⁵ At Gibeon the Lord appeared^(A) to Solomon during the night in a dream,^(B) and God said, “Ask^(C) for whatever you want me to give you.”

⁶ Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful^(D) to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son^(E) to sit on his throne this very day.

⁷ “Now, Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child^(F) and do not know how to carry out my duties. ⁸ Your servant is here among the people you have chosen,^(G) a great people, too numerous to count or number.^{(H) 9} So give your servant a discerning^(I) heart to govern your people and to distinguish^(J) between right and wrong. For who is able^(K) to govern this great people of yours?”

¹⁰ The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. ¹¹ So God said to him, “Since you have asked^(L) for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment^(M) in administering justice, ¹² I will do what you have asked.^(N) I will give you a wise^(O) and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. ¹³ Moreover, I will give you what you have not^(P) asked for—both wealth and honor^(Q)—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal^(R) among kings. ¹⁴ And if you walk^(S) in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.”^{(T) 15} Then Solomon awoke^(U)—and he realized it had been a dream.^(V)

He returned to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the Lord’s covenant and sacrificed burnt offerings^(W) and fellowship offerings.^(X) Then he gave a feast^(Y) for all his court.

⁶ This is the one who came by water and blood^(A)—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.^{(B) 7} For there are three^(C) that testify: ⁸ the^[a] Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. ⁹ We accept human testimony,^(D) but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God,^(E) which he has given about his Son. ¹⁰ Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony.^(F) Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar,^(G) because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. ¹¹ And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life,^(H) and this life is in his Son.^{(I) 12} Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.^(J)

Concluding Affirmations

¹³ I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God^(K) so that you may know that you have eternal life.^{(L) 14} This is the confidence^(M) we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.^{(N) 15} And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know^(O) that we have what we asked of him.^(P)