Follow the Lord’s Commands

¹⁶ The Lord your God commands you this day to follow these decrees and laws; carefully observe them with all your heart and with all your soul.^{(A) 17} You have declared this day that the Lord is your God and that you will walk in obedience to him, that you will keep his decrees, commands and laws—that you will listen to him.^{(B) 18} And the Lord has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession^(C) as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands. ¹⁹ He has declared that he will set you in praise,^(D) fame and honor high above all the nations^(E) he has made and that you will be a people holy^(F) to the Lord your God, as he promised.

Psalm 119^[a]

א Aleph

Love for Enemies

⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor^[a](A) and hate your enemy.’^{(B) 44} But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,^{(C) 45} that you may be children^(D) of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.^{(E) 46} If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?^(F) Are not even the tax collectors doing that? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? ⁴⁸ Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.^(G)

Psalm 15

A psalm of David.

¹⁵ In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) ¹⁶ and said, “Brothers and sisters,^[a](A) the Scripture had to be fulfilled^(B) in which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through David concerning Judas,^(C) who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus. ¹⁷ He was one of our number^(D) and shared in our ministry.”^(E)

¹⁸ (With the payment^(F) he received for his wickedness, Judas bought a field;^(G) there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. ¹⁹ Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language^(H) Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)

²⁰ “For,” said Peter, “it is written in the Book of Psalms:

and,

²¹ Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, ²² beginning from John’s baptism^(K) to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness^(L) with us of his resurrection.”

²³ So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. ²⁴ Then they prayed,^(M) “Lord, you know everyone’s heart.^(N) Show us^(O) which of these two you have chosen ²⁵ to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.” ²⁶ Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.^(P)

¹³ Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind^(A) and straining toward what is ahead, ¹⁴ I press on^(B) toward the goal to win the prize^(C) for which God has called^(D) me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Following Paul’s Example

¹⁵ All of us, then, who are mature^(E) should take such a view of things.^(F) And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.^{(G) 16} Only let us live up to what we have already attained.

¹⁷ Join together in following my example,^(H) brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do.^{(I) 18} For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears,^(J) many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.^{(K) 19} Their destiny^(L) is destruction, their god is their stomach,^(M) and their glory is in their shame.^(N) Their mind is set on earthly things.^{(O) 20} But our citizenship^(P) is in heaven.^(Q) And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,^{(R) 21} who, by the power^(S) that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies^(T) so that they will be like his glorious body.^(U)

The Vine and the Branches

15 “I am^(A) the true vine,^(B) and my Father is the gardener.

⁶ If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.^{(A) 7} If you remain in me^(B) and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.^{(C) 8} This is to my Father’s glory,^(D) that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.^(E)

⁹ “As the Father has loved me,^(F) so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. ¹⁰ If you keep my commands,^(G) you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. ¹¹ I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.^{(H) 12} My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.^{(I) 13} Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.^{(J) 14} You are my friends^(K) if you do what I command.^{(L) 15} I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.^{(M) 16} You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you^(N) so that you might go and bear fruit^(O)—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.^(P)