Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible






But before all that, men will lay hands on you and persecute you, handing you over to synagogues and prisons; you will be dragged before kings and governors for the sake of my name.





and I will ask the Father to give you another Helper to be with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth: the world cannot receive him, because it neither sees nor knows him, but you know him, because he remains with you and will be within you. I will not leave you forlorn; I am coming to you.

[Chapters he cuts away any branch on me which is not bearing fruit, and cleans every branch which does bear fruit, to make it bear richer fruit. You are already clean, by the word I have spoken to you. read more.
Remain in me, as I remain in you: just as a branch cannot bear fruit by itself, without remaining on the vine, neither can you, unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who remains in me, as I in him, bears rich fruit (because apart from me you can do nothing). If anyone does not remain in me he is thrown aside like a branch and he withers up; then the branches are gathered and thrown into the fire to be burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, then ask whatever you like and you shall have it. As you bear rich fruit and prove yourselves my disciples, my Father is glorified. As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; remain within my love. If you keep my commands you will remain within my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain within his love. I have told you this, that my joy may be within you and your joy complete. This is my command: you are to love one another as I have loved you. To lay life down for his friends, man has no greater love than that. You are my friends ??if you do what I command you; & I call you servants no longer, because a servant does not know what his master is doing: I call you friends, because I have imparted to you all that I have learned from my Father. are placed in the middle of verse 13:31] "I am the real Vine, and my Father is the vine-dresser; You have not chosen me, it is I who have chosen you, appointing you to go and bear fruit ??fruit that lasts, so that the Father may grant you whatever you ask in my name. This is what I command you, to love one another. If the world hates you, remember it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love what it owned; it is because you do not belong to the world, because I have chosen you from the world, that the world hates you. Remember what I told you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they hold to my word, they will hold to yours. They will do all this to you on account of my name, because they know not him who sent me. They would not be guilty, if I had not come and spoken to them; but, as it is, they have no excuse for their sin ??23 he who hates me hates my Father also. They would not be guilty, if I had not done deeds among them such as no one has ever done; but, as it is, they have seen ??and they have hated ??both me and my Father. It is that the word written in their Law may be fulfilled: they hated me for no cause. When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth which issues from the Father, he will bear witness to me;

but now I am going to him who sent me. And yet not one of you asks, 'Where are you going?' No, your heart is full of sorrow at what I have told you. Yet ??I am telling you the truth ??my going is for your good. If I do not depart, the Helper will not come to you; whereas if I go, I will send him to you. read more.
And when he comes, he will convict the world, convincing men of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in me; of righteousness, because I go to the Father and you see me no more; of judgment, because the Prince of this world has been judged. I have still much to say to you, but you cannot bear it just now. However, when the Spirit of truth comes, he will lead you into all the truth; for he will not speak of his own accord, he will say whatever he is told, and he will disclose to you what is to come. He will glorify me, for he will draw upon what is mine and disclose it to you. All that the Father has is mine; that is why I say, 'he will draw upon what is mine and disclose it to you.'




After that the Lord commissioned other seventy disciples, sending them in front of him two by two to every town and place that he intended to visit himself. He said to them, "The harvest is rich, but the labourers are few; so pray the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to gather his harvest. Go your way; I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. read more.
Carry no purse, no wallet, no sandals. Do not stop to salute anybody on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace be to this household!' Then, if there is a soul there breathing peace, your peace will rest on him; otherwise it will come back to you. Stay at the same house, eating and drinking what the people provide (for the workman deserves his wages); you are not to shift from one house to another. Wherever you are received on entering any town, eat what is provided for you, heal those in the town who are ill, and tell them, 'The Reign of God is nearly on you.' But wherever you are not received on entering any town, go out into the streets of the town and cry, 'The very dust of your town that clings to us, we wipe off from our feet as a protest. But mark this, the Reign of God is near!' I tell you, on the great Day it will be more bearable for Sodom than for that town. Woe to you, Khorazin! woe to you, Bethsaida! Had the miracles performed in you been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have been sitting penitent in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. And you, O Capharnahum! Exalted to heaven? No, you will sink to Hades! He who listens to you listens to me, he who rejects you rejects me, and he who rejects me rejects him who sent me."






