⁴ but all of you who held fast to the Lord your God are still alive today.

⁶⁷ “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.^(A)

⁶⁸ Simon Peter answered him,^(B) “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.^{(C) 69} We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”^(D)

²⁰ Fear the Lord your God and serve him.^(A) Hold fast^(B) to him and take your oaths in his name.^(C)

⁸ But you are to hold fast to the Lord^(A) your God, as you have until now.

⁴ These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they remained virgins.^(A) They follow the Lamb wherever he goes.^(B) They were purchased from among mankind^(C) and offered as firstfruits^(D) to God and the Lamb.

Love in Action

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

¹⁴ At this they wept^(A) aloud again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law^(B) goodbye,^(C) but Ruth clung to her.^(D)

¹⁵ “Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law^(E) is going back to her people and her gods.^(F) Go back with her.”

¹⁶ But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you^(G) or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go,^(H) and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people^(I) and your God my God.^{(J) 17} Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely,^(K) if even death separates you and me.”^(L)

²³ When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done,^(A) he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts.^(B)