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18 He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. 1:18 Greek we became a kind of firstfruit of his creatures.

18 He chose to give us birth(A) through the word of truth,(B) that we might be a kind of firstfruits(C) of all he created.

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29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn[a] among many brothers and sisters. 30 And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.

Nothing Can Separate Us from God’s Love

31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?

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Footnotes

  1. 8:29 Or would be supreme.

29 For those God foreknew(A) he also predestined(B) to be conformed to the image of his Son,(C) that he might be the firstborn(D) among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined,(E) he also called;(F) those he called, he also justified;(G) those he justified, he also glorified.(H)

More Than Conquerors

31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things?(I) If God is for us,(J) who can be against us?(K)

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23 For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God.

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23 For you have been born again,(A) not of perishable seed, but of imperishable,(B) through the living and enduring word of God.(C)

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Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again,[a] you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”

“What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”

Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.[b]

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Footnotes

  1. 3:3 Or born from above; also in 3:7.
  2. 3:5 Or and spirit. The Greek word for Spirit can also be translated wind; see 3:8.

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

“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!”

Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. John 3:3 The Greek for again also means from above; also in verse 7.

13 They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.

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

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The Hope of Eternal Life

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation,

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Praise to God for a Living Hope

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!(A) In his great mercy(B) he has given us new birth(C) into a living hope(D) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,(E)

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They have kept themselves as pure as virgins,[a] following the Lamb wherever he goes. They have been purchased from among the people on the earth as a special offering[b] to God and to the Lamb.

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Footnotes

  1. 14:4a Greek They are virgins who have not defiled themselves with women.
  2. 14:4b Greek as firstfruits.

These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they remained virgins.(A) They follow the Lamb wherever he goes.(B) They were purchased from among mankind(C) and offered as firstfruits(D) to God and the Lamb.

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Believers Should Stand Firm

13 As for us, we can’t help but thank God for you, dear brothers and sisters loved by the Lord. We are always thankful that God chose you to be among the first[a] to experience salvation—a salvation that came through the Spirit who makes you holy and through your belief in the truth. 14 He called you to salvation when we told you the Good News; now you can share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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Footnotes

  1. 2:13 Some manuscripts read chose you from the very beginning.

Stand Firm

13 But we ought always to thank God for you,(A) brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits[a](B) to be saved(C) through the sanctifying work of the Spirit(D) and through belief in the truth. 14 He called you(E) to this through our gospel,(F) that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Thessalonians 2:13 Some manuscripts because from the beginning God chose you

But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)

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But because of his great love for us,(A) God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions(B)—it is by grace you have been saved.(C)

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In those days Israel was holy to the Lord,
    the first of his children.[a]
All who harmed his people were declared guilty,
    and disaster fell on them.
    I, the Lord, have spoken!”

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Footnotes

  1. 2:3 Hebrew the firstfruits of his harvest.

Israel was holy(A) to the Lord,(B)
    the firstfruits(C) of his harvest;
all who devoured(D) her were held guilty,(E)
    and disaster overtook them,’”
declares the Lord.

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20 and through him God reconciled
    everything to himself.
He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth
    by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.

21 This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions.

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20 and through him to reconcile(A) to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven,(B) by making peace(C) through his blood,(D) shed on the cross.

21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies(E) in your minds(F) because of[a] your evil behavior.

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Footnotes

  1. Colossians 1:21 Or minds, as shown by

12 God’s purpose was that we Jews who were the first to trust in Christ would bring praise and glory to God.

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12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.(A)

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Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life[a] is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God.

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Footnotes

  1. 3:9 Greek because his seed.

No one who is born of God(A) will continue to sin,(B) because God’s seed(C) remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.

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