Bible Verses of the Week

A New Commandment

34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (NIV, John 13:34–35)

28 One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” 29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (NIV, Mark 12:28–31)

Love for one another is the theme that runs throughout the New Testament (Romans 13:8-10, 1 Corinthians 13:1-7, Galatians 5:13-14, 1 John 4:7-8). "Love" in English Bibles is a translation of the Greek word agape. It is love we do rather than love we feel. It means specifically affection, benevolence, good-will, high esteem and concern for the welfare of the one loved. It is deliberate, unselfish love rather than emotional or impulsive love.

The love Jesus taught extends not only to family, friends and other believers, but to all people of the world (Matthew 5:43-48).

There is additional information in these articles on our website: What Does the Bible Say About Love?, The Greatest Commandment and the Parable of the Good Samaritan.