If we say that we know him, but do not obey his commands, we are liars and there is no truth in us.

if we say that we remain in union with God, we should live just as Jesus Christ did.

We know that we have left death and come over into life; we know it because we love others. Those who do not love are still under the power of death.

This, then, is how we will know that we belong to the truth; this is how we will be confident in God's presence.

We are sure that we live in union with God and that he lives in union with us, because he has given us his Spirit.

We know that we belong to God even though the whole world is under the rule of the Evil One.

After a life of suffering, he will again have joy; he will know that he did not suffer in vain. My devoted servant, with whom I am pleased, will bear the punishment of many and for his sake I will forgive them.

And eternal life means to know you, the only true God, and to know Jesus Christ, whom you sent.

The God who said, "Out of darkness the light shall shine!" is the same God who made his light shine in our hearts, to bring us the knowledge of God's glory shining in the face of Christ.

We receive from him whatever we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him.

What he commands is that we believe in his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as Christ commanded us.

For our love for God means that we obey his commands. And his commands are not too hard for us,

If I pay attention to all your commands, then I will not be put to shame.

I will eagerly obey your commands, because you will give me more understanding.

"Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and yet don't do what I tell you?

"If you love me, you will obey my commandments.

"Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. My Father will love those who love me; I too will love them and reveal myself to them."

Jesus answered him, "Those who love me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and my Father and I will come to them and live with them.

If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love.

And you are my friends if you do what I command you.

Finally, our friends, you learned from us how you should live in order to please God. This is, of course, the way you have been living. And now we beg and urge you in the name of the Lord Jesus to do even more.

For you know the instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

When he was made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him,

Happy are those who wash their robes clean and so have the right to eat the fruit from the tree of life and to go through the gates into the city.