⁴² As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue,^(A) the people invited them to speak further about these things on the next Sabbath. ⁴³ When the congregation was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who talked with them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.^(B)

⁴⁴ On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. ⁴⁵ When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy. They began to contradict what Paul was saying^(C) and heaped abuse^(D) on him.

⁴⁶ Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “We had to speak the word of God to you first.^(E) Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.^{(F) 47} For this is what the Lord has commanded us:

⁴⁸ When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord;^(I) and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.

⁴⁹ The word of the Lord^(J) spread through the whole region. ⁵⁰ But the Jewish leaders incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region.^{(K) 51} So they shook the dust off their feet^(L) as a warning to them and went to Iconium.^{(M) 52} And the disciples^(N) were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.^(O)

¹⁴ What then shall we say?^(A) Is God unjust? Not at all!^(B)

Praise for Spiritual Blessings in Christ

³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,^(A) who has blessed us in the heavenly realms^(B) with every spiritual blessing in Christ. ⁴ For he chose us^(C) in him before the creation of the world^(D) to be holy and blameless^(E) in his sight. In love^{(F) 5} he^[a] predestined^(G) us for adoption to sonship^[b](H) through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure^(I) and will— ⁶ to the praise of his glorious grace,^(J) which he has freely given us in the One he loves.^(K)

¹³ When you were dead in your sins^(A) and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you^[a] alive^(B) with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,^(C)

³⁷ All those the Father gives me^(A) will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. ³⁸ For I have come down from heaven^(B) not to do my will but to do the will^(C) of him who sent me.^{(D) 39} And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me,^(E) but raise them up at the last day.^(F)

¹⁶ For God so loved^(A) the world that he gave^(B) his one and only Son,^(C) that whoever believes^(D) in him shall not perish but have eternal life.^{(E) 17} For God did not send his Son into the world^(F) to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.^{(G) 18} Whoever believes in him is not condemned,^(H) but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.^{(I) 19} This is the verdict: Light^(J) has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.^{(K) 20} Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.^{(L) 21} But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

John Testifies Again About Jesus

²² After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized.^{(M) 23} Now John^(N) also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were coming and being baptized. ²⁴ (This was before John was put in prison.)^{(O) 25} An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing.^{(P) 26} They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi,^(Q) that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified^(R) about—look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.”

²⁷ To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. ²⁸ You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’^{(S) 29} The bride belongs to the bridegroom.^(T) The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.^{(U) 30} He must become greater; I must become less.”^[a]

³¹ The one who comes from above^(V) is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth.^(W) The one who comes from heaven is above all. ³² He testifies to what he has seen and heard,^(X) but no one accepts his testimony.^{(Y) 33} Whoever has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. ³⁴ For the one whom God has sent^(Z) speaks the words of God, for God^[b] gives the Spirit^(AA) without limit. ³⁵ The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands.^{(AB) 36} Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life,^(AC) but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.

⁹ If you declare^(A) with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,”^(B) and believe^(C) in your heart that God raised him from the dead,^(D) you will be saved.^{(E) 10} For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. ¹¹ As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.”^{[a](F) 12} For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile^(G)—the same Lord is Lord of all^(H) and richly blesses all who call on him, ¹³ for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord^(I) will be saved.”^[b](J)

¹⁶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel,^(A) because it is the power of God^(B) that brings salvation to everyone who believes:^(C) first to the Jew,^(D) then to the Gentile.^(E)

¹⁴ How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? ¹⁵ And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”^[a](A)