¹² If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?

Divisions in the Church

3 But I, brothers,^[a] could not address you as ^(A)spiritual people, but as ^(B)people of the flesh, as ^(C)infants in Christ. ^2 (D)I fed you with milk, not solid food, for ^(E)you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready,

⁷ But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, ^(A)which God decreed before the ages for our glory. ⁸ None of ^(B)the rulers of this age understood this, for ^(C)if they had, they would not have crucified ^(D)the Lord of glory. ⁹ But, as it is written,

Warning Against Apostasy

¹¹ About this we have much to say, and it is ^(A)hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.

^31 (A)He who comes from above ^(B)is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and ^(C)speaks in an earthly way. ^(D)He who comes from heaven ^(E)is above all. ^32 (F)He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, ^(G)yet no one receives his testimony. ³³ Whoever receives his testimony ^(H)sets his seal to this, ^(I)that God is true. ³⁴ For he whom ^(J)God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit ^(K)without measure. ^35 (L)The Father loves the Son and ^(M)has given all things into his hand. ^36 (N)Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; ^(O)whoever does not obey the Son shall not ^(P)see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

A Living Stone and a Holy People

2 ^(A)So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. ^2 (B)Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual ^(C)milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— ³ if indeed you have ^(D)tasted that the Lord is good.

^13 (A)No one has ^(B)ascended into heaven except ^(C)he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.^{[a] 14} And ^(D)as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man ^(E)be lifted up, ¹⁵ that whoever believes ^(F)in him ^(G)may have eternal life.^[b]

For God So Loved the World

¹⁶ “For ^(H)God so loved ^(I)the world,^{[c] (J)}that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not ^(K)perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For ^(L)God did not send his Son into the world ^(M)to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

^8 (A)The wind^[a] blows ^(B)where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

⁵ Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born ^(A)of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.