Romans 8:12-17
8:12 So then, brothers and
sisters, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the
flesh--
8:13 for if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if
by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
8:14
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.
8:15 For
you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have
received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, "Abba! Father!"
8:16 it is
that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of
God,
8:17 and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with
Christ--if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with
him.
John 3:1-17
3:1 Now there
was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews.
3:2 He came to
Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has
come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence
of God."
3:3 Jesus answered him, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can see
the kingdom of God without being born from above."
3:4 Nicodemus said to
him, "How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time
into the mother's womb and be born?"
3:5 Jesus answered, "Very truly, I
tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and
Spirit.
3:6 What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the
Spirit is spirit.
3:7 Do not be astonished that I said to you, 'You must
be born from above.'
3:8 The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear
the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it
is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."
3:9 Nicodemus said to him,
"How can these things be?"
3:10 Jesus answered him, "Are you a teacher of
Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?
3:11 "Very truly, I
tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do
not receive our testimony.
3:12 If I have told you about earthly things
and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly
things?
3:13 No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended
from heaven, the Son of Man.
3:14 And just as Moses lifted up the serpent
in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
3:15 that whoever
believes in him may have eternal life.
3:16 "For God so loved the world
that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish
but may have eternal life.
3:17 "Indeed, God did not send the Son into
the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved
through him.
