^16 (A)For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten ^(B)Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. ^17 (C)For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

^12 (A)This is My ^(B)commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. ^13 (C)Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. ^14 (D)You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.

Faith Triumphs in Trouble

5 Therefore, ^(A)having been justified by faith, ^[a]we have ^(B)peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ^2 (C)through whom also we have access by faith into this grace ^(D)in which we stand, and ^(E)rejoice in hope of the glory of God. ³ And not only that, but ^(F)we also glory in tribulations, ^(G)knowing that tribulation produces ^[b]perseverance; ^4 (H)and perseverance, ^[c]character; and character, hope. ^5 (I)Now hope does not disappoint, ^(J)because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Christ in Our Place

⁶ For when we were still without strength, ^[d]in due time ^(K)Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. ⁸ But ^(L)God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ⁹ Much more then, having now been justified ^(M)by His blood, we shall be saved ^(N)from wrath through Him. ¹⁰ For ^(O)if when we were enemies ^(P)we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved ^(Q)by His life.

Knowing God Through Love^(A)

^7 (B)Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who ^(C)loves is born of God and knows God. ⁸ He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. ^9 (D)In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten ^(E)Son into the world, that we might live through Him. ¹⁰ In this is love, ^(F)not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son ^(G)to be the propitiation for our sins. ¹¹ Beloved, ^(H)if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

Seeing God Through Love

^12 (I)No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.