(Tap footnote to read it. Old Testament quotations are underlined. "Love" with a caret ("^love") is agapé.1"agapé" The Greek words ἀγάπη (agapé, noun), and ἀγαπάω (agapaó; verb) are typically translated "love". However, unlike our English word "love" – which primarily speaks of affection and feelings – agapé centers on choice and behavior. It’s the "love" based on will, choice, behavior, and action; not feelings. (Feelings-based love is the Greek word φιλέω (phileó), which properly means "brotherly love/affection".) Thus, you could hate someone passionately and still treat him with "agapé". Agapé "love" is best understood as the pursuit of what is most beneficial to someone or something, regardless of the cost to yourself or the type of response received from the person or thing. It can also indicate a preference for someone or something over other things. )
Dwellings
- “Don’t let your heart be shaken. You believe in God; also believe in Me.1“You believe in God, also believe in Me” The Greek here is slightly ambiguous, since the verb “believe” here (repeated twice in the this clause) in both cases could either be indicative (statement of fact = “you believe”) or imperative (a command = “believe”). Additionally though less probably, either instance could be interrogative (question = “do you believe?”). Thus it could be translated one of 9 ways, and all are equally valid. Here are the four most likely meanings: (1) “Believe in God and believe in Me” (both imperative) (2) “You believe in God; also believe in Me.” (first indicative, second imperative) (3) “Do you believe in God? Also believe in Me.” (first interrogative, second imperative) (4) “You believe in God and you believe in Me.” (both indicative)
- “There are many dwellings in My Father’s house, and I would have told you if there weren’t because I’m going to prepare a place for you.
- “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I am coming again and will bring you to Myself, so you also might be where I am.
- “And you *know the way to the place I go.”
- Thomas says to Him: “Lord, we don’t *know where you’re going; how are we able to *know the way?”
- Jesus tells him: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
- “If you men had known Me, you had known My Father also; from now on, you know Him and have seen Him.”
- Philip says to Him: “Lord, show us the Father and that is satisfying for us.”
- Jesus tells him: “I’m with you men for so much time and you haven’t known Me Philip? The man who has seen Me has seen the Father; how do you say ‘show us the Father’?
- “Don’t you believe that I’m in the Father and the Father is in Me? The words that I speak to you I don’t speak from Myself, but the Father dwelling in Me does His works.
- “Believe Me that I’m in the Father and the Father is in Me. But if not, believe because of the works themselves.
- “Amen, amen I tell you: the man believing in Me, that man will also do the works that I do. And he will do greater works than these because I’m going to the Father.
- “And whatever you ask in My name, I will do it so the Father might be glorified in the Son.
- “If you ask Me something in My name, I will do it.
Another Advocate, the Holy Spirit
- “If you ^love Me, you will keep My commandments,
- “and I will ask the Father and He will give you another Advocate,2“Advocate” this Greek word as a legal term for a lawyer in NT times, and thus also has the idea of an advisor. In the widest sense, it was also a general term for one who offers aid. so He might be with you through the age.
- “He is the Spirit of truth whom the world isn’t able to receive because it doesn’t see Him nor know Him. You know Him because He dwells with you and will be in you.
- “I won’t leave you as orphans; I am coming to you.
- “There’s still a short time, and then the world no longer sees Me; but you see Me. Because I live, you also will live.
- “In that day you will know that I’m in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.
- “The man having My commandments and keeping them, that is the man ^loving Me. And the man ^loving Me will be ^loved by My Father; and I will ^love him and will reveal Myself to him.”
- Judas (not Iscariot) says to Him: “Lord, and what has happened that you are about to reveal yourself to us and not to the world?”
- Jesus answered and told him: “If anyone ^loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will ^love him, and We will go to him and will make Our dwelling with him.
- “The man not ^loving Me doesn’t keep My words. And the word that you hear isn’t Mine, but it’s from the Father who sent Me.
- “I have told you these things while remaining with you.
- “But the Advocate – the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name – He will teach you all things and will remind you of all things that I told you.
- “I leave you peace; I give you My peace, I don’t give to you as the world gives. Don’t be shaken in your heart nor be fearfully timid.
- “You heard that I told you: ‘I am departing and am coming to you’. If you ^loved Me, you would’ve rejoiced that I am going to the Father because the Father is greater than I.
- “And now I have told you before it happens, so when it happens you might believe.
- “I won’t speak with you much longer, for the ruler of the world is coming and he doesn’t have anything in Me.
- “But so the world might know that I ^love the Father, and just as the Father commanded Me, I do it this way. Rise, so we might go from here.”
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