Love Fulfills the Law

⁸ Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.^{(A) 9} The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,”^[a](B) and whatever other command there may be, are summed up^(C) in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”^{[b](D) 10} Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.^(E)

The Day Is Near

¹¹ And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come^(F) for you to wake up from your slumber,^(G) because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. ¹² The night is nearly over; the day is almost here.^(H) So let us put aside the deeds of darkness^(I) and put on the armor^(J) of light. ¹³ Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness,^(K) not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.^{(L) 14} Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ,^(M) and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.^[c](N)

Dealing With Sin in the Church

¹⁵ “If your brother or sister^[a] sins,^[b] go and point out their fault,^(A) just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. ¹⁶ But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’^{[c](B) 17} If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church;^(C) and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.^(D)

¹⁸ “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be^[d] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be^[e] loosed in heaven.^(E)

¹⁹ “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them^(F) by my Father in heaven. ²⁰ For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”^(G)