Praise for Spiritual Blessings in Christ

³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,^(A) who has blessed us in the heavenly realms^(B) with every spiritual blessing in Christ. ⁴ For he chose us^(C) in him before the creation of the world^(D) to be holy and blameless^(E) in his sight. In love^{(F) 5} he^[a] predestined^(G) us for adoption to sonship^[b](H) through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure^(I) and will— ⁶ to the praise of his glorious grace,^(J) which he has freely given us in the One he loves.^{(K) 7} In him we have redemption^(L) through his blood,^(M) the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches^(N) of God’s grace ⁸ that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding,

²³ Jesus replied, “The hour^(A) has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.^{(B) 24} Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies,^(C) it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. ²⁵ Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it^(D) for eternal life.^{(E) 26} Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be.^(F) My Father will honor the one who serves me.

²⁷ “Now my soul is troubled,^(G) and what shall I say? ‘Father,^(H) save me from this hour’?^(I) No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. ²⁸ Father, glorify your name!”

Then a voice came from heaven,^(J) “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” ²⁹ The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.

³⁰ Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit,^(K) not mine. ³¹ Now is the time for judgment on this world;^(L) now the prince of this world^(M) will be driven out. ³² And I, when I am lifted up^[a] from the earth,^(N) will draw all people to myself.”^{(O) 33} He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.^(P)