[Chapters he cuts away any branch on me which is not bearing fruit, and cleans every branch which does bear fruit, to make it bear richer fruit. You are already clean, by the word I have spoken to you. read more.
Remain in me, as I remain in you: just as a branch cannot bear fruit by itself, without remaining on the vine, neither can you, unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who remains in me, as I in him, bears rich fruit (because apart from me you can do nothing). If anyone does not remain in me he is thrown aside like a branch and he withers up; then the branches are gathered and thrown into the fire to be burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, then ask whatever you like and you shall have it. As you bear rich fruit and prove yourselves my disciples, my Father is glorified. As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; remain within my love. If you keep my commands you will remain within my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain within his love. I have told you this, that my joy may be within you and your joy complete. This is my command: you are to love one another as I have loved you. To lay life down for his friends, man has no greater love than that. You are my friends ??if you do what I command you; & I call you servants no longer, because a servant does not know what his master is doing: I call you friends, because I have imparted to you all that I have learned from my Father. are placed in the middle of verse 13:31] "I am the real Vine, and my Father is the vine-dresser; You have not chosen me, it is I who have chosen you, appointing you to go and bear fruit ??fruit that lasts, so that the Father may grant you whatever you ask in my name. This is what I command you, to love one another. If the world hates you, remember it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love what it owned; it is because you do not belong to the world, because I have chosen you from the world, that the world hates you. Remember what I told you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they hold to my word, they will hold to yours. They will do all this to you on account of my name, because they know not him who sent me. They would not be guilty, if I had not come and spoken to them; but, as it is, they have no excuse for their sin ??23 he who hates me hates my Father also. They would not be guilty, if I had not done deeds among them such as no one has ever done; but, as it is, they have seen ??and they have hated ??both me and my Father. It is that the word written in their Law may be fulfilled: they hated me for no cause.


[Chapters he cuts away any branch on me which is not bearing fruit, and cleans every branch which does bear fruit, to make it bear richer fruit. You are already clean, by the word I have spoken to you. read more.
Remain in me, as I remain in you: just as a branch cannot bear fruit by itself, without remaining on the vine, neither can you, unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who remains in me, as I in him, bears rich fruit (because apart from me you can do nothing). If anyone does not remain in me he is thrown aside like a branch and he withers up; then the branches are gathered and thrown into the fire to be burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, then ask whatever you like and you shall have it. As you bear rich fruit and prove yourselves my disciples, my Father is glorified. As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; remain within my love. If you keep my commands you will remain within my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain within his love. I have told you this, that my joy may be within you and your joy complete. This is my command: you are to love one another as I have loved you. To lay life down for his friends, man has no greater love than that. You are my friends ??if you do what I command you; & I call you servants no longer, because a servant does not know what his master is doing: I call you friends, because I have imparted to you all that I have learned from my Father. are placed in the middle of verse 13:31] "I am the real Vine, and my Father is the vine-dresser; You have not chosen me, it is I who have chosen you, appointing you to go and bear fruit ??fruit that lasts, so that the Father may grant you whatever you ask in my name. This is what I command you, to love one another. If the world hates you, remember it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love what it owned; it is because you do not belong to the world, because I have chosen you from the world, that the world hates you. Remember what I told you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they hold to my word, they will hold to yours. They will do all this to you on account of my name, because they know not him who sent me. They would not be guilty, if I had not come and spoken to them; but, as it is, they have no excuse for their sin ??23 he who hates me hates my Father also. They would not be guilty, if I had not done deeds among them such as no one has ever done; but, as it is, they have seen ??and they have hated ??both me and my Father. It is that the word written in their Law may be fulfilled: they hated me for no cause.

Jesus said to them, "My time has not come yet, but your time is always at hand; the world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that its deeds are evil. Go up to the festival yourselves; I am not going up to this festival, for my time has not arrived yet."



