³⁶ Jesus answered, “My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom belonged to this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.”^(A)

The Coming of the Kingdom

²⁰ Once Jesus^[a] was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, and he answered, “The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed, ²¹ nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There it is!’ For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among^[b] you.”^(A)

¹² giving thanks to the Father,^[a] who has enabled^[b] you^[c] to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. ¹³ He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son,^{(A) 14} in whom we have redemption,^[d] the forgiveness of sins.

¹⁷ For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.^(A)

¹⁵ When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.^(A)

⁴⁴ And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall this kingdom be left to another people. It shall crush all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever,^(A)

¹³ In the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you^(A)

⁵³ Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?^(A)

The Coming Ruler of God’s People