And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
Parallel translations
- WEB Above all these things, walk in love, which is the bond of perfection.
- BSB And over all these virtues put on love, which is the bond of perfect unity.
- NKJV But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
- NASB In addition to all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.
- NLT Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.
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, they must put on love, which binds all the virtues together in perfect unity. Love is the crowning grace.
Overview
'Above all these things, walk in love'—love is the supreme virtue that completes the rest. It is 'the bond of perfection,' holding the other graces together and uniting the church in maturity. Without love the other virtues remain incomplete; with it they cohere into a Christlike whole.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 17
- 1 Pet 4:8And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
- Eph 5:2And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
- 1 Cor 13:1–13Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
- Col 2:2That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;
- Rom 13:8Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
- John 13:34A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
- Eph 4:3Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
- 1 Jn 4:21And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
- 1 Tim 1:5Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:
- John 15:12This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
- 1 Th 4:9But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.
- 2 Pet 1:7And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
- 1 Jn 4:7–12Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
- John 17:23I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
- Eph 1:4According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
- 1 Jn 3:23And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
- Heb 6:1Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
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Original language
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