Love Never Fails: The Heart of All Law

1. You shall not sacrifice to Yahweh your God an ox, or a sheep, in which is a defect, or anything evil; for that is an abomination to Yahweh your God. 2. If there is found among you, within any of your gates which Yahweh your God gives you, a man or woman who does that which is evil in Yahweh your God’s sight, in transgressing his covenant, 3. and has gone and served other gods, and worshiped them, or the sun, or the moon, or any of the stars of the sky, which I have not commanded; 4. and you are told, and you have heard of it, then you shall inquire diligently. Behold, if it is true, and the thing certain, that such abomination is done in Israel, 5. then you shall bring out that man or that woman, who has done this evil thing, to your gates, even that same man or woman; and you shall stone them to death with stones. 6. At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, he who is to die shall be put to death. At the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death. 7. The hand of the witnesses shall be first on him to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people. So you shall remove the evil from among you. 8. If there arises a matter too hard for you in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of controversy within your gates; then you shall arise, and go up to the place which Yahweh your God chooses. 9. You shall come to the priests who are Levites, and to the judge who shall be in those days. You shall inquire, and they shall give you the verdict. 10. You shall do according to the decisions of the verdict which they shall give you from that place which Yahweh chooses. You shall observe to do according to all that they shall teach you: 11. according to the decisions of the law which they shall teach you, and according to the judgment which they shall tell you, you shall do. You shall not turn away from the sentence which they shall show you, to the right hand, nor to the left. 12. The man who does presumptuously, in not listening to the priest who stands to minister there before Yahweh your God, or to the judge, even that man shall die. You shall put away the evil from Israel. 13. All the people shall hear, and fear, and do no more presumptuously. 14. When you have come to the land which Yahweh your God gives you, and possess it, and dwell in it, and say, “I will set a king over me, like all the nations that are around me”; 15. you shall surely set him king over yourselves, whom Yahweh your God chooses. You shall set as king over you one from among your brothers. You may not put a foreigner over you, who is not your brother. 16. Only he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he may multiply horses; because Yahweh has said to you, “You shall not go back that way again.” 17. He shall not multiply wives to himself, that his heart not turn away. He shall not greatly multiply to himself silver and gold. 18. It shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write himself a copy of this law in a book, out of that which is before the priests the Levites. 19. It shall be with him, and he shall read from it all the days of his life; that he may learn to fear Yahweh his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them; 20. that his heart not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he not turn away from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left; to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children, in the middle of Israel. 1. The priests the Levites, all the tribe of Levi, shall have no portion nor inheritance with Israel. They shall eat the offerings of Yahweh made by fire and his portion. 2. They shall have no inheritance among their brothers. Yahweh is their inheritance, as he has spoken to them. 3. This shall be the priests’ due from the people, from those who offer a sacrifice, whether it be ox or sheep, that they shall give to the priest the shoulder, the two cheeks, and the inner parts. 4. The first fruits of your grain, of your new wine, and of your oil, and the first of the fleece of your sheep, you shall give him. 5. For Yahweh your God has chosen him out of all your tribes, to stand to minister in Yahweh’s name, him and his sons for ever. 6. If a Levite comes from any of your gates out of all Israel, where he lives as a foreigner, and comes with all the desire of his soul to the place which Yahweh shall choose; 7. then he shall minister in the name of Yahweh his God, as all his brothers the Levites do, who stand there before Yahweh. 8. They shall have like portions to eat, in addition to that which comes from the sale of his family possessions. 9. When you have come into the land which Yahweh your God gives you, you shall not learn to imitate the abominations of those nations. 10. There shall not be found with you anyone who makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices sorcery, or an enchanter, or a sorcerer, 11. or a charmer, or a consulter with a familiar spirit, or a wizard, or a necromancer. 12. For whoever does these things is an abomination to Yahweh. Because of these abominations, Yahweh your God drives them out from before you. 13. You shall be perfect with Yahweh your God. 14. For these nations that you shall dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery and to diviners; but as for you, Yahweh your God has not allowed you so to do. 15. Yahweh your God will raise up to you a prophet from among you, of your brothers, like me. You shall listen to him. 16. This is according to all that you desired of Yahweh your God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, “Let me not hear again Yahweh my God’s voice, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I not die.” 17. Yahweh said to me, “They have well said that which they have spoken. 18. I will raise them up a prophet from among their brothers, like you. I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I shall command him. 19. It shall happen, that whoever will not listen to my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. 20. But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.” 21. You may say in your heart, “How shall we know the word which Yahweh has not spoken?” 