^23 (A)having been born again, not of ^[a]corruptible seed but ^[b]incorruptible, ^(B)through the word of God which lives and abides ^[c]forever,

A Heavenly Inheritance

^3 (A)Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who ^(B)according to His abundant mercy ^(C)has begotten us again to a living hope ^(D)through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

¹² For the word of God is ^(A)living and powerful, and ^(B)sharper than any ^(C)two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is ^(D)a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

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.”

^13 (A)who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

⁵³ For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and ^(A)this mortal must put on immortality. ⁵⁴ So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: ^(B)“Death is swallowed up in victory.”

^63 (A)It is the Spirit who gives life; the ^(B)flesh profits nothing. The ^(C)words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.

Knowing the True—Rejecting the False

¹⁸ We know that ^(A)whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God ^(B)keeps^{[a] [b]}himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.

⁹ Whoever has been ^(A)born of God does not sin, for ^(B)His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.