And he said to them, "I am telling you the truth: you will see heaven open and God's angels going up and coming down on the Son of Man."

Remember that as long as heaven and earth last, not the least point nor the smallest detail of the Law will be done away with---not until the end of all things.

For Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who was preached among you by Silas, Timothy, and myself, is not one who is "Yes" and "No." On the contrary, he is God's "Yes";

for it is he who is the "Yes" to all of God's promises. This is why through Jesus Christ our "Amen" is said to the glory of God.

"To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: "This is the message from the Amen, the faithful and true witness, who is the origin of all that God has created.

"I am telling you the truth," replied Jesus, "that no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.

A person is born physically of human parents, but is born spiritually of the Spirit.

They did not become God's children by natural means, that is, by being born as the children of a human father; God himself was their Father.

It does not matter at all whether or not one is circumcised; what does matter is being a new creature.

In the past you were spiritually dead because of your disobedience and sins.

he saved us. It was not because of any good deeds that we ourselves had done, but because of his own mercy that he saved us, through the Holy Spirit, who gives us new birth and new life by washing us.

By his own will he brought us into being through the word of truth, so that we should have first place among all his creatures.

Let us give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! Because of his great mercy he gave us new life by raising Jesus Christ from death. This fills us with a living hope,

For through the living and eternal word of God you have been born again as the children of a parent who is immortal, not mortal.

but the word of the Lord remains forever." This word is the Good News that was proclaimed to you.

You know that Christ is righteous; you should know, then, that everyone who does what is right is God's child.

Those who are children of God do not continue to sin, for God's very nature is in them; and because God is their Father, they cannot continue to sin.

Whoever believes that Jesus is the Messiah is a child of God; and whoever loves a father loves his child also.

We know that no children of God keep on sinning, for the Son of God keeps them safe, and the Evil One cannot harm them.

Every good gift and every perfect present comes from heaven; it comes down from God, the Creator of the heavenly lights, who does not change or cause darkness by turning.

But the wisdom from above is pure first of all; it is also peaceful, gentle, and friendly; it is full of compassion and produces a harvest of good deeds; it is free from prejudice and hypocrisy.

"I am telling you the truth," replied Jesus, "that no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has never put it out.

"God has blinded their eyes and closed their minds, so that their eyes would not see, and their minds would not understand, and they would not turn to me, says God, for me to heal them."

But to this very day he has not let you understand what you have experienced.

Pay attention, you foolish and stupid people, who have eyes, but cannot see, and have ears, but cannot hear.

Jesus answered, "The knowledge about the secrets of the Kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.

The reason I use parables in talking to them is that they look, but do not see, and they listen, but do not hear or understand.

because their minds are dull, and they have stopped up their ears and have closed their eyes. Otherwise, their eyes would see, their ears would hear, their minds would understand, and they would turn to me, says God, and I would heal them.'

"Good for you, Simon son of John!" answered Jesus. "For this truth did not come to you from any human being, but it was given to you directly by my Father in heaven.

They do not believe, because their minds have been kept in the dark by the evil god of this world. He keeps them from seeing the light shining on them, the light that comes from the Good News about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.