The Fellowship of the Believers
42 And athey devoted themselves to the apostles’ bteaching and the cfellowship, to dthe breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe1 came upon every soul, and emany wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and fhad all things in common. 45 And fthey were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, gattending the temple htogether and ibreaking bread in their homes, they received their food jwith glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and khaving favor with all the people. And the Lord ladded to their number mday by day those who nwere being saved.
12 p“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 qGreater love has no one than this, rthat someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are smy friends tif you do what I command you. 15 uNo longer do I call you servants,1 for the servant wdoes not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for xall that I have heard from my Father yI have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but zI chose you and appointed you that you should go and abear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that bwhatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17 These things I command you, cso that you will love one another.
The Hatred of the World
18 d“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 eIf you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because fyou are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you: g‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, hthey will also persecute you. iIf they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 21 But jall these things they will do to you kon account of my name, lbecause they do not know him who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, mthey would not have been guilty of sin,2 but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 nWhoever hates me hates my Father also. 24 oIf I had not done among them the works that no one else did, mthey would not be guilty of sin, but now they have pseen and hated both me and my Father. 25 But qthe word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: r‘They hated me without a cause.’
26 “But swhen the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, the will bear witness about me. 27 And uyou also will bear witness, vbecause you have been with me wfrom the beginning.
