¹⁴ John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”

³ Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.”^{[a](A) 4} Nicodemus said to him, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?” ⁵ Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.^{(B) 6} What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. ⁷ Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You^[b] must be born from above.’^[c]

⁵ for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with^[a] the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”^(A)

The Ascension of Jesus

⁶ So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?”^{(B) 7} He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority.^{(C) 8} But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”^(D)

⁶ He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” ⁷ Jesus answered, “You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” ⁸ Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.”^(A)

³ All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, doing the will of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else,^{(A) 4} but God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us^{(B) 5} even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ^[a]—by grace you have been saved—

⁶ And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our^[a] hearts, crying, “Abba!^[b] Father!”^(A)

²⁷ As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.^{(A) 28} There is no longer Jew or Greek; there is no longer slave or free; there is no longer male and female, for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.^{(B) 29} And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring,^[a] heirs according to the promise.^(C)

²² But the scripture has imprisoned all things under the power of sin, so that what was promised through the faith of Jesus Christ^[a] might be given to those who believe.^(A)

²⁵ whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement^[a] by his blood, effective through faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously committed;^(A)