⁷ The poor you will always have with you,^[a] and you can help them any time you want.^(A) But you will not always have me.

¹¹ There will always be poor people^(A) in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.^(B)

¹¹ The poor you will always have with you,^[a](A) but you will not always have me.

¹⁶ This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.^(A) And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.^{(B) 17} If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them,^(C) how can the love of God be in that person?^{(D) 18} Dear children,^(E) let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.^(F)

¹⁹ This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence:

Faith and Deeds

¹⁴ What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds?^(A) Can such faith save them? ¹⁵ Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food.^{(B) 16} If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?^(C)

⁷ Your love has given me great joy and encouragement,^(A) because you, brother, have refreshed^(B) the hearts of the Lord’s people.

²¹ Heaven must receive him^(A) until the time comes for God to restore everything,^(B) as he promised long ago through his holy prophets.^(C)

²⁸ I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”^(A)