3 See what great love^(A) the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!^(B) And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.^{(C) 2} Dear friends,^(D) now we are children of God,^(E) and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears,^[a](F) we shall be like him,^(G) for we shall see him as he is.^(H)

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)— ¹³ children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.^(D)

¹³ For if you live according to the flesh, you will die;^(A) but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body,^(B) you will live.^(C)

¹⁴ For those who are led by the Spirit of God^(D) are the children of God.^{(E) 15} The Spirit^(F) you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again;^(G) rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.^[a] And by him we cry, “Abba,^[b] Father.”^{(H) 16} The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit^(I) that we are God’s children.^{(J) 17} Now if we are children, then we are heirs^(K)—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings^(L) in order that we may also share in his glory.^(M)

²⁶ So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God^(A) through faith, ²⁷ for all of you who were baptized into Christ^(B) have clothed yourselves with Christ.^(C)

⁴ But when the set time had fully come,^(A) God sent his Son,^(B) born of a woman,^(C) born under the law,^{(D) 5} to redeem^(E) those under the law, that we might receive adoption^(F) to sonship.^{[a](G) 6} Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son^(H) into our hearts,^(I) the Spirit who calls out, “Abba,^[b] Father.”^(J)