¹⁷ And if you call on the Father, who ^(A)without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your ^[a]stay here in fear; ¹⁸ knowing that you were not redeemed with ^[b]corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, ¹⁹ but ^(B)with the precious blood of Christ, ^(C)as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. ^20 (D)He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was ^[c]manifest ^(E)in these last times for you ²¹ who through Him believe in God, ^(F)who raised Him from the dead and ^(G)gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

The Enduring Word

²² Since you ^(H)have purified your souls in obeying the truth ^[d]through the Spirit in ^[e]sincere ^(I)love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, ^23 (J)having been born again, not of ^[f]corruptible seed but ^[g]incorruptible, ^(K)through the word of God which lives and abides ^[h]forever, ²⁴ because

^(N)Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.

The Lamb of God^(A)

²⁹ The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! ^(B)The Lamb of God ^(C)who takes away the sin of the world! ³⁰ This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who ^[a]is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ ³¹ I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, ^(D)therefore I came baptizing with water.”

^32 (E)And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. ³³ I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, ^(F)this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ ³⁴ And I have seen and testified that this is the ^(G)Son of God.”