Jesus Christ is He who came with water and blood; not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood. And it is the Spirit who gives testimony– because the Spirit is the Truth.
and Jesus was baptized, and immediately went up from the water. At that moment the heavens opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him,
He gave them the cup in like manner, when the meal was over. »This cup,« He said, »is the new Covenant ratified by my blood which is to be poured out on your behalf.
»When the Advocate is come whom I will send to you from the Father's presence –the Spirit of Truth who comes forth from the Father's presence– He will be a witness concerning me.«
But when He has come –the Spirit of Truth– He will guide you into all the truth. For He will not speak as Himself originating what He says, but all that He hears He will speak, and He will make known the future to you.
»If you had known God's free gift,« replied Jesus, »and who it is that said to you, `Give me some water,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.«
but whoever drinks any of the water that I shall give him will never, never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become a fountain within him of water springing up for the Life of the Ages.«
So they proceeded on their way till they came to some water; and the eunuch exclaimed, »See, here is water; what is there to prevent my being baptized?«
He it is whom God put forward as a Mercy-seat, rendered efficacious through faith in His blood, in order to demonstrate His righteousness – because of the passing over, in God's forbearance, of the sins previously committed–
And, beyond controversy, great is the mystery of our religion– that Christ appeared in human form, and His claims justified by the Spirit, was seen by angels and proclaimed among Gentile nations, was believed on in the world, and received up again into glory.
as righteous men, had done, but as the result of His own mercy He saved us by means of the bath of regeneration and the renewal of our natures by the Holy Spirit,
How much severer punishment, think you, will he be held to deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, has not regarded as holy that Covenant-blood with which he was set free from sin, and has insulted the Spirit from whom comes grace?
Now may God who gives peace, and brought Jesus, our Lord, up again from among the dead –even Him who, by virtue of the blood of the eternal Covenant, is the great Shepherd of the sheep–
how much more certainly shall the blood of Christ, who strengthened by the eternal Spirit offered Himself to God, free from blemish, purify your consciences from lifeless works for you to serve the ever-living God?
But into the second, the High Priest goes only on one day of the year, and goes alone, taking with him blood, which he offers on his own behalf and on account of the sins which the people have ignorantly committed.
chosen in accordance with the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, with a view to their obedience and to their being sprinkled with the blood of Jesus Christ. May more and more grace and peace be granted to you.
And, corresponding to that figure, the water of baptism now saves you –not the washing off of material defilement, but the craving of a good conscience after God– through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
and from Jesus Christ, the truthful witness, the first of the dead to be born to Life, and the Ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins with His own blood,
And now they sing a new song. »It is fitting,« they say, »that Thou shouldst be the One to take the book And break its seals; Because Thou hast been offered in sacrifice, And hast purchased for God with Thine own blood Some out of every tribe and language and people and nation,
»My lord, you know,« I replied. »They are those,« he said, »who have just passed through the great distress, and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.