and though you have not seenHim, you loveHim, and though you do not seeHim now,but believein Him, you greatly rejoicewith joyinexpressibleand full of glory,
Jesussaidto him, "Becauseyou have seenMe, have you believed?Blessed[are] they who did not see,and [yet] believed."
for we walkby faith,not by sight--
Nowmay the Godof hopefillyou with alljoyand peacein believing,sothat you will aboundin hopeby the powerof the HolySpirit.
Nowfaithis the assuranceof [things] hopedfor, the convictionof thingsnot seen.
"Thereforeyou toohavegriefnow;but I will seeyou again,and your heartwill rejoice,and no one[will] takeyour joyawayfrom you.
while we looknot at the things which are seen,but at the things which are not seen;for the things which are seenare temporal,but the things which are not seenare eternal.
In thisyou greatly rejoice,even though nowfor a little while,ifnecessary,you have been distressedby varioustrials,
By faithhe leftEgypt,not fearingthe wrathof the king;for he endured,as seeingHim who is unseen.
Thisprecious value,then,is for you who believe;but for thosewho disbelieve,"THE STONEWHICHTHE BUILDERSREJECTED,THISBECAMETHE VERYCORNER[stone],"
Rejoicein the Lordalways;againI will say,rejoice!
And when the Chief Shepherdappears,you will receivethe unfadingcrownof glory.
Gracebe with allthosewho loveour LordJesusChristwith incorruptible[love].
Convincedof this,I knowthat I will remainand continuewith you allfor your progressand joyin the faith,
for the kingdomof Godis not eatingand drinking,but righteousnessand peaceand joyin the HolySpirit.
"He who does not loveMe does not keepMy words;and the wordwhichyou hearis not Mine,but the Father'swho sentMe.
Jesussaidto them, "IfGodwere your Father,you would loveMe, for I proceeded forthand have comefrom God,for I have not evencomeon My own initiative,but He sentMe.
for we are the [true] circumcision,who worshipin the Spiritof Godand gloryin ChristJesusand putnoconfidencein the flesh,
But the fruitof the Spiritis love,joy,peace,patience,kindness,goodness,faithfulness,
For in ChristJesusneithercircumcisionnoruncircumcisionmeansanything,but faithworkingthroughlove.
was caughtup into Paradiseand heardinexpressiblewords,whicha manis not permittedto speak.
Thanksbe to Godfor His indescribablegift!
who alsosealedus and gave[us] the Spiritin our heartsas a pledge.
And he broughtthem into his houseand setfoodbeforethem, and rejoiced greatly,having believedin Godwith his whole household.
"He who hasMy commandmentsand keepsthem is the onewho lovesMe; and he who lovesMe will be lovedby My Father,and I will lovehim and will discloseMyselfto him."
"Ifyou loveMe, you will keepMy commandments.
"He who lovesfatherormothermorethanMe is not worthyof Me; and he who lovessonordaughtermore thanMe is not worthyof Me.
"His mouthis [full of] sweetness.And he is whollydesirable.Thisis my belovedand thisis my friend,O daughtersof Jerusalem."
Ifanyonedoes not lovethe Lord,he is to be accursed.Maranatha.
"Whatkind of belovedis your beloved,O most beautifulamong women?Whatkind of belovedis your beloved,That thusyou adjureus?"
"Tellme, O you whommy soulloves,Wheredo you pasture[your flock], Wheredo you make [it] liedownat noon?For whyshould I be like one who veilsherself Besidethe flocksof your companions?"
and to knowthe loveof Christwhich surpassesknowledge,that you may be filledup to allthe fullnessof God.
