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Love is patient; love is kind; love is not
envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way;
it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but
rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all
things, endures all things.
For
God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that
everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent
his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through
him.
The kingdom of God is within you.
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved
you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are
my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
Become
earnest about the word! For as to the word, its first part is faith; the
second, love; the third, works; for from these comes
life.
Hearken to the word; understand knowledge; love
life, and no one will persecute you, nor will anyone oppress you, other
than you yourselves.
Knowledge and ritual without
compassion is empty.
Blessed
are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
You must
love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your
mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally
important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the
demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.
There is
only one
love that loves unconditionally – the love of the Divine.
Love
your neighbor, but who is your neighbor. Your neighbor is the one who is
sent to you from the Divine. Your neighbor can be one who is a total
stranger to you from afar. Your neighbor can be someone living close to you.
But what is true is that your neighbor is one of the Light who needs your
support as much as you need his.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right,
whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is
excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.
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