and with every kind of evil deception directed against ¹  those who are perishing, because they found no place in their hearts for the truth ²  so as to be saved.

Now may the Lord direct your hearts toward the love of God ¹  and the endurance of Christ. ² 

But keep away from youthful passions, and pursue righteousness, faithfulness, love, and peace, in company with others ¹  who call on the Lord from a pure heart. ² 

because I hear ¹  of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love ²  for all the saints. ³ 

We have come to know love by this: ¹  that Jesus ²  laid down ³  his life for us; thus we ought to lay down our lives for our fellow Christians.

“But woe to you Pharisees! ¹  You give a tenth ²  of your mint, ³  rue, ⁴  and every herb, yet you neglect justice ⁵  and love for God! But you should have done these things without neglecting the others. ⁶ 

And if I have prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so that I can remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.

For out of great distress and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears, not to make you sad, but to let you know the love that I have especially for you. ¹ 

But now Timothy has come ¹  to us from you and given us the good news of your faith and love and that you always think of us with affection ²  and long to see us just as we also long to see you! ³ 

(See what sort of love the Father has given to us: that ¹  we should be called God’s children – and indeed ²  we are! ³  For this reason ⁴  the world does not know us: because it did not know him. ⁵ 

‘I know your deeds: your love, faith, ¹  service, and steadfast endurance. ²  In fact, ³  your more recent deeds are greater than your earlier ones.

And we have come to know and to believe ¹  the love that God has in us. ²  God is love, and the one who resides ³  in love resides in God, and God resides in him.