³ Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.^[a]”^(A)

⁴ “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”

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.^{(B) 6} Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit^[b] gives birth to spirit.^{(C) 7} You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You^[c] must be born again.’

¹⁹ This is the verdict: Light^(A) has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.^{(B) 20} Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.^(C)

³⁶ Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life,^(A) but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.

¹⁷ And the Lord said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked,^(A) because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.”^(B)

¹⁸ Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.”^(C)

¹⁹ And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass^(D) in front of you, and I will proclaim my name,^(E) the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.^{(F) 20} But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see^(G) me and live.”

²¹ Then the Lord said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. ²² When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock^(H) and cover you with my hand^(I) until I have passed by. ²³ Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.”

⁹ The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees^(A) that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life^(B) and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.^(C)

¹⁶ And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden;^{(A) 17} but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil,^(B) for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”^(C)

²¹ The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.^{(A) 22} And the Lord God said, “The man has now become like one of us,^(B) knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life^(C) and eat, and live forever.” ²³ So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden^(D) to work the ground^(E) from which he had been taken. ²⁴ After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side^[a] of the Garden of Eden^(F) cherubim^(G) and a flaming sword^(H) flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.^(I)

Praise for Spiritual Blessings in Christ

³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,^(A) who has blessed us in the heavenly realms^(B) with every spiritual blessing in Christ. ⁴ For he chose us^(C) in him before the creation of the world^(D) to be holy and blameless^(E) in his sight. In love^{(F) 5} he^[a] predestined^(G) us for adoption to sonship^[b](H) through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure^(I) and will— ⁶ to the praise of his glorious grace,^(J) which he has freely given us in the One he loves.^{(K) 7} In him we have redemption^(L) through his blood,^(M) the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches^(N) of God’s grace ⁸ that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, ⁹ he^[c] made known to us the mystery^(O) of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed^(P) in Christ, ¹⁰ to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment^(Q)—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.^(R)

¹¹ In him we were also chosen,^[d] having been predestined^(S) according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose^(T) of his will, ¹² in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.^{(U) 13} And you also were included in Christ^(V) when you heard the message of truth,^(W) the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal,^(X) the promised Holy Spirit,^(Y)

Made Alive in Christ

2 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,^{(A) 2} in which you used to live^(B) when you followed the ways of this world^(C) and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air,^(D) the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.^{(E) 3} All of us also lived among them at one time,^(F) gratifying the cravings of our flesh^[a](G) and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.