- John 13:34 "I give you a new commandment,
that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should
love one another. "
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- John 15:12 "This is my commandment, that you love one another as
I have loved you. "
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- John 15:17 "I am giving you these commands so that you may love
one another."
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- Rom. 12:10 "[L]ove one another with mutual affection; outdo one
another in showing honor."
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- Rom. 13:8 "Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for
the one who loves another has fulfilled the law."
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- 1Ths. 4:9 "Now concerning love of the brothers and sisters, you
do not need to have anyone write to you, for you yourselves have been
taught by God to love one another; "
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- 1Pet. 1:22 "Now that you have purified your souls by your
obedience to the truth so that you have genuine mutual love, love one
another deeply from the heart. "
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- 1John 3:11 "For this is the message you have heard from the
beginning, that we should love one another."
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- 1John 3:14 "We know that we have passed from death to life
because we love one another. Whoever does not love abides in death. "
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- 1John 3:23 "And this is his commandment, that we should believe
in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he
has commanded us."
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- 1John 4:7 "Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from
God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. "
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- 1John 4:11 "Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to
love one another. "
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- 1John 4:12 "No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God
lives in us, and his love is perfected in us."
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- 2John 5 "But now, dear lady, I ask you, not as though I were
writing you a new commandment, but one we have had from the beginning,
let us love one another."
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- 1John 4:20 Those who say, "I love God," and hate
their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a
brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have
not seen.
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Love Your Neighbor
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Matt. 19:19 "...You shall love your neighbor as
yourself." Also, Matt. 22:39, Mark 12:31.
Luke 10:27 He answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with
all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and
with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself."
Rom. 13:9 The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery; You
shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not covet"; and any
other commandment, are summed up in this word, "Love your neighbor as
yourself."
Rom. 13:10 "Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is
the fulfilling of the law."
Gal. 5:14 For the whole law is summed up in a single
commandment, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
James 2:8 "You do well if you really fulfill the royal law
according to the scripture, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'"
Greatest
Commandment
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Matt. 22:34 " When the Pharisees
heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, 35
and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 36
"Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?" 37 He said to
him, " 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with
all your soul, and with all your mind.' 38 This is the greatest and
first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: 'You shall love your
neighbor as yourself.' 40 On these two commandments hang all the law
and the prophets."
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What Is Love?
- 1Cor. 13:4 Love is patient; love
is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant 5 or rude. It does
not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does
not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. 7 It bears all
things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
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Other Commandments Ratified by Christ
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Matt. 19:16 "Then someone came to
him and said, 'Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal
life?...' 'If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.' 18 He said to
him, "Which ones?" And Jesus said, "You shall not murder; You shall not
commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness;
19 Honor your father and mother; also, You shall love your neighbor as
yourself.'"
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Jesus Radical Morality
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Luke
- Luke 6:20 Then he looked up at his disciples and said: "Blessed
are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
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- Luke 6:21 "Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be
filled. "Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
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- Luke 6:22 "Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they
exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man.
23 Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is
great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets.
Luke 6:24 "But woe to you who are rich, for you have received
your consolation.
Luke 6:25 "Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry.
"Woe to you who are laughing now, for you will mourn and weep.
Luke 6:26 "Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is
what their ancestors did to the false prophets.
Luke 6:27 "But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do
good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for
those who abuse you. 29 If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the
other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold
even your shirt. 30 Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone
takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. 31 Do to others as
you would have them do to you.
Luke 6:32 "If you love those who love you, what credit is that
to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 If you do good to
those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners
do the same. 34 If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive,
what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as
much again. 35 But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting
nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children
of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. 36
Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
Luke 6:37 "Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not
condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be
forgiven; 38 give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed
down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the
measure you give will be the measure you get back."
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Matthew
- Matt. 5:1 When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and
after he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2 Then he began to speak,
and taught them, saying:
Matt. 5:3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven.
Matt. 5:4 "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be
comforted.
Matt. 5:5 "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Matt. 5:6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for
righteousness, for they will be filled.
Matt. 5:7 "Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
Matt. 5:8 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Matt. 5:9 "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called
children of God.
