Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

¹⁰ That is how it is clear who are the children of God and who are the children of the devil: everyone who does not do what is right is not of God, particularly those who do not love their brother or sister.

The challenge of love

¹¹ This is the message which you heard right from the start, you see, that we should love one another. ¹² We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one, and murdered his brother. Why did he murder him? Because his deeds were evil, while his brother’s were right.

¹³ Don’t be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. ¹⁴ We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the family. Anyone who doesn’t love abides in death. ¹⁵ Everyone who hates their brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has the life of the coming age abiding in them. ¹⁶ This is how we know love: he laid down his life for us. And we too ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.