And above all things be earnest in your love among yourselves, for love covers a multitude of sins.
Parallel translations
- KJV And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
- BSB Above all, love one another deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
- NKJV And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”
- NASB Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.
- NLT Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Above all, believers should love one another earnestly, because love covers a multitude of sins. It places love at the center of Christian community life.
Overview
Peter prioritizes fervent mutual love within the church. 'Love covers a multitude of sins' (echoing Proverbs 10:12) means that love readily forgives and overlooks offenses rather than exposing them. Such love reflects the forgiving heart of God shown supremely in Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- Prov 10:12Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all wrongs.
- Col 3:14Above all these things, walk in love, which is the bond of perfection.
- Prov 17:9He who covers an offense promotes love; but he who repeats a matter separates best friends.
- Jas 5:20let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
- 1 Pet 1:22Seeing you have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth through the Spirit in sincere brotherly affection, love one another from the heart fervently:
- 1 Cor 13:1If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don’t have love, I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal.
- 1 Th 3:12and the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we also do toward you,
- 1 Th 4:9–10But concerning brotherly love, you have no need that one write to you. For you yourselves are taught by God to love one another,
- Heb 13:1Let brotherly love continue.
- 1 Tim 1:5but the goal of this command is love, out of a pure heart and a good conscience and sincere faith;
- 2 Th 1:3We are bound to always give thanks to God for you, brothers, even as it is appropriate, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of each and every one of you towards one another abounds;
- 2 Pet 1:6–7and in knowledge, self-control; and in self-control perseverance; and in perseverance godliness;
- Prov 12:16A fool shows his annoyance the same day, but one who overlooks an insult is prudent.
- Prov 18:13He who gives answer before he hears, that is folly and shame to him.
- 3 Jn 1:2Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be healthy, even as your soul prospers.
- Jas 5:12But above all things, my brothers, don’t swear — not by heaven, or by the earth, or by any other oath; but let your “yes” be “yes”, and your “no”, “no”; so that you don’t fall into hypocrisy.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The lamb without blemish foreknown before the world, who bore our sins in his body on the tree, by whose wounds we are healed — the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls.
How 1 Peter 4:8 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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