[Chapters he cuts away any branch on me which is not bearing fruit, and cleans every branch which does bear fruit, to make it bear richer fruit. You are already clean, by the word I have spoken to you. read more.
Remain in me, as I remain in you: just as a branch cannot bear fruit by itself, without remaining on the vine, neither can you, unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who remains in me, as I in him, bears rich fruit (because apart from me you can do nothing). If anyone does not remain in me he is thrown aside like a branch and he withers up; then the branches are gathered and thrown into the fire to be burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, then ask whatever you like and you shall have it. As you bear rich fruit and prove yourselves my disciples, my Father is glorified. As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; remain within my love. If you keep my commands you will remain within my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain within his love. I have told you this, that my joy may be within you and your joy complete. This is my command: you are to love one another as I have loved you. To lay life down for his friends, man has no greater love than that. You are my friends ??if you do what I command you; & I call you servants no longer, because a servant does not know what his master is doing: I call you friends, because I have imparted to you all that I have learned from my Father. are placed in the middle of verse 13:31] "I am the real Vine, and my Father is the vine-dresser; You have not chosen me, it is I who have chosen you, appointing you to go and bear fruit ??fruit that lasts, so that the Father may grant you whatever you ask in my name. This is what I command you, to love one another. If the world hates you, remember it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love what it owned; it is because you do not belong to the world, because I have chosen you from the world, that the world hates you. Remember what I told you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they hold to my word, they will hold to yours. They will do all this to you on account of my name, because they know not him who sent me. They would not be guilty, if I had not come and spoken to them; but, as it is, they have no excuse for their sin ??23 he who hates me hates my Father also. They would not be guilty, if I had not done deeds among them such as no one has ever done; but, as it is, they have seen ??and they have hated ??both me and my Father. It is that the word written in their Law may be fulfilled: they hated me for no cause. When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth which issues from the Father, he will bear witness to me;


So too the Spirit assists us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray aright, but the Spirit pleads for us with sighs that are beyond words, and He who searches the human heart knows what is in the mind of the Spirit, since the Spirit pleads before God for the saints. We know also that those who love God, those who have been called in terms of his purpose, have his aid and interest in everything.

No, as it is written, what no eye has ever seen, what no ear has ever heard, what never entered the mind of man, God has prepared all that for those who love him. And God has revealed it to us by the Spirit, for the Spirit fathoms everything, even the depths of God.

I have told you all this, to keep you from being repelled. They will excommunicate you; indeed the time is coming when anyone who kills you will imagine he is performing a service to God. This they will do to you, because they have not known the Father nor me. read more.
I have told you all this, so that when the time for it arrives, you may remember what I said to you. I did not tell you about this at the beginning, because I was with you then; but now I am going to him who sent me. And yet not one of you asks, 'Where are you going?' No, your heart is full of sorrow at what I have told you. Yet ??I am telling you the truth ??my going is for your good. If I do not depart, the Helper will not come to you; whereas if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world, convincing men of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in me; of righteousness, because I go to the Father and you see me no more; of judgment, because the Prince of this world has been judged. I have still much to say to you, but you cannot bear it just now. However, when the Spirit of truth comes, he will lead you into all the truth; for he will not speak of his own accord, he will say whatever he is told, and he will disclose to you what is to come. He will glorify me, for he will draw upon what is mine and disclose it to you.

Such is the confidence I possess through Christ in my service of God. It is not that I am personally qualified to form any judgment by myself; my qualifications come from God, and he has further qualified me to be the minister of a new covenant ??a covenant not of written law but of spirit; for the written law kills but the Spirit makes alive.



[Chapters he cuts away any branch on me which is not bearing fruit, and cleans every branch which does bear fruit, to make it bear richer fruit. You are already clean, by the word I have spoken to you. read more.
Remain in me, as I remain in you: just as a branch cannot bear fruit by itself, without remaining on the vine, neither can you, unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who remains in me, as I in him, bears rich fruit (because apart from me you can do nothing). If anyone does not remain in me he is thrown aside like a branch and he withers up; then the branches are gathered and thrown into the fire to be burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, then ask whatever you like and you shall have it. As you bear rich fruit and prove yourselves my disciples, my Father is glorified. As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; remain within my love. If you keep my commands you will remain within my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain within his love. I have told you this, that my joy may be within you and your joy complete. This is my command: you are to love one another as I have loved you. To lay life down for his friends, man has no greater love than that. You are my friends ??if you do what I command you; & I call you servants no longer, because a servant does not know what his master is doing: I call you friends, because I have imparted to you all that I have learned from my Father. are placed in the middle of verse 13:31] "I am the real Vine, and my Father is the vine-dresser; You have not chosen me, it is I who have chosen you, appointing you to go and bear fruit ??fruit that lasts, so that the Father may grant you whatever you ask in my name. This is what I command you, to love one another. If the world hates you, remember it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love what it owned; it is because you do not belong to the world, because I have chosen you from the world, that the world hates you. Remember what I told you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they hold to my word, they will hold to yours. They will do all this to you on account of my name, because they know not him who sent me. They would not be guilty, if I had not come and spoken to them; but, as it is, they have no excuse for their sin ??23 he who hates me hates my Father also. They would not be guilty, if I had not done deeds among them such as no one has ever done; but, as it is, they have seen ??and they have hated ??both me and my Father. It is that the word written in their Law may be fulfilled: they hated me for no cause. When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth which issues from the Father, he will bear witness to me; and you too are witnesses, for you have been with me from the very beginning.

