¹⁴ The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God^(A) but considers them foolishness,^(B) and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.

³ Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.^[a]”^(A)

⁴ “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”

⁵ Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.^{(B) 6} Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit^[b] gives birth to spirit.^(C)

¹³ Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles^(A) he saw.

¹⁸ When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money ¹⁹ and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”

²⁰ Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!^{(A) 21} You have no part or share^(B) in this ministry, because your heart is not right^(C) before God.

¹⁸ A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to debate with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news^(A) about Jesus and the resurrection.^{(B) 19} Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus,^(C) where they said to him, “May we know what this new teaching^(D) is that you are presenting? ²⁰ You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we would like to know what they mean.” ²¹ (All the Athenians^(E) and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)

³² When they heard about the resurrection of the dead,^(A) some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.”

⁵ Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires;^(A) but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.^{(B) 6} The mind governed by the flesh is death,^(C) but the mind governed by the Spirit is life^(D) and peace. ⁷ The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God;^(E) it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. ⁸ Those who are in the realm of the flesh^(F) cannot please God.

Doxology

²⁵ For the foolishness^(A) of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness^(B) of God is stronger than human strength.