Zephaniah 3:14-20

New International Version

¹⁴Sing, Daughter Zion;^(A)
    shout aloud,^(B) Israel!
Be glad and rejoice^(C) with all your heart,
    Daughter Jerusalem!
¹⁵The Lord has taken away your punishment,
    he has turned back your enemy.
The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you;^(D)
    never again will you fear^(E) any harm.^(F)
¹⁶On that day
    they will say to Jerusalem,
“Do not fear, Zion;
    do not let your hands hang limp.^(G)
¹⁷The Lord your God is with you,
    the Mighty Warrior who saves.^(H)
He will take great delight^(I) in you;
    in his love he will no longer rebuke you,^(J)
    but will rejoice over you with singing.”^(K)

¹⁸“I will remove from you
    all who mourn over the loss of your appointed festivals,
    which is a burden and reproach for you.
¹⁹At that time I will deal
    with all who oppressed^(L) you.
I will rescue the lame;
    I will gather the exiles.^(M)
I will give them praise^(N) and honor
    in every land where they have suffered shame.
²⁰At that time I will gather you;
    at that time I will bring^(O) you home.
I will give you honor^(P) and praise^(Q)
    among all the peoples of the earth
when I restore your fortunes^[a]^(R)
    before your very eyes,”
says the Lord.

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Footnotes

Zephaniah 3:20 Or I bring back your captives

1 John 3:11-18

New International Version

More on Love and Hatred

¹¹For this is the message you heard^(A) from the beginning:^(B) We should love one another.^(C) ¹²Do 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) ¹³Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters,^[a] if the world hates you.^(G) ¹⁴We know that we have passed from death to life,^(H) because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death.^(I) ¹⁵Anyone who hates a brother or sister^(J) is a murderer,^(K) and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.^(L)

¹⁶This 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) ¹⁷If 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) ¹⁸Dear children,^(Q) let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.^(R)

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Footnotes

1 John 3:13 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in verse 16.

1 John 4:7-21

New International Version

God’s Love and Ours

⁷Dear friends, let us love one another,^(A) for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God^(B) and knows God.^(C) ⁸Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.^(D) ⁹This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son^(E) into the world that we might live through him.^(F) ¹⁰This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us^(G) and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.^(H) ¹¹Dear friends,^(I) since God so loved us,^(J) we also ought to love one another.^(K) ¹²No one has ever seen God;^(L) but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.^(M)

¹³This is how we know^(N) that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.^(O) ¹⁴And we have seen and testify^(P) that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.^(Q) ¹⁵If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God,^(R) God lives in them and they in God.^(S) ¹⁶And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love.^(T) Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.^(U) ¹⁷This is how love is made complete^(V) among us so that we will have confidence^(W) on the day of judgment:^(X) In this world we are like Jesus. ¹⁸There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear,^(Y) because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

¹⁹We love because he first loved us.^(Z) ²⁰Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister^(AA) is a liar.^(AB) For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen,^(AC) cannot love God, whom they have not seen.^(AD) ²¹And he has given us this command:^(AE) Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.^(AF)