Book of Common Prayer

¹² By the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were shown among the people. And they were all together with one accord in Solomon’s porch. ¹³ And none of the rest dared join himself to them; nevertheless, the people held them in high regard.

¹⁴ The number of those who believed in the Lord, both of men and women, grew more and more, ¹⁵ insomuch that they brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and pallets so that at least the shadow of Peter, when he came by, might fall on some of them. ¹⁶ Many people also came from the towns round about Jerusalem, bringing sick folks and those who were vexed with unclean spirits. And they were healed, every one.

¹⁷ Then the chief priest rose up, and all they that were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and were full of indignation, ¹⁸ and laid hands on the apostles and put them in the common prison. ¹⁹ But the angel of the Lord opened the prison doors by night and brought them out, and said, ²⁰ Go; step forth, and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life. ²¹ When they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning and taught.

The chief priest came, and those who were with him, and called a council together with all the elders of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to fetch the apostles. ²² When the officers came and did not find them in the prison, they returned and reported, saying, ²³ We found the prison shut as securely as was possible, and the guards standing outside before the doors. But when we opened up, we found no one within.

  ²⁴ When the most chief priest and the chief warden of the temple and the high priests heard these things, they were fearful about them, what this might grow into. ²⁵ Then someone came and told them, Behold, the men that you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.

²⁶ Then the chief warden of the temple went with officers, and brought them without violence because they feared to be stoned by the people.

The conversation of Christ with Nicodemus. The teaching and baptism of John, and what witness he bears of Christ.

3 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler among the Jews. ² He came to Jesus by night and said to him, Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God. For no man could do such miracles as you do unless God were with him.

³ Jesus answered and said to him, Truly truly I say to you, unless a man be born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

⁴ Nicodemus said to him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter into his mother’s womb and be born again?

⁵ Jesus answered, Truly truly I say to you, unless a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. ⁶ That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. ⁷ Marvel not that I said to you, you must be born anew. ⁸ The wind blows where it will, and you hear its sound, but cannot tell from whence it comes and where it goes. That is how it is with everyone that is born of the Spirit.

⁹ And Nicodemus answered and said to him, How can these things be?

¹⁰ Jesus answered and said to him, Are you a teacher in Israel, and do not know these things? ¹¹ Truly truly I say to you, we speak what we know and testify what we have seen, and you people do not receive our witness. ¹² If when I tell you all earthly things, you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you of heavenly things? ¹³ And no man ascends up to heaven but he who came down from heaven; that is to say, the Son of man who is in heaven. ¹⁴ And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up, ¹⁵ so that no one who believes in him will perish, but will have eternal life.

¹⁶ For God so loves the world that he has given his only Son, so that none who believe in him should perish, but should have everlasting life. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but so that the world through him could be saved. ¹⁸ Whoever believes on him shall not be condemned. But whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he does not believe in the name of the only Son of God. ¹⁹ And this is the condemnation: that light has come into the world, and men loved darkness more than light, because their deeds were evil. ²⁰ For everyone who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light lest his deeds should be reproved. ²¹ But whoever does truth comes to the light, so that his deeds may be known, that they are wrought in God.