⁵ Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.^{(A) 6} Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit^[a] gives birth to spirit.^{(B) 7} You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You^[b] must be born again.’

⁴ On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait^(A) for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.^{(B) 5} For John baptized with^[a] water,^(C) but in a few days you will be baptized with^[b] the Holy Spirit.”^(D)

⁶ Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore^(E) the kingdom to Israel?”

⁷ He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.^{(F) 8} But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you;^(G) and you will be my witnesses^(H) in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria,^(I) and to the ends of the earth.”^(J)

³⁸ Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized,^(A) every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.^(B) And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.^{(C) 39} The promise is for you and your children^(D) and for all who are far off^(E)—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

⁴⁰ With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.”^{(F) 41} Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number^(G) that day.

^{[37] [a] 38} And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him.

Paul in Ephesus

19 While Apollos^(A) was at Corinth,^(B) Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus.^(C) There he found some disciples ² and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit^(D) when^[a] you believed?”

They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

³ So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?”

“John’s baptism,” they replied.

⁴ Paul said, “John’s baptism^(E) was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.”^{(F) 5} On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.^{(G) 6} When Paul placed his hands on them,^(H) the Holy Spirit came on them,^(I) and they spoke in tongues^[b](J) and prophesied. ⁷ There were about twelve men in all.

Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ

6 What shall we say, then?^(A) Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?^{(B) 2} By no means! We are those who have died to sin;^(C) how can we live in it any longer? ³ Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized^(D) into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? ⁴ We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death^(E) in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead^(F) through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.^(G)

⁹ You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh^(A) but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you.^(B) And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ,^(C) they do not belong to Christ. ¹⁰ But if Christ is in you,^(D) then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life^[a] because of righteousness. ¹¹ And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead^(E) is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies^(F) because of^[b] his Spirit who lives in you.

⁴ You, dear children,^(A) are from God and have overcome them,^(B) because the one who is in you^(C) is greater than the one who is in the world.^(D)