Justified by Faith

¹⁵ We ourselves are Jews by birth and not ^(A)Gentile sinners; ¹⁶ yet we know that ^(B)a person is not justified^[a] by works of the law ^(C)but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, ^(D)because by works of the law no one will be justified.

¹⁷ But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found ^(E)to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! ¹⁸ For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor. ¹⁹ For through the law I ^(F)died to the law, so that I might ^(G)live to God. ²⁰ I have been ^(H)crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives ^(I)in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, ^(J)who loved me and ^(K)gave himself for me. ²¹ I do not nullify the grace of God, for ^(L)if righteousness^[b] were through the law, ^(M)then Christ died for no purpose.

⁹ In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that ^(A)God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. ¹⁰ In this is love, ^(B)not that we have loved God ^(C)but that he loved us and sent his Son to be ^(D)the propitiation for our sins. ¹¹ Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. ^12 (E)No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and ^(F)his love is perfected in us.

^13 (G)By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. ¹⁴ And ^(H)we have seen and testify that ^(I)the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of ^(J)the world. ^15 (K)Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. ¹⁶ So ^(L)we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. ^(M)God is love, and ^(N)whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

The Testimony of John the Baptist

¹⁹ And this is the ^(A)testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ^(B)“Who are you?” ^20 (C)He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” ²¹ And they asked him, “What then? ^(D)Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you ^(E)the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” ²² So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” ²³ He said, “I am ^(F)the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight^[a] the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”

²⁴ (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) ²⁵ They asked him, ^(G)“Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” ²⁶ John answered them, ^(H)“I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, ²⁷ even ^(I)he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” ²⁸ These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Behold, the Lamb of God

²⁹ The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, ^(J)the Lamb of God, who ^(K)takes away the sin ^(L)of the world! ³⁰ This is he of whom I said, ^(M)‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ ³¹ I myself did not know him, but ^(N)for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” ³² And John ^(O)bore witness: ^(P)“I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and ^(Q)it remained on him. ³³ I myself did not know him, but ^(R)he who sent me to baptize ^(S)with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, ^(T)this is he who baptizes ^(U)with the Holy Spirit.’ ³⁴ And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son^[b] of God.”