So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God.This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another.We must not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because Cain had been doing what was evil, and his brother had been doing what was righteous.So don’t be surprised, dear brothers and sisters, if the world hates you.If we love our brothers and sisters who are believers, it proves that we have passed from death to life. But a person who has no love is still dead.
I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one— as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.
All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had.The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all.There were no needy people among them, because those who owned land or houses would sell themand bring the money to the apostles to give to those in need.
So disputes broke out between the herdsmen of Abram and Lot.( At that time Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land.)Finally Abram said to Lot,“ Let’s not allow this conflict to come between us or our herdsmen. After all, we are close relatives!
The apostles were performing many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers were meeting regularly at the Temple in the area known as Solomon’s Colonnade.But no one else dared to join them, even though all the people had high regard for them.Yet more and more people believed and were brought to the Lord— crowds of both men and women.
