. He who has food, let him do likewise.”

and the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily form like a dove on him; and a voice came out of the sky, saying “You are my beloved Son. In you I am well pleased.”

“But I tell you who hear: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,

“As you would like people to do to you, do exactly so to them.

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.

If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive back as much.

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back; and your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind towards the unthankful and evil.

A certain centurion’s servant, who was dear to him, was sick and at the point of death.

for he loves our nation, and he built our synagogue for us.”

Standing behind at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and she wiped them with the hair of her head, kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.

When they couldn’t pay, he forgave them both. Which of them therefore will love him most?”

Simon answered, “He, I suppose, to whom he forgave the most.” He said to him, “You have judged correctly.”

Turning to the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered into your house, and you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head.

You gave me no kiss, but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss my feet.

You didn’t anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.

Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.”

But the multitudes, perceiving it, followed him. He welcomed them, spoke to them of God’s Kingdom, and he cured those who needed healing.

A voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him!”

and said to them, “Whoever receives this little child in my name receives me. Whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For whoever is least amongst you all, this one will be great.”

For the Son of Man didn’t come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.” They went to another village.

He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbour as yourself.”

But a certain Samaritan, as he travelled, came where he was. When he saw him, he was moved with compassion,

Now which of these three do you think seemed to be a neighbour to him who fell amongst the robbers?”

He said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, but you bypass justice and God’s love. You ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone.

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, like a hen gathers her own brood under her wings, and you refused!

“Which of you men, if you had one hundred sheep and lost one of them, wouldn’t leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that was lost, until he found it?

When he has found it, he carries it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

“He arose and came to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion, and ran, fell on his neck, and kissed him.

“But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.

for this, my son, was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found.’ Then they began to celebrate.

But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and begged him.

“He said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.

No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will hold to one and despise the other. You aren’t able to serve God and Mammon.”

The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they scoffed at him.

When he came near, he saw the city and wept over it,

The lord of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son. It may be that seeing him, they will respect him.’

He said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer,

All his acquaintances and the women who followed with him from Galilee stood at a distance, watching these things.

This man went to Pilate, and asked for Jesus’ body.

He took it down and wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid him in a tomb that was cut in stone, where no one had ever been laid.

The women who had come with him out of Galilee followed after, and saw the tomb and how his body was laid.

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they and some others came to the tomb, bringing the spices which they had prepared.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only born Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him.

The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand.

In the meanwhile, the disciples urged him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.”

So when the Samaritans came to him, they begged him to stay with them. He stayed there two days.

For the Father has affection for the Son, and shows him all things that he himself does. He will show him greater works than these, that you may marvel.

But I know you, that you don’t have God’s love in yourselves.

He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me, and I in him.

Therefore Jesus said to them, “If God were your father, you would love me, for I came out and have come from God. For I haven’t come of myself, but he sent me.

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and I’m known by my own;

even as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. I lay down my life for the sheep.

Therefore the Father loves me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it again.

The sisters therefore sent to him, saying, “Lord, behold, he for whom you have great affection is sick.”

Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.

When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews weeping who came with her, he groaned in the spirit and was troubled,

Jesus wept.

The Jews therefore said, “See how much affection he had for him!”

So they made him a supper there. Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with him.

Therefore Mary took a pound of ointment of pure nard, very precious, and anointed Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment.

for they loved men’s praise more than God’s praise.

Now before the feast of the Passover, Jesus, knowing that his time had come that he would depart from this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

arose from supper, and laid aside his outer garments. He took a towel and wrapped a towel around his waist.

Then he poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.

For I have given you an example, that you should also do as I have done to you.

One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was at the table, leaning against Jesus’ breast.

He, leaning back, as he was, on Jesus’ breast, asked him, “Lord, who is it?”

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also love one another.

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

If you love me, keep my commandments.

In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.

One who has my commandments and keeps them, that person is one who loves me. One who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him, and will reveal myself to him.”

Jesus answered him, “If a man loves me, he will keep my word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

He who doesn’t love me doesn’t keep my words. The word which you hear isn’t mine, but the Father’s who sent me.

You heard how I told you, ‘I am going away, and I will come back to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced because I said ‘I am going to my Father;’ for the Father is greater than I.

But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father commanded me, even so I do. Arise, let’s go from here.

