Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

²⁶ Then the angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, Arise and go toward the south, to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza, which is in the desert. ²⁷ And Philip arose and went on. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, who was a chamberlain, and of great authority with Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, and in charge of all her treasure, had come to Jerusalem to pray. ²⁸ And as he returned home again, sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet.

²⁹ Then the Spirit said to Philip, Go near and overtake that chariot. ³⁰ And Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, Do you understand what you are reading? ³¹ And he said, How can I, unless I have a guide? And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him. ³² The tenor of the scripture that he was reading was this: He was led as a sheep to be slain, and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so he opened not his mouth. ³³ Because of his humbleness, he was not esteemed. But who can number his descendants? For his life is taken from the earth.

³⁴ The chamberlain said to Philip, I ask you, of whom does the prophet speak this? of himself, or of some other man? ³⁵ And Philip opened his mouth and began at the same scripture, and preached Jesus to him.

³⁶ And as they went on their way, they came to some water, and the chamberlain said, See, here is water. What is to keep me from being baptized? ³⁷ Philip said to him, If you believe with all your heart, you may be. He answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

³⁸ And he commanded the chariot to stand still. And they both went down into the water, both Philip and also the chamberlain, and he baptized him.

³⁹ And as soon as they had come out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, and the chamberlain saw him no more. And he went on his way rejoicing. ⁴⁰ But Philip was found at Azotus, and he walked throughout the country preaching in their towns until he came to Caesarea.

⁷ Beloveds, let us love one another. For love comes of God. And every one who loves is born of God and knows God. ⁸ He who does not love, does not know God. For God is love.

⁹ In this did the love of God for us appear, that God sent his only begotten Son into the world so that we may live through him. ¹⁰ Herein is love – not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

¹¹ Beloveds, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. ¹² No man has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwells in us, and his love is perfected in us. ¹³ By this we know that we dwell in him, and he in us – because he has given us of his Spirit. ¹⁴ And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son, who is the Saviour of the world. ¹⁵ Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, in him dwells God, and he in God. ¹⁶ And we have known and believed the love that God has to us.

God is love, and he who dwells in love dwells in God, and God in him. ¹⁷ In this is the love made perfect in us, so that we may have trust in the day of judgment. For as he is, even so are we in this world. ¹⁸ There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out all fear. For fear has painfulness. He who fears is not perfect in love.

¹⁹ We love him because he first loved us. ²⁰ If a person says, I love God, and yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For how can he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, love God whom he has not seen? ²¹ And this commandment we have from him: that he who loves God, should love his brother also.

The true vine. The husbandman and the branches. A doctrine of love. A sweet comfort against persecutions.

15 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. ² Every branch that does not bear fruit in me, he will take away. And every branch that bears fruit he will prune, so that it may bring forth more fruit. ³ Now you are clean through the words that I have spoken to you. ⁴ Abide in me, and let me abide in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, no more can you unless you abide in me.

⁵ I am the vine and you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit. For without me you can do nothing. ⁶ If a person does not abide in me, he is cast forth like a branch, and is withered; and men gather it and cast it into the fire, and it burns. ⁷ If you abide in me, and my words also abide in you, ask what you will, and it shall be done for you. ⁸ In this is my Father glorified: that you bear much fruit and be made my disciples.