Matt. 5:10 "Blessed are those who are persecuted for
righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matt. 5:11 "Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute
you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the
same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
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***
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- Matt. 5:21 "You have heard that it was said to those of ancient
times, 'You shall not murder'; and 'whoever murders shall be liable to
judgment.' 22 But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or
sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or
sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, 'You fool,'
you will be liable to the hell of fire. 23 So when you are offering
your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has
something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and
go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and
offer your gift. 25 Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you
are on the way to court with him, or your accuser may hand you over to
the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into
prison. 26 Truly I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid
the last penny. ...
Matt. 5:27 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not
commit adultery.' 28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a
woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
29 If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away;
it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole
body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to
sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of
your members than for your whole body to go into hell. ...
Matt. 5:31 "It was also said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let
him give her a certificate of divorce.' 32 But I say to you that anyone
who divorces his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, causes her
to commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits
adultery....
Matt. 5:33 "Again, you have heard that it was said to those of
ancient times, 'You shall not swear falsely, but carry out the vows you
have made to the Lord.' 34 But I say to you, Do not swear at all,
either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for
it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great
King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair
white or black. 37 Let your word be 'Yes, Yes' or 'No, No'; anything
more than this comes from the evil one....
Matt. 5:38 "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye
and a tooth for a tooth.' 39 But I say to you, Do not resist an
evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other
also; 40 and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your
cloak as well; 41 and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the
second mile. 42 Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse
anyone who wants to borrow from you. ...
Matt. 5:43 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love
your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44 But I say to you, Love your
enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be
children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the
evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the
unrighteous. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you
have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet
only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do
not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your
heavenly Father is perfect.
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***
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- Matt. 6:19 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,
where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; 20
but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor
rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where
your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matt. 6:22 "The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is
healthy, your whole body will be full of light; 23 but if your eye is
unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light
in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
Matt. 6:24 "No one can serve two masters; for a slave will
either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and
despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.
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***
- Matt. 6:34 "So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will
bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today.
Matt. 7:1 "Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. 2 For
with the judgment you make you will be judged, and the measure you give
will be the measure you get. 3 Why do you see the speck in your
neighbor's eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? 4 Or how can
you say to your neighbor, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,'
while the log is in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log
out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck
out of your neighbor's eye.
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Matt. 7:12 "In everything do to others as
you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets. "
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Evil Intentions Defile
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- Matt. 15:19 "For out of the heart come evil
intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness,
slander. 20 These are what defile a person..."
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Mark 7:20 And he said, "It is what comes
out of a person that defiles. 21 For it is from within, from the human
heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, 22
adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander,
pride, folly. 23 All these evil things come from within, and they
defile a person."
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Some New
Testiment Sin Lists
- Gal. 5: 19 "Now the works of the flesh are
obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, 20 idolatry, sorcery,
enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, 21
envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you,
as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit the
kingdom of God."
- Col. 3:5 "Put to death, therefore, whatever
in you is earthly: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and
greed (which is idolatry). 6 On account of these the wrath of God is
coming on those who are disobedient. 7 These are the ways you also once
followed, when you were living that life. 8 But now you must get rid of
all such things &emdash;anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive
language from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you
have stripped off the old self with its practices 10 and have clothed
yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge
according to the image of its creator. 11 In that renewal there is no
longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian,
Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all! "
- Rom. 1:28 "And since they did not see fit to
acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind and to things that
should not be done. 29 They were filled with every kind of wickedness,
evil, covetousness, malice. Full of envy, murder, strife, deceit,
craftiness, they are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent,
haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, rebellious toward parents, 31
foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 They know God's decree,
that those who practice such things deserve to die &emdash;yet they
not only do them but even applaud others who practice them."
- James 3:13 "Who is wise and understanding
among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with
gentleness born of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter envy and selfish
ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful and false to the truth. 15
Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual,
devilish. 16 For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will
also be disorder and wickedness of every kind.