Even as the Father has loved me, I also have loved you. Remain in my love.

If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, even as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.

I have spoken these things to you, that my joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be made full.

“This is my commandment, that you love one another, even as I have loved you.

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

“I command these things to you, that you may love one another.

for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me, and have believed that I came from God.

I pray for them. I don’t pray for the world, but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.

For their sakes I sanctify myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.

“Not for these only do I pray, but for those also who will believe in me through their word,

that they may all be one; even as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that you sent me.

The glory which you have given me, I have given to them, that they may be one, even as we are one,

I in them, and you in me, that they may be perfected into one, that the world may know that you sent me and loved them, even as you loved me.

Father, I desire that they also whom you have given me be with me where I am, that they may see my glory which you have given me, for you loved me before the foundation of the world.

I made known to them your name, and will make it known; that the love with which you loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. If therefore you seek me, let these go their way,”

But standing by Jesus’ cross were his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.

Therefore when Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing there, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!”

Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” From that hour, the disciple took her to his own home.

Therefore she ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have laid him!”

They asked her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I don’t know where they have laid him.”

Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?” She, supposing him to be the gardener, said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.”

Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him, “Rabboni!” which is to say, “Teacher!”

That disciple therefore whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!” So when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he wrapped his coat around himself (for he was naked), and threw himself into the sea.

So when they had eaten their breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I have affection for you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.”

He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I have affection for you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.”

He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you have affection for me?” Peter was grieved because he asked him the third time, “Do you have affection for me?” He said to him, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I have affection for you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.

Then Peter, turning around, saw a disciple following. This was the disciple whom Jesus loved, the one who had also leaned on Jesus’ breast at the supper and asked, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”

They sold their possessions and goods, and distributed them to all, according as anyone had need.

The multitude of those who believed were of one heart and soul. Not one of them claimed that anything of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.

For neither was there amongst them any who lacked, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold,

Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which when translated means Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and acts of mercy which she did.

Peter got up and went with them. When he had come, they brought him into the upper room. All the widows stood by him weeping, and showing the tunics and other garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them.

As any of the disciples had plenty, each determined to send relief to the brothers who lived in Judea;

They wrote these things by their hand: “The apostles, the elders, and the brothers, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: greetings.

it seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose out men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,

But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, “Don’t harm yourself, for we are all here!”

Paul went down and fell upon him, and embracing him said, “Don’t be troubled, for his life is in him.”

In all things I gave you an example, that so labouring you ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

They all wept freely, and fell on Paul’s neck and kissed him,

sorrowing most of all because of the word which he had spoken, that they should see his face no more. Then they accompanied him to the ship.

When those days were over, we departed and went on our journey. They all, with wives and children, brought us on our way until we were out of the city. Kneeling down on the beach, we prayed.

After saying goodbye to each other, we went on board the ship, and they returned home again.

Paul said, “I pray to God, that whether with little or with much, not only you, but also all that hear me today, might become such as I am, except for these bonds.”

The natives showed us uncommon kindness; for they kindled a fire and received us all, because of the present rain and because of the cold.

to all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

and hope doesn’t disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

For while we were yet weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.

For one will hardly die for a righteous man. Yet perhaps for a good person someone would even dare to die.

But God commends his own love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

For you didn’t receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose.

He who didn’t spare his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how would he not also with him freely give us all things?

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Could oppression, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from God’s love which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brothers’ sake, my relatives according to the flesh

Even as it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

As he says also in Hosea, “I will call them ‘my people,’ which were not my people; and her ‘beloved,’ who was not beloved.”

Brothers, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God is for Israel, that they may be saved.

if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh, and may save some of them.

Concerning the Good News, they are enemies for your sake. But concerning the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sake.

Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor that which is evil. Cling to that which is good.

In love of the brothers be tenderly affectionate to one another; in honour prefer one another,

contributing to the needs of the saints, and given to hospitality.

Rejoice with those who rejoice. Weep with those who weep.

Be of the same mind one towards another. Don’t set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Don’t be wise in your own conceits.

Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing so, you will heap coals of fire on his head.”

Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbour has fulfilled the law.

For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other commandments there are, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.”

Love doesn’t harm a neighbour. Love therefore is the fulfilment of the law.

