^16 (A)The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

^13 (A)By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.

²² and who has also ^(A)put his seal on us and ^(B)given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.^[a]

⁵ He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, ^(A)who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

¹⁹ By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; ²⁰ for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. ²¹ Beloved, ^(A)if our heart does not condemn us, ^(B)we have confidence before God; ²² and ^(C)whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and ^(D)do what pleases him.

¹³ In him you also, when you heard ^(A)the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, ^(B)were sealed with the ^(C)promised Holy Spirit,

²⁶ Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For ^(A)we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but ^(B)the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

³⁰ And ^(A)do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, ^(B)by whom you were sealed for the day of ^(C)redemption.

Paul's Change of Plans

¹² For our boast is this, ^(A)the testimony of our conscience, that we behaved in the world with simplicity^[a] and ^(B)godly sincerity, ^(C)not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God, and supremely so toward you.

²³ And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have ^(A)the firstfruits of the Spirit, ^(B)groan inwardly as ^(C)we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, ^(D)the redemption of our bodies.