"I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love."
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Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD.
And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.
Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?
Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away.
Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful.
By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,
Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;
And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago.
Wherefore shew ye to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love, and of our boasting on your behalf.
For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many.
Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.
And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment.
I am not giving you an order, but using the ready mind of others as a test of the quality of your love.
I do not speak as commanding [it], but through the zeal of others, and proving the genuineness of your love.
I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.
I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.
I speak not by way of commandment, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity also of your love.
not according to command do I speak, but because of the diligence of others, and of your love proving the genuineness,