²⁶ Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,^{(A) 27} and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— ²⁸ just as the Son of Man^(B) did not come to be served, but to serve,^(C) and to give his life as a ransom^(D) for many.”

¹⁶ For God so loved^(A) the world that he gave^(B) his one and only Son,^(C) that whoever believes^(D) in him shall not perish but have eternal life.^(E)

¹⁴ “I am the good shepherd;^(A) I know my sheep^(B) and my sheep know me— ¹⁵ just as the Father knows me and I know the Father^(C)—and I lay down my life for the sheep.^(D)

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

⁸ But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.^(A)

5 ¹ Follow God’s example,^(A) therefore, as dearly loved children^{(B) 2} and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us^(C) and gave himself up for us^(D) as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.^(E)

¹⁶ This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.^(A) And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.^(B)

⁹ This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son^(A) into the world that we might live through him.^{(B) 10} This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us^(C) and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.^{(D) 11} Dear friends,^(E) since God so loved us,^(F) we also ought to love one another.^{(G) 12} No one has ever seen God;^(H) but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.^(I)

¹³ This is how we know^(J) that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.^{(K) 14} And we have seen and testify^(L) that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.^{(M) 15} If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God,^(N) God lives in them and they in God.^{(O) 16} And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love.^(P) Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.^{(Q) 17} This is how love is made complete^(R) among us so that we will have confidence^(S) on the day of judgment:^(T) In this world we are like Jesus. ¹⁸ There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear,^(U) because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

¹⁹ We love because he first loved us.^{(V) 20} Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister^(W) is a liar.^(X) For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen,^(Y) cannot love God, whom they have not seen.^{(Z) 21} And he has given us this command:^(AA) Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.^(AB)