³⁴ “I give you a new command: Love each other. You must love each other just as I loved you. ³⁵ All people will know that you are my followers if you love each other.”

¹⁶ This is how we know what real love is: Jesus gave his life for us. So we should give our lives for each other as brothers and sisters. ¹⁷ Suppose a believer who is rich enough to have all the necessities of life sees a fellow believer who is poor and does not have even basic needs. What if the rich believer does not help the poor one? Then it is clear that God’s love is not in that person’s heart. ¹⁸ My children, our love should not be only words and talk. No, our love must be real. We must show our love by the things we do.