¹² On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. ¹³ But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’^[a](A) For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”^(B)

¹⁴ Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness,^(A) so the Son of Man must be lifted up,^{[a](B) 15} that everyone who believes^(C) may have eternal life in him.”^[b](D)

¹⁶ For God so loved^(E) the world that he gave^(F) his one and only Son,^(G) that whoever believes^(H) in him shall not perish but have eternal life.^{(I) 17} For God did not send his Son into the world^(J) to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.^(K)

⁶ You see, at just the right time,^(A) when we were still powerless,^(B) Christ died for the ungodly.^{(C) 7} Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. ⁸ But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.^(D)

¹⁸ Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people,^(A) so also one righteous act resulted in justification^(B) and life^(C) for all people. ¹⁹ For just as through the disobedience of the one man^(D) the many were made sinners,^(E) so also through the obedience^(F) of the one man the many will be made righteous.