The God of our fathers raised Jesus whom you murdered by hanging him on a gibbet. God lifted him up to his right hand as our pioneer and saviour, in order to grant repentance and remission of sins to Israel. To these facts we bear witness, with the holy Spirit which God has given to those who obey him."

Now here I go to Jerusalem under the binding force of the Spirit. What will befall me there, I do not know. Only, I know this, that in town after town the holy Spirit testifies to me that bonds and troubles are awaiting me.

For this reason I Paul, I whom Jesus has made a prisoner for the sake of you Gentiles ??2 for surely you have heard how the grace of God which was vouchsafed me in your interests has ordered it, how the divine secret was disclosed to me by a revelation (if you read what I have already written briefly about this, you can understand my insight into that secret of Christ read more.
which was not disclosed to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his sacred apostles and prophets by the Spirit),

Besides, we have the testimony of the holy Spirit; for after saying,

Who is the world's conqueror but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? Jesus Christ, he it is who came by water, blood, and Spirit ??not by the water alone, but by the water and the blood. The Spirit is the witness to this, for the Spirit is truth.


Thus, Son though he was, he learned by all he suffered how to obey,


Treat one another with the same spirit as you experience in Christ Jesus. Though he was divine by nature, he did not set store upon equality with God but emptied himself by taking the nature of a servant; born in human guise read more.
and appearing in human form, he humbly stooped in his obedience even to die, and to die upon the cross.

But Jesus answered him, "Come now, this is how we should fulfil all our duty to God." Then John gave in to him.



For it seems to me that God means us apostles to come in at the very end, like the doomed gladiators in the arena! We are made a spectacle to the world, to angels and to men! We, for Christ's sake, are 'fools'; you in Christ are sensible. We are weak, you are strong; you are honoured, we are in disrepute. To this very hour we hunger and thirst, we are ill-clad and knocked about, we are waifs, read more.
we work hard for our living; when reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we put up with it; when defamed, we try to conciliate. To this hour we are treated as the scum of the earth, the very refuse of the world!

As he went out of the temple one of his disciples said to him, "Look, teacher, what a size these stones and buildings are!" Jesus said to him, "You see these great buildings? Not a stone shall be left on another, without being torn down." And as he sat on the Hill of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him in private, read more.
"Tell us, when is this to happen? What will be the sign for all this to be accomplished?" So Jesus began: "Take care that no one misleads you: ??6 many will come in my name saying, 'I am he,' and mislead many. And when you hear of wars and rumours of war, do not be alarmed; these have to come, but it is not the end yet. For nation will rise against nation, and realm against realm; there will be earthquakes here and there, and famines too. All that is but the beginning of the trouble. Look to yourselves. Men will hand you over to Sanhedrins and you will be flogged in synagogues and brought before governors and kings for my sake, to testify to them. (Ere the end, the gospel must be preached to all nations.) Now when they carry you off to trial, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say; say whatever comes to your lips at the moment, for he who speaks is not you but the holy Spirit. Brother will betray brother to death, the father will betray his child, children will rise against their parents and kill them, and you will be hated by all men on account of my name; but he will be saved who holds out to the very end.

I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; so be wise like serpents and guileless like doves. Beware of men, they will hand you over to sanhedrins and scourge you in their synagogues, and you will be haled before governors and kings for my sake ??it will be a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. read more.
Now, when they bring you up for trial, do not trouble yourselves about how to speak or what to say; what you are to say will come to you at the moment, for you are not the speakers, it is the Spirit of your Father that is speaking through you. Brother will betray brother to death, the father will betray his child, children will rise against their parents and put them to death, and you will be hated by all men on account of my name; but he will be saved who holds out to the very end. When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next; truly I tell you, you will not have covered the towns of Israel before the Son of man arrives. A scholar is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his lord; enough for the scholar to fare like his teacher, and the servant like his lord. If men have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they miscall his servants!

