I am proud of the Good News. The Good News is the power God uses to save every person that believes—to save the Jews first, and also to save the non-Jews.
But before people can trust in the Lord for help, they must believe in him. And before people can believe in the Lord, they must hear about him. And for people to hear about the Lord, another person must tell them.
Tell me this one thing: How did you receive the Spirit {\cf2\super [19]} ? Did you receive the Spirit by following the law {\cf2\super [20]} ? No! You received the Spirit because you heard \{the Good News {\cf2\super [21]} \} and believed it.
Does God give you the Spirit because you follow the law? No! Does God work miracles {\cf2\super [22]} among you because you follow the law? No! God gives you his Spirit and works miracles among you because you heard \{the Good News\} and believed it.
Let the teaching of Christ live inside you richly. Use all wisdom to teach and counsel each other. Sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
Also, we always thank God because of the way you accepted God’s message (teaching). You heard that message from us, and you accepted it like it was God’s words, not the words of men. And it really is God’s message (teaching). And that message works in you people who believe.
The way to be saved {\cf2\super [23]} was told to us the same as to those people. But the teaching those people heard did not help them. They heard that teaching but did not accept it with faith.
You have been born again. This new life did not come from something that dies. It came from something that cannot die. You were born again through God’s living message {\cf2\super [11]} that continues forever.
I am John, and I am your brother \{in Christ\}. We are together in Jesus, and we share these things: suffering, the kingdom, and patient endurance. I was on the island of Patmos {\cf2\super [7]} because I was faithful to God’s message {\cf2\super [8]} and to the truth of Jesus.