⁸ Therefore bear fruits ^(A)worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. ⁹ And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore ^(B)every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

¹⁰ So the people asked him, saying, ^(C)“What shall we do then?”

² And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? ³ I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. ⁴ Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? ⁵ I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”

The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree

⁶ He also spoke this parable: ^(A)“A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. ⁷ Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it ^[a]use up the ground?’ ⁸ But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. ^9 [b]And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can ^(B)cut it down.’ ”

⁸ Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, ⁹ and do not think to say to yourselves, ^(A)‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. ¹⁰ And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. ^(B)Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

^14 (A)Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, ^(B)without which no one will see the Lord:

^14 (A)And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so ^(B)must the Son of Man be lifted up, ¹⁵ that whoever ^(C)believes in Him should ^[a]not perish but ^(D)have eternal life. ^16 (E)For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten ^(F)Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. ^17 (G)For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

^18 (H)“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. ¹⁹ And this is the condemnation, ^(I)that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. ²⁰ For ^(J)everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. ²¹ But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been ^(K)done in God.”

Jesus Promises Another Helper

^15 (A)“If you love Me, ^[a]keep My commandments. ¹⁶ And I will pray the Father, and ^(B)He will give you another ^[b]Helper, that He may abide with you forever— ^17 (C)the Spirit of truth, ^(D)whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you ^(E)and will be in you. ^18 (F)I will not leave you orphans; ^(G)I will come to you.

Indwelling of the Father and the Son

¹⁹ “A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but ^(H)you will see Me. ^(I)Because I live, you will live also. ²⁰ At that day you will know that ^(J)I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. ^21 (K)He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and ^[c]manifest Myself to him.”

¹⁹ I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness ^[a]for holiness.

⁶ For ^(A)to be ^[a]carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.