¹² Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed^(A) in his name,^(B) he gave the right to become children of God^(C)— ¹³ children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.^(D)

¹⁴ For those who are led by the Spirit of God^(A) are the children of God.^{(B) 15} The Spirit^(C) you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again;^(D) rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.^[a] And by him we cry, “Abba,^[b] Father.”^{(E) 16} The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit^(F) that we are God’s children.^{(G) 17} Now if we are children, then we are heirs^(H)—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings^(I) in order that we may also share in his glory.^(J)

¹⁸ because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.^(A)

¹⁹ Do you not know that your bodies are temples^(A) of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;^(B)

¹³ And you also were included in Christ^(A) when you heard the message of truth,^(B) the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal,^(C) the promised Holy Spirit,^{(D) 14} who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance^(E) until the redemption^(F) of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.^(G)

3 See what great love^(A) the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!^(B) And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.^(C)

¹⁹ This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: ²⁰ If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.

¹¹ And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life,^(A) and this life is in his Son.^{(B) 12} Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.^(C)

Concluding Affirmations

¹³ I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God^(D) so that you may know that you have eternal life.^(E)