²⁰ “Whoever sacrifices to any god^(A) other than the Lord must be destroyed.^[a](B)

²¹ “Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner,^(C) for you were foreigners^(D) in Egypt.

²² “Do not take advantage of the widow or the fatherless.^{(E) 23} If you do and they cry out^(F) to me, I will certainly hear their cry.^{(G) 24} My anger will be aroused, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives will become widows and your children fatherless.^(H)

²⁵ “If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not treat it like a business deal; charge no interest.^{(I) 26} If you take your neighbor’s cloak as a pledge,^(J) return it by sunset,

⁵ because our gospel^(A) came to you not simply with words but also with power,^(B) with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know^(C) how we lived among you for your sake. ⁶ You became imitators of us^(D) and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering^(E) with the joy^(F) given by the Holy Spirit.^{(G) 7} And so you became a model^(H) to all the believers in Macedonia^(I) and Achaia.^{(J) 8} The Lord’s message^(K) rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere.^(L) Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, ⁹ for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned^(M) to God from idols^(N) to serve the living and true God,^{(O) 10} and to wait for his Son from heaven,^(P) whom he raised from the dead^(Q)—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.^(R)

The Greatest Commandment^(A)

³⁴ Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees,^(B) the Pharisees got together. ³⁵ One of them, an expert in the law,^(C) tested him with this question: ³⁶ “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

³⁷ Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’^{[a](D) 38} This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^{[b](E) 40} All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”^(F)