Therefore let’s not judge one another any more, but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block in his brother’s way, or an occasion for falling.

Yet if because of food your brother is grieved, you walk no longer in love. Don’t destroy with your food him for whom Christ died.

It is good to not eat meat, drink wine, nor do anything by which your brother stumbles, is offended, or is made weak.

Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

Let each one of us please his neighbour for that which is good, to be building him up.

For even Christ didn’t please himself. But, as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.”

Therefore accept one another, even as Christ also accepted you, to the glory of God.

But now, I say, I am going to Jerusalem, serving the saints.

For it has been the good pleasure of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor amongst the saints who are at Jerusalem.

Now I beg you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in your prayers to God for me,

that you receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and that you assist her in whatever matter she may need from you, for she herself also has been a helper of many, and of my own self.

Greet the assembly that is in their house. Greet Epaenetus, my beloved, who is the first fruits of Achaia to Christ.

Greet Amplias, my beloved in the Lord.

Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and Stachys, my beloved.

Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, who labour in the Lord. Greet Persis, the beloved, who laboured much in the Lord.

Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them.

Greet one another with a holy kiss. The assemblies of Christ greet you.

Timothy, my fellow worker, greets you, as do Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my relatives.

I, Tertius, who write the letter, greet you in the Lord.

Gaius, my host and host of the whole assembly, greets you. Erastus, the treasurer of the city, greets you, as does Quartus, the brother.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all! Amen.

But as it is written, “Things which an eye didn’t see, and an ear didn’t hear, which didn’t enter into the heart of man, these God has prepared for those who love him.”

I don’t write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children.

Because of this I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, even as I teach everywhere in every assembly.

What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?

No, but you yourselves do wrong and defraud, and that against your brothers.

Let the husband give his wife the affection owed her, and likewise also the wife her husband.

but he who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he may please his wife.

There is also a difference between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she who is married cares about the things of the world—how she may please her husband.

Now concerning things sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.

But anyone who loves God is known by him.

But be careful that by no means does this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to the weak.

And through your knowledge, he who is weak perishes, the brother for whose sake Christ died.

Thus, sinning against the brothers, and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ.

Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will eat no meat forever more, that I don’t cause my brother to stumble.

Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.

Let no one seek his own, but each one his neighbour’s good.

Give no occasion for stumbling, whether to Jews, to Greeks, or to the assembly of God;

even as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of the many, that they may be saved.

The eye can’t tell the hand, “I have no need for you,” or again the head to the feet, “I have no need for you.”

No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary.

Those parts of the body which we think to be less honourable, on those we bestow more abundant honour; and our unpresentable parts have more abundant modesty,

while our presentable parts have no such need. But God composed the body together, giving more abundant honour to the inferior part,

that there should be no division in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.

When one member suffers, all the members suffer with it. When one member is honoured, all the members rejoice with it.

If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don’t have love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.

If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but don’t have love, I am nothing.

If I give away all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burnt, but don’t have love, it profits me nothing.

Love is patient and is kind. Love doesn’t envy. Love doesn’t brag, is not proud,

doesn’t behave itself inappropriately, doesn’t seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil;

doesn’t rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;

bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will be done away with. Where there are various languages, they will cease. Where there is knowledge, it will be done away with.

But now faith, hope, and love remain—these three. The greatest of these is love.

Follow after love and earnestly desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

But with you it may be that I will stay with you, or even winter with you, that you may send me on my journey wherever I go.

Let all that you do be done in love.

All the brothers greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss.

If any man doesn’t love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be cursed. Come, Lord!

My love to all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen.

But I call God for a witness to my soul, that to spare you, I didn’t come to Corinth.

For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears, not that you should be made to grieve, but that you might know the love that I have so abundantly for you.

Therefore I beg you to confirm your love towards him.

Now I also forgive whomever you forgive anything. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ,

You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men,

For the love of Christ compels us; because we judge thus: that one died for all, therefore all died.

in pureness, in knowledge, in perseverance, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in sincere love,

Our mouth is open to you, Corinthians. Our heart is enlarged.

You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections.

Now in return—I speak as to my children—you also open your hearts.

Open your hearts to us. We wronged no one. We corrupted no one. We took advantage of no one.

I say this not to condemn you, for I have said before that you are in our hearts to die together and live together.

and not by his coming only, but also by the comfort with which he was comforted in you while he told us of your longing, your mourning, and your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced still more.

