If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a ringing gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have absolute faith so as to move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and exult in the surrender of my body, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs. . . .

Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes of the Dispersion: Greetings. Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. . . .

And we have come to know and believe the love that God has for us. God is love; whoever abides in love abides in God, and God in him.

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love; but the greatest of these is love.

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

So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.”

Behold what manner of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God. And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him. Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as Christ is pure. Everyone who practices sin practices lawlessness as well. Indeed, sin is lawlessness. But you know that Christ appeared to take away sins, and in Him there is no sin. . . .

There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. The one who fears has not been perfected in love.

If anyone says, “I love God,” but hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.

The entire law is fulfilled in a single decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Remain in My love.

If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.

But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome,

When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter is this: Fear God and keep His commandments, because this is the whole duty of man.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

You must not lie with a man as with a woman; that is an abomination.

If a man lies with a man as with a woman, they have both committed an abomination. They must surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.