Isaiah 41:17-20

English Standard Version

¹⁷^(A)When the poor and needy seek water,
    and there is none,
    and their tongue is parched with thirst,
I the Lord will answer them;
    I the God of Israel will not forsake them.
¹⁸^(B)I will open rivers on the bare heights,
    and fountains in the midst of the valleys.
^(C)I will make the wilderness a pool of water,
    and the dry land springs of water.
¹⁹^(D)I will put in the wilderness the cedar,
    the acacia, the myrtle, and the olive.
I will set in the desert ^(E)the cypress,
    the plane and the pine together,
²⁰that they may see and know,
    may consider and understand together,
that ^(F)the hand of the Lord has done this,
    the Holy One of Israel has created it.

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1 Peter 3:8-18

English Standard Version

Suffering for Righteousness' Sake

⁸Finally, all of you, ^(A)have unity of mind, sympathy, ^(B)brotherly love, ^(C)a tender heart, and ^(D)a humble mind. ⁹^(E)Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, ^(F)bless, for ^(G)to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. ¹⁰For

^(H)“Whoever desires to love life
    and see good days,
let him keep his tongue from evil
    and his lips from speaking deceit;
¹¹let him turn away from evil and do good;
    let him seek peace and pursue it.
¹²For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
    and his ears are open to their prayer.
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

¹³Now ^(I)who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? ¹⁴^(J)But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. ^(K)Have no fear of them, ^(L)nor be troubled, ¹⁵but ^(M)in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, ^(N)always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and ^(O)respect, ¹⁶^(P)having a good conscience, so that, ^(Q)when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. ¹⁷For ^(R)it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.

¹⁸For Christ also ^(S)suffered^[a] ^(T)once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, ^(U)that he might bring us to God, being put to death ^(V)in the flesh but made alive ^(W)in the spirit,

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Footnotes

1 Peter 3:18 Some manuscripts died

John 15:1-11

English Standard Version

I Am the True Vine

15 “I am the ^(A)true vine, and my Father is ^(B)the vinedresser. ²^(C)Every branch in me that does not bear fruit ^(D)he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, ^(E)that it may bear more fruit. ³Already ^(F)you are clean ^(G)because of the word that I have spoken to you. ⁴^(H)Abide ^(I)in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. ⁵I am the vine; ^(J)you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that ^(K)bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶If anyone does not abide in me ^(L)he is thrown away like a branch and withers; ^(M)and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. ⁷If ^(N)you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ^(O)ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ⁸^(P)By this my Father is glorified, that you ^(Q)bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. ⁹^(R)As the Father has loved me, ^(S)so have I loved you. Abide in my love. ¹⁰^(T)If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as ^(U)I have kept ^(V)my Father's commandments and abide in his love. ¹¹These things I have spoken to you, ^(W)that my joy may be in you, and that ^(X)your joy may be full.