⁴ but God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us^(A)

A Living Hope

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead^(A)

⁴ But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared,^{(A) 5} he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water^[a] of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.^{(B) 6} This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷ so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.^(C)

⁷ In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace^(A)

⁷ so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

¹² For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him.^(A)

⁸ But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.^(A)

¹⁰ In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.^{(A) 11} Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another.^{(B) 12} No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us, and his love is perfected in us.^(C)

¹³ By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. ¹⁴ And we have seen and do testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Savior of the world. ¹⁵ God abides in those who confess that Jesus is the Son of God, and they abide in God.^{(D) 16} So we have known and believe the love that God has for us.

God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. ¹⁷ Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in this world.^{(E) 18} There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. ¹⁹ We love^[a] because he first loved us.