⁷ For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die.

The Outworking of Love

^16 (A)By this we know love, ^(B)because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

⁴ who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.

²⁴ For he was a good man, ^(A)full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. ^(B)And a great many people were added to the Lord.

^13 (A)Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.

¹⁴ David was then in ^(A)the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. ¹⁵ And David said with longing, “Oh, that someone would give me a drink of the water from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!” ¹⁶ So the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David. Nevertheless he would not drink it, but poured it out to the Lord. ¹⁷ And he said, “Far be it from me, O Lord, that I should do this! Is this not ^(B)the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives?” Therefore he would not drink it.

These things were done by the three mighty men.

²⁷ So the watchman said, ^[a]“I think the running of the first is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok.”

And the king said, “He is a good man, and comes with ^(A)good news.”

^3 (A)But the people answered, “You shall not go out! For if we flee away, they will not care about us; nor if half of us die, will they care about us. But you are worth ten thousand of us now. For you are now more help to us in the city.”