The World’s Hatred

^18 (A)“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. ^19 (B)If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet ^(C)because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. ²⁰ Remember the word that I said to you, ^(D)‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. ^(E)If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. ²¹ But ^(F)all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. ^22 (G)If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, ^(H)but now they have no excuse for their sin. ^23 (I)He who hates Me hates My Father also. ²⁴ If I had not done among them ^(J)the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have ^(K)seen and also hated both Me and My Father. ²⁵ But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ^(L)‘They hated Me without a cause.’

Sacrificial Service for Christ

^24 (A)I now rejoice in my sufferings ^(B)for you, and fill up in my flesh ^(C)what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for ^(D)the sake of His body, which is the church, ²⁵ of which I became a minister according to ^(E)the ^[a]stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, ^26 (F)the ^[b]mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, ^(G)but now has been revealed to His saints. ^27 (H)To them God willed to make known what are ^(I)the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: ^[c]which is ^(J)Christ in you, ^(K)the hope of glory. ²⁸ Him we preach, ^(L)warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, ^(M)that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. ²⁹ To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me ^(N)mightily.

Reconciled in Christ

¹⁹ For it pleased the Father that ^(A)in Him all the fullness should dwell, ²⁰ and ^(B)by Him to reconcile ^(C)all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, ^(D)having made peace through the blood of His cross.

⁹ For ^(A)in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead ^[a]bodily; ¹⁰ and you are complete in Him, who is the ^(B)head of all ^[b]principality and power.

¹² Yes, and ^(A)all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

⁸ Remember that Jesus Christ, ^(A)of the seed of David, ^(B)was raised from the dead ^(C)according to my gospel, ^9 (D)for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, ^(E)even to the point of chains; ^(F)but the word of God is not chained. ¹⁰ Therefore ^(G)I endure all things for the sake of the ^[a]elect, ^(H)that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

^21 (A)“Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. ²² And ^(B)you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. ^(C)But he who endures to the end will be saved.

^11 (A)Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of ^(B)evil against you falsely for My sake. ^12 (C)Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for ^(D)so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

⁴ Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, ^(A)why are you persecuting Me?”

⁵ And he said, “Who are You, Lord?”

Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. ^[a]It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”