So Jesus left the temple and went on his way. His disciples came forward to point out to him the temple-buildings, but he replied to them, "You see all this? I tell you truly, not a stone here will be left upon another, without being torn down." So as he sat on the Hill of Olives the disciples came up to him in private and said, "Tell us, when will this happen? What will be the sign of your arrival and of the end of the world?" read more.
Jesus replied, "Take care that no one misleads you; for many will come in my name, saying 'I am the Christ,' and they will mislead many. You will hear of wars and rumours of wars; see and do not be alarmed. These have to come, but it is not the end yet. For nation will rise against nation, and realm against realm; there will be famines and earthquakes here and there. All that is but the beginning of the trouble. Then men will hand you over to suffer affliction, and they will kill you; you will be hated by all the Gentiles on account of my name. And many will be repelled then, they will betray one another and hate one another.

Some were speaking of the temple with its ornamentation of splendid stones and votive gifts, but he said, "As for what you see, there are days coming when not a stone will be left upon another, without being torn down." So they asked him, "Teacher, and when will this happen? What will be the sign for this to take place?" read more.
He said, "Take care that you are not misled; for many will come in my name saying, 'I am he' and 'the time is near' ??do not go after them. And when you hear of wars and disturbances, do not be scared; these have to come first, but the end is not at once." Then he said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and realm against realm, there will be great earthquakes with famine and pestilence here and there, there will be awful portents and great signs from heaven. But before all that, men will lay hands on you and persecute you, handing you over to synagogues and prisons; you will be dragged before kings and governors for the sake of my name. That will turn out an opportunity for you to bear witness. So resolve to yourselves that you will not rehearse your defence beforehand, for I will give you words and wisdom that not one of your opponents will be able to meet or refute. You will be betrayed by your very parents and brothers and kinsmen and friends, and some of you will be put to death. You will be hated by all on account of my name; but not a hair of your head will perish. Hold out stedfast and you win your souls.

[Chapters he cuts away any branch on me which is not bearing fruit, and cleans every branch which does bear fruit, to make it bear richer fruit. You are already clean, by the word I have spoken to you. read more.
Remain in me, as I remain in you: just as a branch cannot bear fruit by itself, without remaining on the vine, neither can you, unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who remains in me, as I in him, bears rich fruit (because apart from me you can do nothing). If anyone does not remain in me he is thrown aside like a branch and he withers up; then the branches are gathered and thrown into the fire to be burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, then ask whatever you like and you shall have it. As you bear rich fruit and prove yourselves my disciples, my Father is glorified. As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; remain within my love. If you keep my commands you will remain within my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain within his love. I have told you this, that my joy may be within you and your joy complete. This is my command: you are to love one another as I have loved you. To lay life down for his friends, man has no greater love than that. You are my friends ??if you do what I command you; & I call you servants no longer, because a servant does not know what his master is doing: I call you friends, because I have imparted to you all that I have learned from my Father. are placed in the middle of verse 13:31] "I am the real Vine, and my Father is the vine-dresser; You have not chosen me, it is I who have chosen you, appointing you to go and bear fruit ??fruit that lasts, so that the Father may grant you whatever you ask in my name. This is what I command you, to love one another. If the world hates you, remember it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love what it owned; it is because you do not belong to the world, because I have chosen you from the world, that the world hates you. Remember what I told you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they hold to my word, they will hold to yours.

I have told you all this, to keep you from being repelled. They will excommunicate you; indeed the time is coming when anyone who kills you will imagine he is performing a service to God. This they will do to you, because they have not known the Father nor me. read more.
I have told you all this, so that when the time for it arrives, you may remember what I said to you. I did not tell you about this at the beginning, because I was with you then;





But before all that, men will lay hands on you and persecute you, handing you over to synagogues and prisons; you will be dragged before kings and governors for the sake of my name.





and on hearing this the entire company raised their cry to God, "O Sovereign Lord, thou art he who made heaven, earth, and sea, and all that in them is, who said to our fathers by the holy Spirit through the lips of thy servant David, Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples vainly conspire? The kings of the earth stood ready, the rulers mustered together against the Lord and his Christ. read more.
In this very city they actually mustered against thy holy Servant Jesus, whom thou didst consecrate ??Herod and Pontius Pilate, together with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,

Meanwhile Saul still breathed threats of murder against the disciples of the Lord. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus empowering him to put any man or woman in chains whom he could find belonging to the Way, and bring them to Jerusalem. As he neared Damascus in the course of his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed round him; read more.
he dropped to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" "Who are you?" he asked. "I am Jesus," he said, "and you persecute me.

