¹³ who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.^(A)

¹⁸ In fulfillment of his own purpose he gave birth to us by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of his creatures.^(A)

⁹ Those who have been born of God do not sin because God’s seed abides in them;^[a] they cannot sin because they have been born of God.^(A)

²³ You have been born anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God.^[a](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)

⁵ Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.^{(A) 6} What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. ⁷ Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You^[a] must be born from above.’^{[b] 8} The wind^[c] blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”^(B)

²⁸ And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he is revealed we may have confidence and not be put to shame before him at his coming.^(A)

Children of God

²⁹ If you perceive that he is righteous, you also know that everyone who does right has been born of him.^(B)

⁴ for whatever is born of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith.^(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.^(A)

God Is Love

⁷ Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.^(A)