¹³ Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.^(A)

⁶ You see, at just the right time,^(A) when we were still powerless,^(B) Christ died for the ungodly.^{(C) 7} Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. ⁸ But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.^(D)

²⁰ The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase.^(A) But where sin increased, grace increased all the more,^{(B) 21} so that, just as sin reigned in death,^(C) so also grace^(D) might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life^(E) through Jesus Christ our Lord.

¹³ Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! Nevertheless, in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it used what is good^(A) to bring about my death,^(B) so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.

Love in Action

⁹ Love must be sincere.^(A) Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.^(B)

⁸ But about the Son he says,

¹³ When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; ¹⁴ but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own^(A) evil desire and enticed. ¹⁵ Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin;^(B) and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.^(C)