[Chapters he cuts away any branch on me which is not bearing fruit, and cleans every branch which does bear fruit, to make it bear richer fruit. You are already clean, by the word I have spoken to you. read more.
Remain in me, as I remain in you: just as a branch cannot bear fruit by itself, without remaining on the vine, neither can you, unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who remains in me, as I in him, bears rich fruit (because apart from me you can do nothing). If anyone does not remain in me he is thrown aside like a branch and he withers up; then the branches are gathered and thrown into the fire to be burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, then ask whatever you like and you shall have it. As you bear rich fruit and prove yourselves my disciples, my Father is glorified. As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; remain within my love. If you keep my commands you will remain within my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain within his love. I have told you this, that my joy may be within you and your joy complete. This is my command: you are to love one another as I have loved you. To lay life down for his friends, man has no greater love than that. You are my friends ??if you do what I command you; & I call you servants no longer, because a servant does not know what his master is doing: I call you friends, because I have imparted to you all that I have learned from my Father. are placed in the middle of verse 13:31] "I am the real Vine, and my Father is the vine-dresser; You have not chosen me, it is I who have chosen you, appointing you to go and bear fruit ??fruit that lasts, so that the Father may grant you whatever you ask in my name. This is what I command you, to love one another. If the world hates you, remember it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love what it owned; it is because you do not belong to the world, because I have chosen you from the world, that the world hates you. Remember what I told you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they hold to my word, they will hold to yours. They will do all this to you on account of my name, because they know not him who sent me. They would not be guilty, if I had not come and spoken to them; but, as it is, they have no excuse for their sin ??23 he who hates me hates my Father also. They would not be guilty, if I had not done deeds among them such as no one has ever done; but, as it is, they have seen ??and they have hated ??both me and my Father. It is that the word written in their Law may be fulfilled: they hated me for no cause.

Off went the man and told the Jews it was Jesus who had healed him. And this was why the Jews persecuted Jesus, because he did things like this on the sabbath. The reply of Jesus was, "As my Father has continued working to this hour, so I work too." read more.
But this only made the Jews more eager to kill him, because he not merely broke the sabbath but actually spoke of God as his own Father, thereby making himself equal to God.

Now as I neared Damascus on my journey, suddenly about noon a brilliant light from heaven flashed round me. I dropped to the earth and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?' 'Who are you?' I asked. He said to me, 'I am Jesus the Nazarene, and you are persecuting me.'


But before all that, men will lay hands on you and persecute you, handing you over to synagogues and prisons; you will be dragged before kings and governors for the sake of my name.




They would not be guilty, if I had not done deeds among them such as no one has ever done; but, as it is, they have seen ??and they have hated ??both me and my Father.




A scholar is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his lord; enough for the scholar to fare like his teacher, and the servant like his lord. If men have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they miscall his servants!

Truly, truly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than he who sent him.


[Chapters he cuts away any branch on me which is not bearing fruit, and cleans every branch which does bear fruit, to make it bear richer fruit. You are already clean, by the word I have spoken to you. read more.
Remain in me, as I remain in you: just as a branch cannot bear fruit by itself, without remaining on the vine, neither can you, unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who remains in me, as I in him, bears rich fruit (because apart from me you can do nothing). If anyone does not remain in me he is thrown aside like a branch and he withers up; then the branches are gathered and thrown into the fire to be burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, then ask whatever you like and you shall have it. As you bear rich fruit and prove yourselves my disciples, my Father is glorified. As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; remain within my love. If you keep my commands you will remain within my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain within his love. I have told you this, that my joy may be within you and your joy complete. This is my command: you are to love one another as I have loved you. To lay life down for his friends, man has no greater love than that. You are my friends ??if you do what I command you; & I call you servants no longer, because a servant does not know what his master is doing: I call you friends, because I have imparted to you all that I have learned from my Father. are placed in the middle of verse 13:31] "I am the real Vine, and my Father is the vine-dresser; You have not chosen me, it is I who have chosen you, appointing you to go and bear fruit ??fruit that lasts, so that the Father may grant you whatever you ask in my name. This is what I command you, to love one another. If the world hates you, remember it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love what it owned; it is because you do not belong to the world, because I have chosen you from the world, that the world hates you. Remember what I told you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they hold to my word, they will hold to yours. They will do all this to you on account of my name, because they know not him who sent me. They would not be guilty, if I had not come and spoken to them; but, as it is, they have no excuse for their sin ??23 he who hates me hates my Father also.