22. When a prophet speaks in Yahweh’s name, if the thing doesn’t follow, nor happen, that is the thing which Yahweh has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You shall not be afraid of him. 1. When Yahweh your God cuts off the nations whose land Yahweh your God gives you, and you succeed them and dwell in their cities and in their houses; 2. you shall set apart three cities for yourselves in the middle of your land, which Yahweh your God gives you to possess it. 3. You shall prepare the way, and divide the borders of your land which Yahweh your God causes you to inherit into three parts, that every man slayer may flee there. 4. This is the case of the man slayer who shall flee there and live. Whoever kills his neighbor unawares, and didn’t hate him in time past; 5. as when a man goes into the forest with his neighbor to chop wood and his hand swings the ax to cut down the tree, and the head slips from the handle and hits his neighbor so that he dies, he shall flee to one of these cities and live. 6. Otherwise, the avenger of blood might pursue the man slayer while his heart is hot and overtake him, because the way is long, and strike him mortally; even though he was not worthy of death, because he didn’t hate him in time past. 7. Therefore I command you to set apart three cities for yourselves. 8. If Yahweh your God enlarges your border, as he has sworn to your fathers, and gives you all the land which he promised to give to your fathers; 9. if you keep all this commandment to do it, which I command you today, to love Yahweh your God, and to walk ever in his ways; then you shall add three cities more for yourselves, besides these three. 10. This is so that innocent blood will not be shed in the middle of your land which Yahweh your God gives you for an inheritance, leaving blood guilt on you. 11. But if any man hates his neighbor, lies in wait for him, rises up against him, strikes him mortally so that he dies, and he flees into one of these cities; 12. then the elders of his city shall send and bring him there, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die. 13. Your eye shall not pity him, but you shall purge the innocent blood from Israel that it may go well with you. 14. You shall not remove your neighbor’s landmark, which they of old time have set, in your inheritance which you shall inherit, in the land that Yahweh your God gives you to possess. 15. One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sins. At the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall a matter be established. 16. If an unrighteous witness rises up against any man to testify against him of wrongdoing, 17. then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before Yahweh, before the priests and the judges who shall be in those days; 18. and the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and behold, if the witness is a false witness, and has testified falsely against his brother; 19. then you shall do to him as he had thought to do to his brother. So you shall remove the evil from among you. 20. Those who remain shall hear, and fear, and will never again commit any such evil among you. 21. Your eyes shall not pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot. 1. When you go out to battle against your enemies, and see horses, chariots, and a people more than you, you shall not be afraid of them; for Yahweh your God is with you, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. 2. It shall be, when you draw near to the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak to the people, 3. and shall tell them, “Hear, Israel, you draw near today to battle against your enemies. Don’t let your heart faint! Don’t be afraid, nor tremble, neither be scared of them; 4. for Yahweh your God is he who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.” 5. The officers shall speak to the people, saying, “What man is there who has built a new house, and has not dedicated it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man dedicate it. 6. What man is there who has planted a vineyard, and has not used its fruit? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man use its fruit. 7. What man is there who has pledged to be married a wife, and has not taken her? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man take her.” 8. The officers shall speak further to the people, and they shall say, “What man is there who is fearful and faint-hearted? Let him go and return to his house, lest his brother’s heart melt as his heart.” 9. It shall be, when the officers have finished speaking to the people, that they shall appoint captains of armies at the head of the people. 10. When you draw near to a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace to it. 11. It shall be, if it makes you answer of peace, and opens to you, then it shall be, that all the people who are found therein shall become forced laborers to you, and shall serve you. 12. If it will make no peace with you, but will make war against you, then you shall besiege it. 13. When Yahweh your God delivers it into your hand, you shall strike every male of it with the edge of the sword; 14. but the women, the little ones, the livestock, and all that is in the city, even all its plunder, you shall take for plunder for yourself. You may use the plunder of your enemies, which Yahweh your God has given you. 15. Thus you shall do to all the cities which are very far off from you, which are not of the cities of these nations. 16. But of the cities of these peoples, that Yahweh your God gives you for an inheritance, you shall save alive nothing that breathes; 17. but you shall utterly destroy them: the Hittite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite; as Yahweh your God has commanded you; 18. that they not teach you to follow all their abominations, which they have done to their gods; so would you sin against Yahweh your God. 19. When you shall besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, you shall not destroy its trees by wielding an ax against them; for you may eat of them. You shall not cut them down; for is the tree of the field man, that it should be besieged by you? 20. Only the trees that you know are not trees for food, you shall destroy and cut them down. You shall build bulwarks against the city that makes war with you, until it falls.

