³ Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, ^(A)unless one is born ^[a]again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

⁴ Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”

⁵ Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, ^(B)unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. ⁶ That which is born of the flesh is ^(C)flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. ⁷ Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’

³⁸ Then Peter said to them, ^(A)“Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the ^[a]remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ For the promise is to you and ^(B)to your children, and ^(C)to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”

A Vital Church Grows

⁴⁰ And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this ^[b]perverse generation.” ⁴¹ Then those who ^[c]gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. ^42 (D)And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ ^[d]doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.

^9 (A)The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but ^(B)is longsuffering toward ^[a]us, ^(C)not willing that any should perish but ^(D)that all should come to repentance.