Persecutions Predicted

¹⁸ “If the world hates^(A) you, understand that it hated me before it hated you. ¹⁹ If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen^(B) you out of it, the world hates you. ²⁰ Remember the word I spoke to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’^(C) If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word,^(D) they will also keep yours. ²¹ But they will do all these things to you on account of my name,^(E) because they don’t know^(F) the one who sent me.

² They will ban you from the synagogues.^(A) In fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering service^(B) to God. ³ They will do these things because they haven’t known^(C) the Father or me. ⁴ But I have told you these things so that when their time^[a] comes you will remember^(D) I told them to you. I didn’t tell you these things from the beginning, because I was with you.