Persecutions Predicted

¹⁸ “If the world hates^(A) you, understand that it hated Me before it hated you. ¹⁹ If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen^(B) you out of it, the world hates you. ²⁰ Remember the word I spoke to you: ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’^(C) If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word,^(D) they will also keep yours. ²¹ But they will do all these things to you on account of My name,^(E) because they don’t know^(F) the One who sent Me. ²² If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin.^[a](G) Now they have no excuse for their sin. ²³ The one who hates Me also hates My Father.^{(H) 24} If I had not done the works^(I) among them that no one else has done,^(J) they would not have sin.^(K) Now they have seen and hated both Me and My Father. ²⁵ But this happened so that the statement written in their scripture might be fulfilled:^(L) They hated Me for no reason.^(M)[b]

Coming Testimony and Rejection

²⁶ “When the Counselor^(N) comes, the One I will send to you from the Father^(O)—the Spirit of truth^(P) who proceeds from the Father—He will testify about Me. ²⁷ You also will testify,^(Q) because you have been with Me from the beginning.

16 “I have told you these things to keep you from stumbling. ² They will ban you from the synagogues.^(R) In fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering service^(S) to God. ³ They will do these things because they haven’t known^(T) the Father or Me. ⁴ But I have told you these things so that when their time^[c] comes you may remember^(U) I told them to you. I didn’t tell you these things from the beginning, because I was with you.