His affection is more abundantly towards you, while he remembers all of your obedience, how with fear and trembling you received him.

begging us with much entreaty to receive this grace and the fellowship in the service to the saints.

But as you abound in everything—in faith, utterance, knowledge, all earnestness, and in your love to us—see that you also abound in this grace.

I speak not by way of commandment, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity also of your love.

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might become rich.

For this is not that others may be eased and you distressed,

But thanks be to God, who puts the same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus.

For he indeed accepted our exhortation, but being himself very earnest, he went out to you of his own accord.

Therefore show the proof of your love to them before the assemblies, and of our boasting on your behalf.

Let each man give according as he has determined in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

while they themselves also, with supplication on your behalf, yearn for you by reason of the exceeding grace of God in you.

I wish that you would bear with me in a little foolishness, but indeed you do bear with me.

For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy. For I promised you in marriage to one husband, that I might present you as a pure virgin to Christ.

Why? Because I don’t love you? God knows.

Behold, this is the third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you; for I seek not your possessions, but you. For the children ought not to save up for the parents, but the parents for the children.

I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more abundantly, am I loved the less?

Again, do you think that we are excusing ourselves to you? In the sight of God we speak in Christ. But all things, beloved, are for your edifying.

Finally, brothers, rejoice! Be perfected. Be comforted. Be of the same mind. Live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.

Greet one another with a holy kiss.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s love, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.

I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. That life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself up for me.

And because you are children, God sent out the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!”

I beg you, brothers, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong,

That which was a temptation to you in my flesh, you didn’t despise nor reject; but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.

What was the blessing you enjoyed? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me.

My little children, of whom I am again in travail until Christ is formed in you—

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision amounts to anything, but faith working through love.

For you, brothers, were called for freedom. Only don’t use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love be servants to one another.

For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, in this: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.”

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

So then, as we have opportunity, let’s do what is good towards all men, and especially towards those who are of the household of the faith.

even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and without defect before him in love,

For this cause I also, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which is amongst you and the love which you have towards all the saints,

But God, being rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved us,

that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, to the end that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

and to know Christ’s love which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

with all lowliness and humility, with patience, bearing with one another in love,

but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him who is the head, Christ,

from whom all the body, being fitted and knit together through that which every joint supplies, according to the working in measure of each individual part, makes the body increase to the building up of itself in love.

And be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you.

Be therefore imitators of God, as beloved children.

Walk in love, even as Christ also loved us and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling fragrance.

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the assembly and gave himself up for her,

Even so husbands also ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself.

For no man ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, even as the Lord also does the assembly,

Nevertheless each of you must also love his own wife even as himself; and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

But that you also may know my affairs, how I am doing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will make known to you all things.

I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know our state and that he may comfort your hearts.

Peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love. Amen.

It is even right for me to think this way on behalf of all of you, because I have you in my heart, because both in my bonds and in the defence and confirmation of the Good News, you all are partakers with me of grace.

For God is my witness, how I long after all of you in the tender mercies of Christ Jesus.

This I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment,

Some indeed preach Christ even out of envy and strife, and some also out of good will.

but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defence of the Good News.

Yet to remain in the flesh is more needful for your sake.

If therefore there is any exhortation in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any tender mercies and compassion,

make my joy full by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind;

doing nothing through rivalry or through conceit, but in humility, each counting others better than himself;

each of you not just looking to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others.

but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men.

And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, yes, the death of the cross.

For I have no one else like-minded, who will truly care about you.

since he longed for you all, and was very troubled because you had heard that he was sick.

I have sent him therefore the more diligently, that when you see him again, you may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful.

Receive him therefore in the Lord with all joy, and hold such people in honour,

Therefore, my brothers, beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.

But I rejoice in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your thought for me; in which you did indeed take thought, but you lacked opportunity.

having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love which you have towards all the saints,

who also declared to us your love in the Spirit.

who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the Kingdom of the Son of his love,

For I desire to have you know how greatly I struggle for you and for those at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;

that their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love, and gaining all riches of the full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ,

Put on therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, humility, and perseverance;

bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, if any man has a complaint against any; even as Christ forgave you, so you also do.

