My brothers and sisters, you were called to be free. But don’t use your freedom as an excuse to live under the power of sin. Instead, serve one another humbly in love.
If anyone claims to love God but they hate a brother or sister, they’re a liar. If they don’t love their brother or sister, even though they’ve seen them, they can’t claim to love God, when they haven’t seen him.
In the same way, you who are younger should follow the lead of your elders. All of you should have a humble attitude toward one another, because Scripture says, “God opposes those who are proud, but he gives grace to those who are humble.”
Give everyone what you owe them. If you owe taxes, then pay them. If you owe other fees, then pay those. And don’t forget that you also owe your leaders respect and honor and that you should give them those things.
So when you’re invited somewhere, take the lowest place. Your host will come over to you and say, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you’ll be honored in front of all the other guests.
We should always thank God for you, brothers and sisters. That’s only right, because your faith is growing more and more and your love for one another is increasing.
If a person believes in Christ Jesus, it doesn’t matter whether they’re circumcised or not. The only thing that matters is faith expressing itself through love.
Father, I pray they will be one, just as you are in me and I am in you. I want them also to be in us so that the world will believe that you have sent me.