For God So Loved the World

¹⁶ “For ^(A)God so loved ^(B)the world,^{[a] (C)}that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not ^(D)perish but have eternal life.

^23 (A)One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table ^(B)at Jesus' side,^[a]

^34 (A)A new commandment ^(B)I give to you, ^(C)that you love one another: ^(D)just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

The Request of James and John

^35 (A)And James and John, ^(B)the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us ^(C)whatever we ask of you.” ³⁶ And he said to them, ^(D)“What do you want me to do for you?” ³⁷ And they said to him, “Grant us ^(E)to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, ^(F)in your glory.” ³⁸ Jesus said to them, ^(G)“You do not know what you are asking. Are you able ^(H)to drink the cup that I drink, or ^(I)to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” ³⁹ And they said to him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, ^(J)“The cup that I drink ^(K)you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, ^(L)you will be baptized, ⁴⁰ but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, ^(M)but it is for those for whom it has been ^(N)prepared.” ⁴¹ And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John.

A Samaritan Village Rejects Jesus

⁵¹ When the days drew near for ^(A)him to be taken up, ^(B)he set his face ^(C)to go to Jerusalem. ⁵² And ^(D)he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of ^(E)the Samaritans, to make preparations for him. ⁵³ But ^(F)the people did not receive him, because ^(G)his face was set toward Jerusalem. ⁵⁴ And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to tell ^(H)fire to come down from heaven and consume them?”^{[a] 55} But he turned and rebuked them.^{[b] 56} And they went on to another village.

³⁰ And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ ^31 (A)The second is this: ^(B)‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment ^(C)greater than these.”

^12 (A)“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

God Is Love

⁷ Beloved, ^(A)let us love one another, for love is from God, and ^(B)whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. ^8 (C)Anyone who does not love does not know God, because ^(D)God is love. ⁹ In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that ^(E)God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. ¹⁰ In this is love, ^(F)not that we have loved God ^(G)but that he loved us and sent his Son to be ^(H)the propitiation for our sins. ¹¹ Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. ^12 (I)No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and ^(J)his love is perfected in us.

^13 (K)By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. ¹⁴ And ^(L)we have seen and testify that ^(M)the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of ^(N)the world. ^15 (O)Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. ¹⁶ So ^(P)we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. ^(Q)God is love, and ^(R)whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. ¹⁷ By this ^(S)is love perfected with us, so that ^(T)we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because ^(U)as he is so also are we in this world. ¹⁸ There is no fear in love, but ^(V)perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not ^(W)been perfected in love. ^19 (X)We love because he first loved us.