Water Flowing from the Temple

47 Then he brought me back to ^(A)the door of the temple, and behold, ^(B)water was issuing from below ^(C)the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of ^(D)the altar. ² Then he brought me out by way of ^(E)the north gate and led me around on the outside to ^(F)the outer gate that faces toward the east; and behold, the water was trickling out on the south side.

³ Going on eastward with a measuring line in his hand, ^(G)the man measured a thousand cubits,^[a] and then led me through the water, and it was ankle-deep. ⁴ Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was knee-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was waist-deep. ⁵ Again he measured a thousand, and it was a river that I could not pass through, for the water had risen. It was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be passed through. ⁶ And he said to me, ^(H)“Son of man, ^(I)have you seen this?”

Then he led me back to the bank of the river. ⁷ As I went back, I saw on the bank of the river ^(J)very many trees on the one side and on the other. ⁸ And he said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into ^(K)the Arabah, and enters the sea;^[b] when the water flows into ^(L)the sea, the water will become fresh.^{[c] 9} And wherever the river goes,^[d] every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish. For this water goes there, that the waters of the sea^[e] may become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes. ¹⁰ Fishermen will stand beside the sea. From ^(M)Engedi to ^(N)Eneglaim it will be a place for the spreading of nets. Its fish will be of very many kinds, like the fish of ^(O)the Great Sea.^{[f] 11} But its swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they are to be left for salt. ¹² And on the banks, ^(P)on both sides of the river, there will grow ^(Q)all kinds of trees for food. ^(R)Their leaves will not wither, nor their fruit fail, ^(S)but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and ^(T)their leaves for healing.”

Love One Another

¹¹ For ^(A)this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, ^(B)that we should love one another. ¹² We should not be like ^(C)Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? ^(D)Because his own deeds were evil and his brother's righteous. ¹³ Do not be surprised, brothers,^{[a] (E)}that the world hates you. ¹⁴ We know that ^(F)we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. ^15 (G)Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that ^(H)no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

¹⁶ By this we know love, that ^(I)he laid down his life for us, and ^(J)we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. ¹⁷ But ^(K)if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet ^(L)closes his heart against him, ^(M)how does God's love abide in him? ¹⁸ Little children, let us not ^(N)love in word or talk but in deed and ^(O)in truth.

Not Peace, but a Sword

^34 (A)“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. ^(B)I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. ^35 (C)For I have come ^(D)to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. ^36 (E)And a person's enemies will be those of his own household. ^37 (F)Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. ³⁸ And ^(G)whoever does not take his cross and ^(H)follow me is not worthy of me. ^39 (I)Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Rewards

^40 (J)“Whoever receives you receives me, and ^(K)whoever receives me receives him who sent me. ^41 (L)The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person's reward. ⁴² And ^(M)whoever gives one of ^(N)these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”