- 4:1 Those conflicts and disputes among you,
where do they come from? Do they not come from your cravings that are
at war within you? 2 You want something and do not have it; so you
commit murder. And you covet something and cannot obtain it; so you
engage in disputes and conflicts. You do not have, because you do not
ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, in order to
spend what you get on your pleasures. 4 Adulterers! Do you not know
that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever
wishes to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God."
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- 1Pet. 2:1 "Rid yourselves, therefore, of all
malice, and all guile, insincerity, envy, and all slander."
1Tim. 6: 3 "Whoever teaches otherwise and
does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the
teaching that is in accordance with godliness, 4 is conceited,
understanding nothing, and has a morbid craving for controversy and for
disputes about words. From these come envy, dissension, slander, base
suspicions, 5 and wrangling among those who are depraved in mind and
bereft of the truth..."
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- 1Cor. 6:9 "Do you not know that wrongdoers
will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived! Fornicators,
idolaters, adulterers, male prostitutes, sodomites*, 10 thieves, the
greedy, drunkards, revilers, robbers, none of these will inherit the
kingdom of God. "
- 1Tim. 1:8 "Now we know that the law is good,
if one uses it legitimately. 9 This means understanding that the law is
laid down not for the innocent but for the lawless and disobedient, for
the godless and sinful, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill
their father or mother, for murderers, 10 fornicators, sodomites, slave
traders, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to the sound
teaching..."
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Rev. 21:6 "Then he said to me, "It is done!
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty
I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life. 7
Those who conquer will inherit these things, and I will be their God
and they will be my children. 8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless,
the polluted, the murderers, the fornicators, the sorcerers, the
idolaters, and all liars, their place will be in the lake that burns
with fire and sulfur, which is the second death."
- Consequences of wrong doing: Romans 2:9
"Yes, affliction and distress will come upon every human being who does
evil..." See our page on the Catholic teaching on Hell. For a fuller treatment of Catholic teaching on sin
see Types and Gravity of Sin.
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- The
word "love" in English has an extensive variety of meanings, not all of
which are useful in a biblical context. A key to understanding the word
as it is used in the New Testament can be found in the passage where
love is joined to sacrifice, to selfless giving: John 15:13 "No one has
greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends." See:
Eph. 5:2 ,1John 4:10. In this
sense love means the opposite of selfishness. See "benevolence" and "disinterestedness" in the thesaurus. Recall that
the Greek language has a separate word, "eros", for the sexual form of
love from which we get the word "erotic". This is not what is meant
when the Gospel talks about love of God and neighbor. The word "love" when used in the
bible's moral teaching can and does have all the non-sexual and
non-romantic meanings towards God and neighbor, such as: "A deep,
tender, ineffable feeling of affection and solicitude toward a person,
such as that arising from kinship, recognition of attractive qualities,
or a sense of underlying oneness." (Dictionary.com: see also love at the English Dictionary).
However, morality usually talks about decisions on how to act rather
than feelings. Therefore, the command requires us to think, to use a
rational process to decide how to act with love in a situation rather
than acting with love when we have feelings of love. Feelings come and
go. We may love our parents but not feel very loving sometimes
especially when they require us to do something we don't want to do.
God as parent may evoke the same "feeling" and yet demands the same
response, i.e. that we love Him anyway.
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"Phil. 2:2 make my joy complete: be of the
same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.
3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard
others as better than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not to your
own interests, but to the interests of others." NRSV.
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The scripture quotations are from the New Revised
Standard Version of the Bible, copyrighted 1989, by the Division of
Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ
in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved.
- For Catholic Scripture texts you can read the New American
Bible (best choice), and the Douay-Rheims Version.
- *"sodomite: someone who engages in anal
copulation especially a male who engages in anal copulation with
another male." From the English
dictionary. The word Sodomite is derived from Sodom mentioned in
Genesis. This story is complex and probably refers to more than
homosexuality. For more on this you can see The Sin of Sodom.
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Be sure to compare the New Testament
texts with the Moral Teaching of the Twelve Apostles from the Didache.
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-
An Examination of Conscience (traditional
Catholic).
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