²⁰ For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.^(A)

⁹ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law,^(A) but that which is through faith in^[a] Christ—the righteousness^(B) that comes from God on the basis of faith.^(C)

² For I can testify about them that they are zealous^(A) for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. ³ Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.^(B)

Israel’s Unbelief

³⁰ What then shall we say?^(A) That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith;^{(B) 31} but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness,^(C) have not attained their goal.^{(D) 32} Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone.^(E)

¹⁴ The Pharisees, who loved money,^(A) heard all this and were sneering at Jesus.^{(B) 15} He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves^(C) in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts.^(D) What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight.

² “The teachers of the law^(A) and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. ³ So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. ⁴ They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.^(B)

⁵ “Everything they do is done for people to see:^(C) They make their phylacteries^[a](D) wide and the tassels on their garments^(E) long;

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)

Warning and Encouragement

¹⁴ Make every effort to live in peace with everyone^(A) and to be holy;^(B) without holiness no one will see the Lord.^(C)

¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ,^(A) the new creation^(B) has come:^[a] The old has gone, the new is here!^(C)