Above all these things, walk in love, which is the bond of perfection.

Husbands, love your wives, and don’t be bitter against them.

All my affairs will be made known to you by Tychicus, the beloved brother, faithful servant, and fellow bondservant in the Lord.

I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that he may know your circumstances and comfort your hearts,

together with Onesimus, the faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will make known to you everything that is going on here.

Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, greets you, and Mark the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you received instructions, “if he comes to you, receive him”),

For I testify about him that he has great zeal for you, and for those in Laodicea, and for those in Hierapolis.

Luke the beloved physician and Demas greet you.

remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labour of love and perseverance of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father.

We know, brothers loved by God, that you are chosen,

But we were gentle amongst you, like a nursing mother cherishes her own children.

Even so, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not the Good News of God only, but also our own souls, because you had become very dear to us.

As you know, we exhorted, comforted, and implored every one of you, as a father does his own children,

But we, brothers, being bereaved of you for a short season in presence, not in heart, tried even harder to see your face with great desire,

because we wanted to come to you—indeed, I, Paul, once and again—but Satan hindered us.

For you are our glory and our joy.

Therefore when we couldn’t stand it any longer, we thought it good to be left behind at Athens alone,

But Timothy has just now come to us from you, and brought us glad news of your faith and love, and that you have good memories of us always, longing to see us, even as we also long to see you.

May the Lord make you to increase and abound in love towards one another and towards all men, even as we also do towards you,

But concerning brotherly love, you have no need that one write to you. For you yourselves are taught by God to love one another,

for indeed you do it towards all the brothers who are in all Macedonia. But we exhort you, brothers, that you abound more and more;

But since we belong to the day, let’s be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet, the hope of salvation.

who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

Therefore exhort one another, and build each other up, even as you also do.

and to respect and honour them in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace amongst yourselves.

See that no one returns evil for evil to anyone, but always follow after that which is good for one another and for all.

Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.

We are bound to always give thanks to God for you, brothers, even as it is appropriate, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of each and every one of you towards one another abounds,

and with all deception of wickedness for those who are being lost, because they didn’t receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

But we are bound to always give thanks to God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief in the truth,

Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace,

May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and into the perseverance of Christ.

Don’t count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

But the goal of this command is love from a pure heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith,

The grace of our Lord abounded exceedingly with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

but she will be saved through her childbearing, if they continue in faith, love, and holiness with sobriety.

Let no man despise your youth; but be an example to those who believe, in word, in your way of life, in love, in spirit, in faith, and in purity.

Those who have believing masters, let them not despise them because they are brothers, but rather let them serve them, because those who partake of the benefit are believing and beloved. Teach and exhort these things.

But you, man of God, flee these things, and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.

that they do good, that they be rich in good works, that they be ready to distribute, willing to share;

to Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

longing to see you, remembering your tears, that I may be filled with joy;

For God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.

Hold the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

Flee from youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

But you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, steadfastness,

From now on, the crown of righteousness is stored up for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day; and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved his appearing.

but given to hospitality, a lover of good, sober minded, fair, holy, self-controlled,

that older men should be temperate, sensible, sober minded, sound in faith, in love, and in perseverance,

that they may train the young wives to love their husbands, to love their children,

to be sober minded, chaste, workers at home, kind, being in subjection to their own husbands, that God’s word may not be blasphemed.

who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people for his own possession, zealous for good works.

to speak evil of no one, not to be contentious, to be gentle, showing all humility towards all men.

But when the kindness of God our Saviour and his love towards mankind appeared,

Send Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey speedily, that nothing may be lacking for them.

All who are with me greet you. Greet those who love us in faith. Grace be with you all. Amen.

Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon, our beloved fellow worker,

to the beloved Apphia, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the assembly in your house:

hearing of your love and of the faith which you have towards the Lord Jesus and towards all the saints,

For we have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.

yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you, being such a one as Paul, the aged, but also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.

I am sending him back. Therefore receive him, that is, my own heart,

no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much rather to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

If then you count me a partner, receive him as you would receive me.

But if he has wronged you at all or owes you anything, put that to my account.

I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it (not to mention to you that you owe to me even your own self besides).

Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in the Lord.

as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.

But one has somewhere testified, saying, “What is man, that you think of him? Or the son of man, that you care for him?

