What is Addressed in Every Single New Testament Book?
Tony Cooke
Here is a printable PDF version of this article.
If your first thought was God or Jesus, you would be correct, but that is not the focus of this article. Instead, we are looking at this fact: Every single book of the New Testament has something to say about how we are to love and treat others, especially our brothers and sisters in Christ.
What follows is a quick review of passages in each New Testament book about “getting along.” The significance of our interpersonal relationships is a MAJOR theme of the entire New Testament. May God help us put these into action and live them out day-to-day!
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The Gospel of Matthew
5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
5:23 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
7:12 (NLT) Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.
18:15 Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.
19:19 (NLT) Honor your father and mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.
25:40 And the King will answer and say to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.”
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The Gospel of Mark
9:50 Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another.
11:25 And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him…
12:31 The second [commandment] is equally important: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
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The Gospel of Luke
6:31 (NLT) Do to others as you would like them to do to you.
6:35 But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. 36 Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.
17:1 Then He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! 2 It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. 3 Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. 4 And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”
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The Gospel of John
13:14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.
13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.
15:12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
15:17 These things I command you, that you love one another.
17:20 (NLT) I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. 21 I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. 22 I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. 23 I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.
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The Book of Acts
1:14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication…
2:1 …they were all with one accord in one place.
2:46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house…
4:24 …they raised their voice to God with one accord…
4:32 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul…
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Romans
12:9 (NLT) Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them… 10 Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. 13 When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.
12:18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.
14:19 Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.
15:1 (NIV) We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. 2 Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up.
15:5 (NLT) May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus… 7 Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you…
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1 Corinthians
10:24 (MSG) We want to live well, but our foremost efforts should be to help others live well.
10:33 (NLT) I don’t just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others…
12:25 (AMPC) …the members all alike should have a mutual interest in and care for one another.
13:4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
13:13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
16:14 Let all that you do be done with love.
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2 Corinthians
12:20 For I fear lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish… lest there be contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, backbitings, whisperings, conceits, tumults…
13:11 Finally, brethren, farewell. Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace;
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Galatians
5:13 …through love serve one another. 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!
5:26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
6:2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
6:10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.
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Ephesians
4:1 …walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, 2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
4:15 (NASB)…speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, that is, Christ
4:31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
5:21 submitting to one another in the fear of God.
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Philippians
1:27 …stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel…
2:2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
4:2 I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord.
4:5 Let your gentleness be known to all men.
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Colossians
3:12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
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1 Thessalonians
3:12 And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you.
4:9 But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; 10 and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more.
4:18 Therefore comfort one another…
5:11, 13, 15 (NLT) So encourage each other and build each other up… 13 …live peacefully with each other… 15 always try to do good to each other and to all people.
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2 Thessalonians
1:3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because… the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other…
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1 Timothy
5:1 Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers, 2 older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, with all purity. 3 Honor widows who are really widows.
5:17 Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine.
6:1 Let as many bondservants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and His doctrine may not be blasphemed.
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2 Timothy
2:23 But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. 24 And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, 25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition…
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Titus
3:1 Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. 3 For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.
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Philemon
5 …hearing of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints…
15 For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever, 16 no longer as a slave but more than a slave — a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
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Hebrews
10:24 (AMPC) And let us consider and give attentive, continuous care to watching over one another, studying how we may stir up (stimulate and incite) to love and helpful deeds and noble activities, 25 Not forsaking or neglecting to assemble together [as believers], as is the habit of some people, but admonishing (warning, urging, and encouraging) one another, and all the more faithfully as you see the day approaching.
12:14 (NLT) Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. 15 Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God.
13:1 (NLT) Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters. 2 Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it! 3 Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies.
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James
2:8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well: 9 but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
3:16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. 18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
5:16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.
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1 Peter
1:22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart…
2:17 Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.
3:1 (NLT) In the same way, you wives must accept the authority of your husbands. Then, even if some refuse to obey the Good News, your godly lives will speak to them without any words. They will be won over 2 by observing your pure and reverent lives.
3:8 Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; 9 not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.
4:8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” 9 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.
5:5 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility…
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2 Peter
1:5 …giving all diligence, add to your faith… 7 brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.
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1 John
2:10 He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. 11 But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
3:11 For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, 12 not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother.
3:14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death.
3:18 Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.
3:23 And 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.
4:7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
4:20 If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? 21 And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.
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2 John
5 And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another.
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3 John
5 (NLT) Dear friend, you are being faithful to God when you care for the traveling teachers who pass through, even though they are strangers to you. 6 They have told the church here of your loving friendship. Please continue providing for such teachers in a manner that pleases God. 7 For they are traveling for the Lord, and they accept nothing from people who are not believers. 8 So we ourselves should support them so that we can be their partners as they teach the truth.
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Jude
20 (NLT) But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith…
22 (ESV) And have mercy on those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.
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Revelation
2:4 (NLT) But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first!
2:19 (NLT) I have seen your love, your faith, your service, and your patient endurance.
