Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Children of God, led by the spirit

¹² So then, my dear family, we are in debt—but not to human flesh, to live our life in that way. ¹³ If you live in accordance with the flesh, you will die; but if, by the spirit, you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

¹⁴ All who are led by the spirit of God, you see, are God’s children. ¹⁵ You didn’t receive a spirit of slavery, did you, to go back again into a state of fear? But you received the spirit of sonship, in whom we call out “Abba, Father!” ¹⁶ When that happens, it is the spirit itself giving supporting witness to what our own spirit is saying, that we are God’s children. ¹⁷ And if we’re children, we are also heirs: heirs of God, and fellow heirs with the Messiah, as long as we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

Jesus and Nicodemus

3 There was a man of the Pharisees called Nicodemus, a ruler of the Judaeans. ² He came to Jesus by night.

“Rabbi,” he said to him. “We know that you’re a teacher who’s come from God. Nobody can do these signs that you’re doing, unless God is with him.”

³ “Let me tell you the solemn truth,” replied Jesus. “Unless someone has been born from above, they won’t be able to see God’s kingdom.”

⁴ “How can someone possibly be born,” asked Nicodemus, “when they’re old? You’re not telling me they can go back a second time into the mother’s womb and be born, are you?”

⁵ “I’m telling you the solemn truth,” replied Jesus. “Unless someone is born from water and spirit, they can’t enter God’s kingdom. ⁶ Flesh is born from flesh, but spirit is born from spirit. ⁷ Don’t be surprised that I said to you, You must be born from above. ⁸ The wind blows where it wants to, and you hear the sound it makes; but you don’t know where it’s coming from or where it’s going to. That’s what it’s like with someone who is born from the spirit.”

⁹ “How can this be so?” asked Nicodemus.

¹⁰ “Well, well!” replied Jesus. “You’re a teacher of Israel, and yet you don’t know about all this? ¹¹ I’m telling you the solemn truth: we’re talking about things we know about. We’re giving evidence about things we’ve seen. But you won’t admit our evidence. ¹² If I told you earthly things and you don’t believe, how will it be if I tell you heavenly things? Are you going to believe then? ¹³ And nobody has gone up into heaven except the one who came down from heaven, the son of man.”

The snake and the love of God

¹⁴ “So, just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, in the same way the son of man must be lifted up, ¹⁵ so that everyone who believes in him may share in the life of God’s new age. ¹⁶ This, you see, is how much God loved the world: enough to give his only, special son, so that everyone who believes in him should not be lost but should share in the life of God’s new age. ¹⁷ After all, God didn’t send the son into the world to condemn the world, but so that the world could be saved by him.