But before all that, men will lay hands on you and persecute you, handing you over to synagogues and prisons; you will be dragged before kings and governors for the sake of my name.





[Chapters he cuts away any branch on me which is not bearing fruit, and cleans every branch which does bear fruit, to make it bear richer fruit. You are already clean, by the word I have spoken to you. read more.
Remain in me, as I remain in you: just as a branch cannot bear fruit by itself, without remaining on the vine, neither can you, unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who remains in me, as I in him, bears rich fruit (because apart from me you can do nothing). If anyone does not remain in me he is thrown aside like a branch and he withers up; then the branches are gathered and thrown into the fire to be burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, then ask whatever you like and you shall have it. As you bear rich fruit and prove yourselves my disciples, my Father is glorified. As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; remain within my love. If you keep my commands you will remain within my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain within his love. I have told you this, that my joy may be within you and your joy complete. This is my command: you are to love one another as I have loved you. To lay life down for his friends, man has no greater love than that. You are my friends ??if you do what I command you; & I call you servants no longer, because a servant does not know what his master is doing: I call you friends, because I have imparted to you all that I have learned from my Father. are placed in the middle of verse 13:31] "I am the real Vine, and my Father is the vine-dresser; You have not chosen me, it is I who have chosen you, appointing you to go and bear fruit ??fruit that lasts, so that the Father may grant you whatever you ask in my name. This is what I command you, to love one another. If the world hates you, remember it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love what it owned; it is because you do not belong to the world, because I have chosen you from the world, that the world hates you. Remember what I told you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they hold to my word, they will hold to yours. They will do all this to you on account of my name, because they know not him who sent me. They would not be guilty, if I had not come and spoken to them; but, as it is, they have no excuse for their sin ??23 he who hates me hates my Father also. They would not be guilty, if I had not done deeds among them such as no one has ever done; but, as it is, they have seen ??and they have hated ??both me and my Father. It is that the word written in their Law may be fulfilled: they hated me for no cause. When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth which issues from the Father, he will bear witness to me; and you too are witnesses, for you have been with me from the very beginning.

and I will ask the Father to give you another Helper to be with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth: the world cannot receive him, because it neither sees nor knows him, but you know him, because he remains with you and will be within you. I will not leave you forlorn; I am coming to you. read more.
A little while longer and the world will see me no more; but you will see me, because I am living and you will be living too.

but now I am going to him who sent me. And yet not one of you asks, 'Where are you going?' No, your heart is full of sorrow at what I have told you. Yet ??I am telling you the truth ??my going is for your good. If I do not depart, the Helper will not come to you; whereas if I go, I will send him to you. read more.
And when he comes, he will convict the world, convincing men of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in me; of righteousness, because I go to the Father and you see me no more; of judgment, because the Prince of this world has been judged. I have still much to say to you, but you cannot bear it just now. However, when the Spirit of truth comes, he will lead you into all the truth; for he will not speak of his own accord, he will say whatever he is told, and he will disclose to you what is to come.



