1 내가 이제 가장 좋은 길을 여러분에게 보여드리겠습니다. 내가 인간의 여러 언어로 말하고 천사의 말까지 한다 하더라도 사랑이 없으면 나는 울리는 징과 요란한 꽹과리와도 다를것이 없습니다.2 내가 하나님의 말씀을 받아 전할수 있다 하더라도 온갖 신비를 환히 꿰뚫어보고 모든 지식을 가졌다 하더라도 그리고 산을 옮길만한 완전한 믿음을 가졌다 하더라도 사랑이 없으면 나는 아무것도 아닙니다.3 내가 비록 모든 재산을 남에게 나누어준다 하더라도 또 내가 남을 위하여 불속에 뛰어든다 하더라도 사랑이 없으면 모두 아무 소용이 없습니다.4 사랑은 오래 참습니다. 사랑은 친절합니다. 사랑은 시기하지 않습니다. 사랑은 자랑하지 않습니다. 사랑은 교만하지 않습니다.5 사랑은 무례하지 않습니다. 사랑은 사욕을 품지 않습니다. 사랑은 성을 내지 않습니다. 사랑은 앙심을 품지 않습니다.6 사랑은 불의를 기뻐하지 않고 진리를 보고 기뻐합니다.7 사랑은 모든 것을 덮어주고 모든 것을 믿고 모든 것을 바라고 모든 것을 견디여냅니다.8 사랑은 영원합니다. 그러나 예언도 사라지고 방언을 말하는 능력도 끊어지고 지식도 사라질 것입니다.9 우리가 아는것도 불완전하고 우리의 예언도 불완전하지만10 완전한 것이 오면 불완전한 것은 사라집니다.11 내가 어렸을 때에는 어린이의 말을 하고 어린이의 생각을 하고 어린이의 판단을 했습니다. 그러나 어른이 되여서는 어렸을 때의 일들을 버렸습니다.12 우리가 지금은 거울에 비추어보듯이 희미하게 보지만 그때에 가서는 얼굴을 맞대고 볼것입니다. 지금은 내가 불완전하게 알뿐이지만 그때에 가서는 하나님께서는 나를 아시듯이 나도 완전하게 알게 될것입니다.13 그러므로 믿음과 희망과 사랑 이 세가지는 언제까지나 남아있을 것입니다. 그런데 이 가운데서 제일은 사랑입니다.
1 John 3
1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.2 Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.4 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.5 You know that he appeared to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.6 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God.10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.11 For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.12 We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother's righteous.13 Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you.14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death.15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.17 But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.19 By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him;20 for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God;22 and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.23 And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.24 Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.
