Psalm 89^[a]

A maskil^[b] of Ethan the Ezrahite.

More on Love and Hatred

¹¹ For this is the message you heard^(A) from the beginning:^(B) We should love one another.^{(C) 12} Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one^(D) and murdered his brother.^(E) And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous.^{(F) 13} Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters,^[a] if the world hates you.^{(G) 14} We know that we have passed from death to life,^(H) because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death.^{(I) 15} Anyone who hates a brother or sister^(J) is a murderer,^(K) and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.^(L)

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

¹⁹ This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: ²⁰ If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. ²¹ Dear friends,^(S) if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God^{(T) 22} and receive from him anything we ask,^(U) because we keep his commands^(V) and do what pleases him.^{(W) 23} And this is his command: to believe^(X) in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ,^(Y) and to love one another as he commanded us.^{(Z) 24} The one who keeps God’s commands^(AA) lives in him,^(AB) and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.^(AC)

⁸ This is to my Father’s glory,^(A) that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.^(B)

⁹ “As the Father has loved me,^(C) so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. ¹⁰ If you keep my commands,^(D) you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. ¹¹ I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.^{(E) 12} My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.^{(F) 13} Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.^{(G) 14} You are my friends^(H) if you do what I command.^{(I) 15} I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.^{(J) 16} You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you^(K) so that you might go and bear fruit^(L)—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.^{(M) 17} This is my command: Love each other.^(N)