²⁷ Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after^(A) orphans and widows^(B) in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.^(C)

¹⁷ If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them,^(A) how can the love of God be in that person?^{(B) 18} Dear children,^(C) let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.^(D)

¹⁹ This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence:

⁹ Let us not become weary in doing good,^(A) for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.^{(B) 10} Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good^(C) to all people, especially to those who belong to the family^(D) of believers.

³⁴ “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom^(A) prepared for you since the creation of the world.^{(B) 35} For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,^{(C) 36} I needed clothes and you clothed me,^(D) I was sick and you looked after me,^(E) I was in prison and you came to visit me.’^(F)

³⁷ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

⁴⁰ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’^(G)

⁴¹ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me,^(H) you who are cursed, into the eternal fire^(I) prepared for the devil and his angels.^{(J) 42} For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, ⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

⁴⁴ “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

⁴⁵ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’^(K)

⁴⁶ “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.^(L)”^(M)

² Do not conform^(A) to the pattern of this world,^(B) but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.^(C) Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is^(D)—his good, pleasing^(E) and perfect will.

On Not Loving the World

¹⁵ Do not love the world or anything in the world.^(A) If anyone loves the world, love for the Father^[a] is not in them.^{(B) 16} For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh,^(C) the lust of the eyes,^(D) and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. ¹⁷ The world and its desires pass away,^(E) but whoever does the will of God^(F) lives forever.

⁴ You adulterous^(A) people,^[a] don’t you know that friendship with the world^(B) means enmity against God?^(C) Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.^(D)