Jesusanswered,"Truly,truly,I sayto you, unlessoneis bornof waterand the Spirithe cannotenterinto the kingdomof God.
and said,"TrulyI sayto you, unlessyou are convertedand becomelikechildren,you will not enterthe kingdomof heaven.
"AgainI sayto you, it is easierfor a camelto go throughthe eyeof a needle,thanfor a rich manto enterthe kingdomof God."
"Whichof the twodidthe willof his father?"They said,"The first."Jesussaidto them, "TrulyI sayto you that the tax collectorsand prostituteswill getinto the kingdomof Godbeforeyou.
"Gothereforeand make disciplesof allthe nations,baptizingthem in the nameof the Fatherand the Sonand the HolySpirit,
"As for me, I baptizeyou with waterfor repentance,but He who is comingafterme is mightierthan I, and I amnot fitto removeHis sandals;He will baptizeyou with the HolySpiritand fire.
"For I sayto you that unlessyour righteousnesssurpasses[that] of the scribesand Pharisees,you will not enterthe kingdomof heaven.
But when Jesussawthis, He was indignantand saidto them, "Permitthe childrento cometo Me; do not hinderthem; for the kingdomof Godbelongsto such as these.
"He who has believedand has been baptizedshall be saved;but he who has disbelievedshall be condemned.
"Ifyour eyecauses you to stumble,throwit out; it is betterfor you to enterthe kingdomof Godwith one eye,than,havingtwoeyes,to be castinto hell,
"Striveto enterthroughthe narrowdoor;for many,I tellyou, will seekto enterand will not be able.
"I tellyou, no,but unlessyou repent,you will alllikewiseperish.
"I tellyou, no,but unlessyou repent,you will alllikewiseperish."
whowere born,not of bloodnorof the willof the fleshnorof the willof man,but of God.
Jesusansweredand saidto him, "Truly,truly,I sayto you, unlessoneis bornagainhe cannotseethe kingdomof God."
Nicodemussaidto Him, "Howcana manbe bornwhen he is old?He cannotentera second timeinto his mother'swomband be born,can he?"
Peter[said] to them, "Repent,and eachof you be baptizedin the nameof JesusChristfor the forgivenessof your sins;and you will receivethe giftof the HolySpirit.
"Thereforerepentand return,sothat your sinsmay be wiped away,in orderthat timesof refreshingmay comefrom the presenceof the Lord;
for the kingdomof Godis not eatingand drinking,but righteousnessand peaceand joyin the HolySpirit.
For the lawof the Spiritof lifein ChristJesushas set you freefrom the lawof sinand of death.
NowI saythis,brethren,that fleshand bloodcannotinheritthe kingdomof God;nordoes the perishableinheritthe imperishable.
Nowwe have received,not the spiritof the world,but the Spiritwhois from God,sothat we may knowthe things freely givento us by God,
Suchwere someof you; but you were washed,but you were sanctified,but you were justifiedin the nameof the LordJesusChristand in the Spiritof our God.
For neitheris circumcisionanything,noruncircumcision,but a newcreation.
sothat He might sanctifyher, having cleansedher by the washingof waterwith the word,
accordingto the foreknowledgeof Godthe Father,by the sanctifying workof the Spirit,to obeyJesusChristand be sprinkledwith His blood:May graceand peacebe yoursin the fullest measure.
Correspondingto that, baptismnowsavesyou-- not the removalof dirtfrom the flesh,but an appealto Godfor a goodconscience--throughthe resurrectionof JesusChrist,
Ifyou knowthat He is righteous,you knowthat everyonealsowho practicesrighteousnessis bornof Him.
Whoeverbelievesthat Jesusis the Christis bornof God,and whoeverlovesthe Fatherlovesthe [child] bornof Him.
