³⁴ Brood of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil? For the mouth speaks from the overflow^(A) of the heart. ³⁵ A good person produces good things from his storeroom of good, and an evil person produces evil things from his storeroom of evil.^{(B) 36} I tell you that on the day of judgment^(C) people will have to account^(D) for every careless^[a] word they speak.^{[b] 37} For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Faith Triumphs

5 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith,^(A) we have peace^[a] with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.^{(B) 2} We have also obtained access through him^(C) by faith^[b] into this grace in which we stand,^(D) and we boast^[c] in the hope of the glory of God. ³ And not only that,^(E) but we also boast in our afflictions,^(F) because we know that affliction produces endurance,^{(G) 4} endurance produces proven character,^(H) and proven character produces hope. ⁵ This hope will not disappoint us,^(I) because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts^(J) through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

The Justified Are Reconciled

⁶ For while we were still helpless, at the right time,^(K) Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ For rarely will someone die for a just person—though for a good person perhaps someone might even dare to die. ⁸ But God proves^(L) his own love for us^(M) in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ⁹ How much more then, since we have now been justified by his blood,^(N) will we be saved through him from wrath.^{(O) 10} For if, while we were enemies,^(P) we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, then how much more, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life.^{(Q) 11} And not only that, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received this reconciliation.^(R)

¹⁶ And we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us.

God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him. ¹⁷ In this, love is made complete with us so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment,^(A) because as he is, so also are we in this world.^{(B) 18} There is no fear in love; instead, perfect love drives out fear,^(C) because fear involves punishment.^[a] So the one who fears is not complete in love.^{(D) 19} We love^[b] because he first loved us.^(E)