1. If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don’t have love, I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal. 2. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but don’t have love, I am nothing. 3. If I give away all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but don’t have love, it profits me nothing. 4. Love is patient and is kind; love doesn’t envy. Love doesn’t brag, is not proud, 5. doesn’t behave itself inappropriately, doesn’t seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil; 6. doesn’t rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7. bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will be done away with. Where there are various languages, they will cease. Where there is knowledge, it will be done away with. 9. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; 10. but when that which is complete has come, then that which is partial will be done away with. 11. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child. Now that I have become a man, I have put away childish things. 12. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, even as I was also fully known. 13. But now faith, hope, and love remain—these three. The greatest of these is love. 1. Follow after love, and earnestly desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. 2. For he who speaks in another language speaks not to men, but to God; for no one understands; but in the Spirit he speaks mysteries. 3. But he who prophesies speaks to men for their edification, exhortation, and consolation. 4. He who speaks in another language edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the assembly. 5. Now I desire to have you all speak with other languages, but rather that you would prophesy. For he is greater who prophesies than he who speaks with other languages, unless he interprets, that the assembly may be built up. 6. But now, brothers, if I come to you speaking with other languages, what would I profit you, unless I speak to you either by way of revelation, or of knowledge, or of prophesying, or of teaching? 7. Even things without life, giving a voice, whether pipe or harp, if they didn’t give a distinction in the sounds, how would it be known what is piped or harped? 8. For if the trumpet gave an uncertain sound, who would prepare himself for war? 9. So also you, unless you uttered by the tongue words easy to understand, how would it be known what is spoken? For you would be speaking into the air. 10. There are, it may be, so many kinds of sounds in the world, and none of them is without meaning. 11. If then I don’t know the meaning of the sound, I would be to him who speaks a foreigner, and he who speaks would be a foreigner to me. 12. So also you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, seek that you may abound to the building up of the assembly. 13. Therefore let him who speaks in another language pray that he may interpret. 14. For if I pray in another language, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. 15. What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also. I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also. 16. Otherwise if you bless with the spirit, how will he who fills the place of the unlearned say the “Amen” at your giving of thanks, seeing he doesn’t know what you say? 17. For you most certainly give thanks well, but the other person is not built up. 18. I thank my God, I speak with other languages more than you all. 19. However in the assembly I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I might instruct others also, than ten thousand words in another language. 20. Brothers, don’t be children in thoughts, yet in malice be babies, but in thoughts be mature. 21. In the law it is written, “By men of strange languages and by the lips of strangers I will speak to this people. Not even thus will they hear me, says the Lord.” 22. Therefore other languages are for a sign, not to those who believe, but to the unbelieving; but prophesying is for a sign, not to the unbelieving, but to those who believe. 23. If therefore the whole assembly is assembled together and all speak with other languages, and unlearned or unbelieving people come in, won’t they say that you are crazy? 24. But if all prophesy, and someone unbelieving or unlearned comes in, he is reproved by all, and he is judged by all. 25. And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed. So he will fall down on his face and worship God, declaring that God is among you indeed. 26. What is it then, brothers? When you come together, each one of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has another language, has an interpretation. Let all things be done to build each other up. 27. If any man speaks in another language, let it be two, or at the most three, and in turn; and let one interpret. 28. But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in the assembly, and let him speak to himself, and to God. 29. Let the prophets speak, two or three, and let the others discern. 30. But if a revelation is made to another sitting by, let the first keep silent. 31. For you all can prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be exhorted. 32. The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets, 33. for God is not a God of confusion, but of peace, as in all the assemblies of the saints. 34. Let the wives be quiet in the assemblies, for it has not been permitted for them to be talking except in submission, as the law also says, 35. if they desire to learn anything. “Let them ask their own husbands at home, for it is shameful for a wife to be talking in the assembly.” 36. What!? Was it from you that the word of God went out? Or did it come to you alone? 37. If any man thinks himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him recognize the things which I write to you, that they are the commandment of the Lord. 38. But if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant. 39. Therefore, brothers, desire earnestly to prophesy, and don’t forbid speaking with other languages. 40. Let all things be done decently and in order.

1. Why do you boast of mischief, mighty man? God’s loving kindness endures continually. 2. Your tongue plots destruction, like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. 3. You love evil more than good, lying rather than speaking the truth. Selah. 4. You love all devouring words, you deceitful tongue. 5. God will likewise destroy you forever. He will take you up, and pluck you out of your tent, and root you out of the land of the living. Selah. 6. The righteous also will see it, and fear, and laugh at him, saying, 7. “Behold, this is the man who didn’t make God his strength, but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness.” 8. But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in God’s house. I trust in God’s loving kindness forever and ever. 9. I will give you thanks forever, because you have done it. I will hope in your name, for it is good, in the presence of your saints.