Psalm 2

⁷ I will proclaim the Lord’s decree:

The Believers Pray

²³ On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. ²⁴ When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God.^(A) “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.^{(B) 25} You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:^(C)

²⁷ Indeed Herod^(E) and Pontius Pilate^(F) met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus,^(G) whom you anointed. ²⁸ They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.^{(H) 29} Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.^{(I) 30} Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders^(J) through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”^(K)

³¹ After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken.^(L) And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit^(M) and spoke the word of God^(N) boldly.^(O)

Jesus Teaches Nicodemus

3 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus^(A) who was a member of the Jewish ruling council.^{(B) 2} He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi,^(C) we know^(D) that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs^(E) you are doing if God were not with him.”^(F)

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

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.^{(H) 6} Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit^[b] gives birth to spirit.^{(I) 7} You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You^[c] must be born again.’ ⁸ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”^[d](J)

¹⁰ Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, ¹¹ “Ask the Lord your God for a sign,^(A) whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights.^(B)”

¹² But Ahaz said, “I will not ask; I will not put the Lord to the test.^(C)”

¹³ Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, you house of David!^(D) Is it not enough^(E) to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience^(F) of my God^(G) also? ¹⁴ Therefore the Lord himself will give you^[a] a sign:^(H) The virgin^[b](I) will conceive and give birth to a son,^(J) and^[c] will call him Immanuel.^[d](K)

⁴ It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats^(A) to take away sins.^(B)

⁵ Therefore, when Christ came into the world,^(C) he said:

⁸ First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”^(G)—though they were offered in accordance with the law. ⁹ Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.”^(H) He sets aside the first to establish the second. ¹⁰ And by that will, we have been made holy^(I) through the sacrifice of the body^(J) of Jesus Christ once for all.^(K)

The Birth of Jesus Foretold

²⁶ In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel^(A) to Nazareth,^(B) a town in Galilee, ²⁷ to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph,^(C) a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸ The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

²⁹ Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. ³⁰ But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid,^(D) Mary; you have found favor with God.^{(E) 31} You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.^{(F) 32} He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.^(G) The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,^{(H) 33} and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom^(I) will never end.”^(J)

³⁴ “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

³⁵ The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you,^(K) and the power of the Most High^(L) will overshadow you. So the holy one^(M) to be born will be called^[a] the Son of God.^{(N) 36} Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child^(O) in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. ³⁷ For no word from God will ever fail.”^(P)

³⁸ “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.