Love in the Gospel

The Love of Faithful Believers for Each Other

[Jesus:] A new command I give you [for God's approval]: "Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John, 13:34-35)

For this reason, ever since I heard about your love… for all God's people [those who devoted themselves to God], I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. (Ephesians, 1:15-16)

[Jesus:] As God has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my God's commands and remain in His love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command [for earning the pleasure of God] is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends [for God's approval]. You are my friends if you do what I command [to seek God's pleasure]." (John, 15:9-14)

... He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a fellow man and as a brother in the Lord. (Philemon, 1:16)

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God.... (1 John, 4:7)

Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other... Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more. (1 Thessalonians, 4:9-10)

... If we love one another... His [God's] love is made complete in us. (1 John, 4:12)

Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, Whom they have not seen. And the Messiah has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. (1 John, 4:20-21)

If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. (1 John, 3:17-18)

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love... (Colossians , 3:13-14)

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves... knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love... Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. (1 John, 4:7-11)

Greet one another with a kiss of love. (1 Peter, 5:14)

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews, 10:24-25)

Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. (Hebrews, 13:1-2)

Therefore, if you have... any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. (Philippians, 2:1-2)

Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. (Romans, 12:10)

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. (1 Peter, 4:8)

This is how we know who the servants of God are… Anyone who does not do what is right is not God's servant [one who earns God's pleasure] nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister. (1 John, 3:10)

And now... I ask that we love one another. And this is love: that we walk in obedience to His commands. As you have heard from the beginning, His command is that you walk in love. (2 John, 1:5)

This is my command: Love each other. (John, 15:17)

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. (Ephesians, 4:2)

Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light [of God], and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them. (1 John, 2:10-11)

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, devoutness; and to devoutness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. (2 Peter, 1:5-7)

Above all, love each other deeply, for love covers a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever spiritual gift (the blessing gifted by God) you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. (1 Peter, 4:8-10)

... Serve one another humbly in love. (Galatians, 5:13)

… Love one another. Be compassionate and humble. (1 Peter, 3:8)

... So that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. (1 Peter, 1:22)

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law [the commandments of God]. (Romans, 13:8)

For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother's were righteous. Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. (1 John, 3:11-14)

We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing. Therefore, among God's churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. (2 Thessalonians, 1:3-4)

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as... God forgave you. (Ephesians, 4:31-32)

Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. (1 Peter, 3:8)

For this reason, ever since I heard about your… love for all God's people [those who devoted themselves to God], I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. (Ephesians, 1:15-16)

Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. (1 Thessalonians, 5:12-13)

Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.
(1 Peter, 1:22)

Love for Neighbors

And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' (Matthew, 22:39)

... And to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices. (Mark, 12:33)

… Love your neighbor as yourself. (Luke, 10:27)

You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. (Matthew, 5:43-44)

If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture [the commandments of God], "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing right. (James, 2:8)

The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not covet," and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law [the commandments of God]. (Romans, 13:9-10)