²⁵ Now a discussion arose between some of John's disciples and a Jew over ^(A)purification.

⁶ Now there were six stone water jars there ^(A)for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty ^(B)gallons.^[a]

² and of ^(A)instruction about washings,^{[a] (B)}the laying on of hands, ^(C)the resurrection of the dead, and ^(D)eternal judgment.

^11 (A)“I baptize you with water ^(B)for repentance, but ^(C)he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you ^(D)with the Holy Spirit and ^(E)fire.

²¹ Baptism, which corresponds to this, ^(A)now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but ^(B)as an appeal to God for a good conscience, ^(C)through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

²³ Thus it was necessary for ^(A)the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

¹⁰ but deal only with ^(A)food and drink and ^(B)various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation.

¹³ For if ^(A)the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with ^(B)the ashes of a heifer, sanctify^[a] for the purification of the flesh, ¹⁴ how much more will ^(C)the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit ^(D)offered himself without blemish to God, ^(E)purify our^[b] conscience ^(F)from dead works ^(G)to serve the living God.

⁸ You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.”