True and False Disciples

²¹ “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’^(A) will enter the kingdom of heaven,^(B) but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.^{(C) 22} Many will say to me on that day,^(D) ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’^{(E) 23} Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’^(F)

¹² Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed^(A) in his name,^(B) he gave the right to become children of God^(C)—

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) 7} You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You^[c] must be born again.’

² For I can testify about them that they are zealous^(A) for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. ³ Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.^{(B) 4} Christ is the culmination of the law^(C) so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.^(D)

⁸ For it is by grace^(A) you have been saved,^(B) through faith^(C)—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹ not by works,^(D) so that no one can boast.^(E)