But, beloved, we are persuaded of better things for you, and things that accompany salvation, even though we speak like this.

For God is not unrighteous, so as to forget your work and the labour of love which you showed towards his name, in that you served the saints, and still do serve them.

Let’s consider how to provoke one another to love and good works,

You have forgotten the exhortation which reasons with you as with children, “My son, don’t take lightly the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when you are reproved by him;

for whom the Lord loves, he disciplines, and chastises every son whom he receives.”

Let brotherly love continue.

Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for in doing so, some have entertained angels without knowing it.

But don’t forget to be doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

Blessed is a person who endures temptation, for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord promised to those who love him.

Don’t be deceived, my beloved brothers.

So, then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger;

Listen, my beloved brothers. Didn’t God choose those who are poor in this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom which he promised to those who love him?

However, if you fulfil the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself,” you do well.

and one of you tells them, “Go in peace. Be warmed and filled;” yet you didn’t give them the things the body needs, what good is it?

Don’t speak against one another, brothers. He who speaks against a brother and judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.

whom, not having known, you love. In him, though now you don’t see him, yet believing, you rejoice greatly with joy that is unspeakable and full of glory,

Seeing you have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth through the Spirit in sincere brotherly affection, love one another from the heart fervently,

Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.

Finally, all of you be like-minded, compassionate, loving as brothers, tenderhearted, courteous,

And above all things be earnest in your love amongst yourselves, for love covers a multitude of sins.

Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.

casting all your worries on him, because he cares for you.

Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace be to all of you who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.

and in godliness, brotherly affection; and in brotherly affection, love.

This is now, beloved, the second letter that I have written to you; and in both of them I stir up your sincere mind by reminding you

Regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote to you,

that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us. Yes, and our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.

And he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world.

But God’s love has most certainly been perfected in whoever keeps his word. This is how we know that we are in him:

He who says he is in the light and hates his brother is in the darkness even until now.

He who loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no occasion for stumbling in him.

Don’t love the world or the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the Father’s love isn’t in him.

See how great a love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God! For this cause the world doesn’t know us, because it didn’t know him.

Beloved, now we are children of God. 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.

In this the children of God are revealed, and the children of the devil. Whoever doesn’t do righteousness is not of God, neither is he who doesn’t love his brother.

For this is the message which you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another—

We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. He who doesn’t love his brother remains in death.

Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him.

By this we know love, because he laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

But whoever has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, then closes his heart of compassion against him, how does God’s love remain in him?

My little children, let’s not love in word only, or with the tongue only, but in deed and truth.

This is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, even as he commanded.

Beloved, let’s love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.

He who doesn’t love doesn’t know God, for God is love.

By this God’s love was revealed in us, that God has sent his only born Son into the world that we might live through him.

In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Beloved, if God loved us in this way, we also ought to love one another.

No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God remains in us, and his love has been perfected in us.

We know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and he who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him.

In this, love has been made perfect amongst us, that we may have boldness in the day of judgement, because as he is, even so we are in this world.

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has punishment. He who fears is not made perfect in love.

We love him, because he first loved us.

If a man says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who doesn’t love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?

This commandment we have from him, that he who loves God should also love his brother.

Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God. Whoever loves the Father also loves the child who is born of him.

By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep his commandments.

For this is loving God, that we keep his commandments. His commandments are not grievous.

The elder, to the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not I only, but also all those who know the truth,

Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

Now I beg you, dear lady, not as though I wrote to you a new commandment, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.

This is love, that we should walk according to his commandments. This is the commandment, even as you heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it.

The elder to Gaius the beloved, whom I love in truth.

Beloved, you do a faithful work in whatever you accomplish for those who are brothers and strangers.

They have testified about your love before the assembly. You will do well to send them forward on their journey in a way worthy of God,

May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.

Beloved, while I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I was constrained to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.

But you, beloved, remember the words which have been spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Keep yourselves in God’s love, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.

and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us, and washed us from our sins by his blood—

But I have this against you, that you left your first love.

“I know your works, your love, faith, service, patient endurance, and that your last works are more than the first.

Behold, I make some of the synagogue of Satan, of those who say they are Jews, and they are not, but lie—behold, I will make them to come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.

As many as I love, I reprove and chasten. Be zealous therefore, and repent.

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with me.