Friday, June 9, 2017

OJB, NIV, and KJV

Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. Romans 13:10 NIV

I discovered today that the Bible app now has a feature where you can compare verses in different Biblical versions. And there are many versions to choose from. I like NIV, but I prefer a good old KJV. Today I looked at another version that I'd never heard of, the Orthodox Jewish Bible. It's so cool. You get to see the Jewish origins of certain words.

Today's text includes the word "love". We think of love in a human way...flawed, conditional and fragile. But the word love in this verse in the OJB version is "agape", the love of God. Not just any love, God's love. Pure, holy, unconditional and strong. That's the love we are to have for others, loving them as God does, so much that he gave his son to die for them. Pure love, no strings attached. We are to love God first and then love others. Jesus said this is the greatest commandment.

Agape love. Knowing God's love for me is that strong I wonder how I can ever doubt him. I dont really, I just get lost sometimes. But his unending and patient agape love that draws me back.

Imagine what we could do as a human race if we loved each other like that.

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