New Believer's Bible Sample - Flipbook - Page 47
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believe our testimony. 12 But if you don’t believe me when I tell you about earthly things,
how can you possibly believe if I tell you
about heavenly things? 13 No one has ever
gone to heaven and returned. But the Son of
Man* has come down from heaven. 14And as
Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole
in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be
lifted up, 15 so that everyone who believes in
him will have eternal life.*
16 “For this is how God loved the world: He
gave* his one and only Son, so that everyone
who believes in him will not perish but have
eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world
not to judge the world, but to save the world
through him.
18 “There is no judgment against anyone
who believes in him. But anyone who does
not believe in him has already been judged
for not believing in God’s one and only Son.
19And the judgment is based on this fact:
God’s light came into the world, but people
loved the darkness more than the light, for
their actions were evil. 20All who do evil hate
the light and refuse to go near it for fear their
sins will be exposed. 21 But those who do what
is right come to the light so others can see that
they are doing what God wants.*”
John the Baptist Exalts Jesus
J esus and his disciples left Jerusalem
and went into the Judean countryside. Jesus
spent some time with them there, baptizing
people.
23At this time John the Baptist was baptizing at Aenon, near Salim, because there was
plenty of water there; and people kept coming
to him for baptism. 24 (This was before John
22 Then
J ohn 4
was thrown into prison.) 25A debate broke out
between John’s disciples and a certain Jew*
over ceremonial cleansing. 26 So John’s disciples came to him and said, “Rabbi, the man
you met on the other side of the Jordan River,
the one you identified as the Messiah, is also
baptizing people. And everybodyis going to
him instead of coming to us.”
27 John replied, “No one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven. 28 You
yourselves know how plainly I told you,
‘I am not the Messiah. I am only here to prepare the way for him.’ 29 It is the bridegroom
who marries the bride, and the bridegroom’s
friend is simply glad to stand with him and
hear his vows. Therefore, I am filled with joy
at his success. 30 He must become greater and
greater, and I must become less and less.
31 “He has come from above and is greater
than anyone else. We are of the earth, and we
speak of earthly things, but he has come from
heaven and is greater than anyone else.* 32 He
testifies about what he has seen and heard,
but how few believe what he tells them!
33Anyone who accepts his testimony can affirm that God is true. 34 For he is sent by God.
He speaks God’s words, for God gives him the
Spirit without limit. 35 The Father loves his
Son and has put everything into his hands.
36And anyone who believes in God’s Son has
eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son
will never experience eternal life but remains
under God’s angry judgment.”
Jesus and the Samaritan Woman
Jesus* knew the Pharisees had heard that
he was baptizing and making more disciples than John 2 (though J esus himself didn’t
4
:13 Some manuscripts add who lives in heaven. “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself. 3:15 Or everyone who believes
3
will have eternal life in him.
3:16 Or For God loved the world so much that he gave.
3:21 Or can see God at work in what he
is doing.
3:25 Some manuscripts read some Jews.
3:31 Some manuscripts do not include and is greater than anyone else.
4:1 Some manuscripts read The Lord.
C O R N E R S T O N E S
Christians have been born of the Spirit
read JOHN 3:5-8
How did you become a Christian? Yes, you chose to believe in Jesus—but did you realize
that something happened even before you made your decision? When you placed your
faith in Christ, you did so in response to the moving of the Holy Spirit, not merely by an act
of your will. The Spirit of God alone brings about the work of conversion! The Holy Spirit
convinced you of your sin and showed you your need for Jesus.
None of us can save ourselves any more than people who are drowning can save themselves. A person about to slip under the waves has no choice but to call for help—and we
must do the same. As the Holy Spirit moves in our hearts, revealing our desperate spiritual
need and offering to us the forgiveness that comes from Jesus Christ, we cry out to the Lord
for salvation. And he rescues us.
For the next note on “Who Is the Holy Spirit?” turn to page 1016.
