⁶¹ But Jesus, ^(A)aware that His disciples were complaining about this, said to them, “Is this ^[a](B)offensive to you?

^51 (A)I am the living bread that ^(B)came down out of heaven; if anyone eats from this bread, ^(C)he will live forever; and the bread which I will give ^(D)for the life of the world also is ^(E)My flesh.”

^52 (F)Then the Jews ^(G)began to argue with one another, saying, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?” ⁵³ So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of ^(H)the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. ⁵⁴ The one who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will ^(I)raise him up on the last day. ⁵⁵ For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. ⁵⁶ The one who eats My flesh and drinks My blood ^(J)remains in Me, and I in him. ⁵⁷ Just as the ^(K)living Father ^(L)sent Me, and I live because of the Father, the one who eats Me, he also will live because of Me. ⁵⁸ This is the bread that ^(M)came down out of heaven, not as ^(N)the fathers ate and died; the one who eats this bread ^(O)will live forever.”

Be Imitators of God

5 ^(A)Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; ² and ^(B)walk in love, just as Christ also ^(C)loved ^[a]you and ^(D)gave Himself up for us, an ^(E)offering and a sacrifice to God ^[b]as a ^(F)fragrant aroma.

³ But ^(G)sexual immorality ^[c]or any impurity or greed must not even be mentioned among you, as is proper among ^[d]saints; ⁴ and there must be no ^(H)filthiness ^[e]or foolish talk, or vulgar joking, which ^(I)are not fitting, but rather ^(J)giving of thanks. ⁵ For this you know with certainty, that ^(K)no sexually immoral or ^[f]impure or greedy person, which ^[g]amounts to an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom ^(L)of Christ and God.

^6 (M)See that no one deceives you with empty words, for because of these things ^(N)the wrath of God comes upon ^(O)the ^[h]sons of disobedience. ⁷ Therefore do not become ^(P)partners with them; ⁸ for ^(Q)you were once ^(R)darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as ^(S)children of light ⁹ (for ^(T)the fruit of the light consists in all ^(U)goodness, righteousness, and truth), ^10 [i](V)as you try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. ^11 (W)Do not participate in the useless ^(X)deeds of ^(Y)darkness, but instead even ^(Z)expose them;

¹⁹ Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: ^(A)sexual immorality, impurity, indecent behavior, ²⁰ idolatry, ^(B)witchcraft, hostilities, ^(C)strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, ^(D)selfish ambition, dissensions, ^(E)factions, ²¹ envy, ^(F)drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not ^(G)inherit the kingdom of God.

⁴ You ^(A)adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with ^(B)the world is ^(C)hostility toward God? ^(D)Therefore whoever wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. ⁵ Or do you think that the Scripture ^(E)says to no purpose, “^[a]He ^[b]jealously desires ^(F)the Spirit whom He has made to dwell in us”? ⁶ But ^(G)He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “^(H)God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” ^7 (I)Submit therefore to God. But ^[c](J)resist the devil, and he will flee from you. ^8 (K)Come close to God and He will come close to you. ^(L)Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and ^(M)purify your hearts, you ^(N)[d]double-minded. ^9 (O)Be miserable, and mourn, and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into gloom. ^10 (P)Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.

Do Not Love the World

¹⁵ Do not love ^(A)the world nor the things in the world. ^(B)If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶ For all that is in the world, ^(C)the lust of the flesh and ^(D)the lust of the eyes and ^(E)the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. ^17 (F)The world is passing away and also its lusts; but the one who ^(G)does the will of God continues to live forever.

Peter’s Confession of Faith

⁶⁶ As a result of this many of His ^(A)disciples ^(B)left, and would no longer walk with Him. ⁶⁷ So Jesus said to ^(C)the twelve, “You do not want to leave also, do you?”

Jesus Is the Vine—Followers Are Branches

15 “^(A)I am the true vine, and My Father is the ^(B)vinedresser. ² Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He ^[a]prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. ^3 (C)You are already ^[b]clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. ^4 (D)Remain in Me, ^[c]and I in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit ^[d]of itself ^[e]but must remain in the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in Me. ⁵ I am the vine, you are the branches; the one who remains in Me, and I in him ^[f](E)bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. ⁶ If anyone does not remain in Me, he is ^(F)thrown away like a branch and dries up; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. ⁷ If you remain in Me, and My words remain in you, ^(G)ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ⁸ My ^(H)Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so ^[g](I)prove to be My disciples.

Overcoming the World

5 ^(A)Everyone who believes that Jesus is the ^[a]Christ has been ^(B)born of God, and everyone who loves the ^[b]Father ^(C)loves the child born of Him. ^2 (D)By this we know that ^(E)we love the children of God, when we love God and ^[c]follow His commandments. ³ For ^(F)this is the love of God, that we ^(G)keep His commandments; and ^(H)His commandments are not burdensome. ⁴ For ^[d]whoever has been ^(I)born of God ^(J)overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith.