Jesus Teaches Nicodemus

3 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus^(A) who was a member of the Jewish ruling council.^{(B) 2} He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi,^(C) we know^(D) that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs^(E) you are doing if God were not with him.”^(F)

³ Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.^[a]”^(G)

⁴ “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”

⁵ Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.^{(H) 6} Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit^[b] gives birth to spirit.^{(I) 7} You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You^[c] must be born again.’ ⁸ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”^[d](J)

⁹ “How can this be?”^(K) Nicodemus asked.

¹⁰ “You are Israel’s teacher,”^(L) said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? ¹¹ Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know,^(M) and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony.^{(N) 12} I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? ¹³ No one has ever gone into heaven^(O) except the one who came from heaven^(P)—the Son of Man.^{[e](Q) 14} Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness,^(R) so the Son of Man must be lifted up,^{[f](S) 15} that everyone who believes^(T) may have eternal life in him.”^[g](U)

¹⁶ For God so loved^(V) the world that he gave^(W) his one and only Son,^(X) that whoever believes^(Y) in him shall not perish but have eternal life.^{(Z) 17} For God did not send his Son into the world^(AA) to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.^{(AB) 18} Whoever believes in him is not condemned,^(AC) but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.^{(AD) 19} This is the verdict: Light^(AE) has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.^{(AF) 20} Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.^{(AG) 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.^{(AH) 23} Now John^(AI) 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.)^{(AJ) 25} An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing.^{(AK) 26} They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi,^(AL) that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified^(AM) 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.’^{(AN) 29} The bride belongs to the bridegroom.^(AO) 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.^{(AP) 30} He must become greater; I must become less.”^[h]

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

Jacob Returns to Bethel

35 Then God said to Jacob, “Go up to Bethel^(A) and settle there, and build an altar^(B) there to God,^(C) who appeared to you^(D) when you were fleeing from your brother Esau.”^(E)

² So Jacob said to his household^(F) and to all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods^(G) you have with you, and purify yourselves and change your clothes.^{(H) 3} Then come, let us go up to Bethel, where I will build an altar to God,^(I) who answered me in the day of my distress^(J) and who has been with me wherever I have gone.^(K)” ⁴ So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods they had and the rings in their ears,^(L) and Jacob buried them under the oak^(M) at Shechem.^{(N) 5} Then they set out, and the terror of God^(O) fell on the towns all around them so that no one pursued them.^(P)

⁶ Jacob and all the people with him came to Luz^(Q) (that is, Bethel) in the land of Canaan.^{(R) 7} There he built an altar,^(S) and he called the place El Bethel,^[a](T) because it was there that God revealed himself to him^(U) when he was fleeing from his brother.^(V)

⁸ Now Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse,^(W) died and was buried under the oak^(X) outside Bethel.^(Y) So it was named Allon Bakuth.^[b]

⁹ After Jacob returned from Paddan Aram,^[c](Z) God appeared to him again and blessed him.^{(AA) 10} God said to him, “Your name is Jacob,^[d] but you will no longer be called Jacob; your name will be Israel.^[e]”^(AB) So he named him Israel.

¹¹ And God said to him, “I am God Almighty^[f];^(AC) be fruitful and increase in number.^(AD) A nation^(AE) and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will be among your descendants.^{(AF) 12} The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I also give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you.^(AG)”^{(AH) 13} Then God went up from him^(AI) at the place where he had talked with him.

¹⁴ Jacob set up a stone pillar^(AJ) at the place where God had talked with him, and he poured out a drink offering^(AK) on it; he also poured oil on it.^{(AL) 15} Jacob called the place where God had talked with him Bethel.^[g](AM)

The Deaths of Rachel and Isaac^(AN)

¹⁶ Then they moved on from Bethel. While they were still some distance from Ephrath,^(AO) Rachel^(AP) began to give birth and had great difficulty. ¹⁷ And as she was having great difficulty in childbirth, the midwife^(AQ) said to her, “Don’t despair, for you have another son.”^{(AR) 18} As she breathed her last—for she was dying—she named her son Ben-Oni.^[h](AS) But his father named him Benjamin.^[i](AT)

¹⁹ So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath^(AU) (that is, Bethlehem^(AV)). ²⁰ Over her tomb Jacob set up a pillar, and to this day^(AW) that pillar marks Rachel’s tomb.^(AX)

²¹ Israel moved on again and pitched his tent beyond Migdal Eder.^{(AY) 22} While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father’s concubine^(AZ) Bilhah,^(BA) and Israel heard of it.

Jacob had twelve sons:

These were the sons of Jacob,^(BM) who were born to him in Paddan Aram.^(BN)

²⁷ Jacob came home to his father Isaac^(BO) in Mamre,^(BP) near Kiriath Arba^(BQ) (that is, Hebron),^(BR) where Abraham and Isaac had stayed.^{(BS) 28} Isaac lived a hundred and eighty years.^{(BT) 29} Then he breathed his last and died and was gathered to his people,^(BU) old and full of years.^(BV) And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.^(BW)

God’s Faithfulness

3 What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? ² Much in every way!^(A) First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God.^(B)

³ What if some were unfaithful?^(C) Will their unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness?^{(D) 4} Not at all! Let God be true,^(E) and every human being a liar.^(F) As it is written:

⁵ But if our unrighteousness brings out God’s righteousness more clearly,^(H) what shall we say? That God is unjust in bringing his wrath on us? (I am using a human argument.)^{(I) 6} Certainly not! If that were so, how could God judge the world?^{(J) 7} Someone might argue, “If my falsehood enhances God’s truthfulness and so increases his glory,^(K) why am I still condemned as a sinner?”^{(L) 8} Why not say—as some slanderously claim that we say—“Let us do evil that good may result”?^(M) Their condemnation is just!

No One Is Righteous

⁹ What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage?^(N) Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin.^{(O) 10} As it is written:

¹⁹ Now we know that whatever the law says,^(V) it says to those who are under the law,^(W) so that every mouth may be silenced^(X) and the whole world held accountable to God.^{(Y) 20} Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law;^(Z) rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.^(AA)

Righteousness Through Faith

²¹ But now apart from the law the righteousness of God^(AB) has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.^{(AC) 22} This righteousness^(AD) is given through faith^(AE) in^[h] Jesus Christ^(AF) to all who believe.^(AG) There is no difference between Jew and Gentile,^{(AH) 23} for all have sinned^(AI) and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ and all are justified^(AJ) freely by his grace^(AK) through the redemption^(AL) that came by Christ Jesus. ²⁵ God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement,^[i](AM) through the shedding of his blood^(AN)—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished^(AO)— ²⁶ he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

²⁷ Where, then, is boasting?^(AP) It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith. ²⁸ For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.^{(AQ) 29} Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too,^{(AR) 30} since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith.^{(AS) 31} Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.

3 So when we could stand it no longer,^(A) we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens.^{(B) 2} We sent Timothy,^(C) who is our brother and co-worker^(D) in God’s service in spreading the gospel of Christ,^(E) to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, ³ so that no one would be unsettled by these trials.^(F) For you know quite well that we are destined for them.^{(G) 4} In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know.^{(H) 5} For this reason, when I could stand it no longer,^(I) I sent to find out about your faith.^(J) I was afraid that in some way the tempter^(K) had tempted you and that our labors might have been in vain.^(L)

Timothy’s Encouraging Report

⁶ But Timothy^(M) has just now come to us from you^(N) and has brought good news about your faith and love.^(O) He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you.^{(P) 7} Therefore, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. ⁸ For now we really live, since you are standing firm^(Q) in the Lord. ⁹ How can we thank God enough for you^(R) in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you?^{(S) 10} Night and day we pray^(T) most earnestly that we may see you again^(U) and supply what is lacking in your faith.

¹¹ Now may our God and Father^(V) himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. ¹² May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other^(W) and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. ¹³ May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless^(X) and holy in the presence of our God and Father^(Y) when our Lord Jesus comes^(Z) with all his holy ones.^(AA)

Psalm 33

Wisdom’s Call