⁸ Other seed fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.”^(A)

⁵ I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.

⁶ that has come to you. Just as it is bearing fruit and growing in the whole world, so it has been bearing fruit among yourselves from the day you heard it and truly comprehended the grace of God.^(A)

²⁰ And these are the ones sown on the good soil: they hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.”

¹² Isaac sowed seed in that land and in the same year reaped a hundredfold. The Lord blessed him,^(A)

The Living Stone and a Chosen People

2 Rid yourselves, therefore, of all malice and all guile, insincerity, envy, and all slander.^{(A) 2} Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation^(B)— ³ if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.^[a](C)

¹¹ These Jews were more receptive than those in Thessalonica, for they welcomed the message very eagerly and examined the scriptures every day to see whether these things were so.^(A)

⁸ Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.^(A)

²⁹ Is not my word like fire, says the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?^(A)

Hearing and Doing the Word

¹⁹ You must understand this, my beloved brothers and sisters: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger,^{(A) 20} for human anger does not produce God’s righteousness.^{[a] 21} Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls.^(B)

²² But be doers of the word and not merely hearers who deceive themselves.^(C)