Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for a time of adversity. How good and pleasant it is
when God’s people live together in unity! A perverse person stirs up conflict,
and a gossip separates close friends. Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who withholds kindness from a friend
forsakes the fear of the Almighty. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. As iron sharpens iron,
so one person sharpens another. Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. If either of them falls down,
one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
and has no one to help them up. Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their labor. Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your family,
and do not go to your relative’s house when disaster strikes you—
better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away. ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’ I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith. God sets the lonely in families,
he leads out the prisoners with singing;
but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.Psalm 68:6 | NIV |