[Chapters he cuts away any branch on me which is not bearing fruit, and cleans every branch which does bear fruit, to make it bear richer fruit. You are already clean, by the word I have spoken to you. read more.
Remain in me, as I remain in you: just as a branch cannot bear fruit by itself, without remaining on the vine, neither can you, unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who remains in me, as I in him, bears rich fruit (because apart from me you can do nothing). If anyone does not remain in me he is thrown aside like a branch and he withers up; then the branches are gathered and thrown into the fire to be burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, then ask whatever you like and you shall have it. As you bear rich fruit and prove yourselves my disciples, my Father is glorified. As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; remain within my love. If you keep my commands you will remain within my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain within his love. I have told you this, that my joy may be within you and your joy complete. This is my command: you are to love one another as I have loved you. To lay life down for his friends, man has no greater love than that. You are my friends ??if you do what I command you; & I call you servants no longer, because a servant does not know what his master is doing: I call you friends, because I have imparted to you all that I have learned from my Father. are placed in the middle of verse 13:31] "I am the real Vine, and my Father is the vine-dresser; You have not chosen me, it is I who have chosen you, appointing you to go and bear fruit ??fruit that lasts, so that the Father may grant you whatever you ask in my name. This is what I command you, to love one another. If the world hates you, remember it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love what it owned; it is because you do not belong to the world, because I have chosen you from the world, that the world hates you. Remember what I told you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they hold to my word, they will hold to yours. They will do all this to you on account of my name, because they know not him who sent me. They would not be guilty, if I had not come and spoken to them; but, as it is, they have no excuse for their sin ??23 he who hates me hates my Father also. They would not be guilty, if I had not done deeds among them such as no one has ever done; but, as it is, they have seen ??and they have hated ??both me and my Father. It is that the word written in their Law may be fulfilled: they hated me for no cause. When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth which issues from the Father, he will bear witness to me; and you too are witnesses, for you have been with me from the very beginning.

The God of our fathers raised Jesus whom you murdered by hanging him on a gibbet. God lifted him up to his right hand as our pioneer and saviour, in order to grant repentance and remission of sins to Israel. To these facts we bear witness, with the holy Spirit which God has given to those who obey him."

Now here I go to Jerusalem under the binding force of the Spirit. What will befall me there, I do not know. Only, I know this, that in town after town the holy Spirit testifies to me that bonds and troubles are awaiting me.

For this reason I Paul, I whom Jesus has made a prisoner for the sake of you Gentiles ??2 for surely you have heard how the grace of God which was vouchsafed me in your interests has ordered it, how the divine secret was disclosed to me by a revelation (if you read what I have already written briefly about this, you can understand my insight into that secret of Christ read more.
which was not disclosed to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his sacred apostles and prophets by the Spirit),

Besides, we have the testimony of the holy Spirit; for after saying,

Who is the world's conqueror but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? Jesus Christ, he it is who came by water, blood, and Spirit ??not by the water alone, but by the water and the blood. The Spirit is the witness to this, for the Spirit is truth.


[Chapters he cuts away any branch on me which is not bearing fruit, and cleans every branch which does bear fruit, to make it bear richer fruit. You are already clean, by the word I have spoken to you. read more.
Remain in me, as I remain in you: just as a branch cannot bear fruit by itself, without remaining on the vine, neither can you, unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who remains in me, as I in him, bears rich fruit (because apart from me you can do nothing). If anyone does not remain in me he is thrown aside like a branch and he withers up; then the branches are gathered and thrown into the fire to be burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, then ask whatever you like and you shall have it. As you bear rich fruit and prove yourselves my disciples, my Father is glorified. As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; remain within my love. If you keep my commands you will remain within my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain within his love. I have told you this, that my joy may be within you and your joy complete. This is my command: you are to love one another as I have loved you. To lay life down for his friends, man has no greater love than that. You are my friends ??if you do what I command you; & I call you servants no longer, because a servant does not know what his master is doing: I call you friends, because I have imparted to you all that I have learned from my Father. are placed in the middle of verse 13:31] "I am the real Vine, and my Father is the vine-dresser; You have not chosen me, it is I who have chosen you, appointing you to go and bear fruit ??fruit that lasts, so that the Father may grant you whatever you ask in my name. This is what I command you, to love one another. If the world hates you, remember it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love what it owned; it is because you do not belong to the world, because I have chosen you from the world, that the world hates you. Remember what I told you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they hold to my word, they will hold to yours. They will do all this to you on account of my name, because they know not him who sent me. They would not be guilty, if I had not come and spoken to them; but, as it is, they have no excuse for their sin ??23 he who hates me hates my Father also. They would not be guilty, if I had not done deeds among them such as no one has ever done; but, as it is, they have seen ??and they have hated ??both me and my Father. It is that the word written in their Law may be fulfilled: they hated me for no cause.

Jesus said to them, "My time has not come yet, but your time is always at hand; the world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that its deeds are evil. Go up to the festival yourselves; I am not going up to this festival, for my time has not arrived yet."