Day 71 - John 3 and I Peter 3-4

John 3

3:1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.

3:2 The same came to him by night, and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do, unless God is with him."

3:3 Jesus answered him, "Most certainly, I tell you, unless one is born again,  he can't see the Kingdom of God."

3:4 Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb, and be born?"

3:5 Jesus answered, "Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God!

3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

3:7 Don't marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again”.

3:8 The wind blows where it wants to, and you hear its sound, but don't know where it comes from and where it is going. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit."

3:9 Nicodemus answered him, "How can these things be?"

3:10 Jesus answered him, "Are you the teacher of Israel, and don't understand these things?

3:11 Most certainly I tell you, we speak that which we know, and testify of that which we have seen, and you don't receive our witness.

3:12 If I told you earthly things and you won't believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?

3:13 No one has ascended into heaven, but he who descended out of heaven, the Son of Man, who is in heaven.

3:14 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,

3:15 that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

3:17 For God didn't send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him.

3:18 He who believes in him is not judged. He who doesn't believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.

3:19 This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil.

3:20 For everyone who does evil hates the light, and doesn't come to the light, lest his works would be exposed.

3:21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his works may be revealed, that they have been done in God."

3:22 After these things, Jesus came with his disciples into the land of Judea. He stayed there with them, and baptized.

3:23 John also was baptizing in Enon near Salim, because there was much water there. They came, and were baptized.

3:24 For John was not yet thrown into prison.

3:25 There arose therefore a questioning on the part of John's disciples with some Jews about purification.

3:26 They came to John, and said to him, "Rabbi, he who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, the same baptizes, and everyone is coming to him."

3:27 John answered, "A man can receive nothing, unless it has been given him from heaven.

3:28 You yourselves testify that I said, 'I am not the Christ,' but, 'I have been sent before him.'

3:29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. This, my joy, therefore is made full.

3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

3:31 He who comes from above is above all. He who is from the Earth belongs to the Earth, and speaks of the Earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.

3:32 What he has seen and heard, of that he testifies; and no one receives his witness.

3:33 He who has received his witness has set his seal to this, that God is true.

3:34 For he whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for God gives the Spirit without measure.

3:35 The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand.

3:36 One who believes in the Son has eternal life, but one who disobeys the Son won't see life, but the wrath of God remains on him."

I Peter 3

3:1 In like manner, wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; so that, even if any don't obey the Word, they may be won by the behavior of their wives without a word;

3:2 seeing your pure behavior in fear.

3:3 Let your beauty be not just the outward adorning of braiding the hair, and of wearing jewels of gold, or of putting on fine clothing;

3:4 but in the hidden person of the heart, in the incorruptible adornment of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God very precious.

3:5 For this is how the holy women before, who hoped in God also adorned themselves, being in subjection to their own husbands:

3:6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose children you now are, if you do well, and are not put in fear by any terror.

3:7 You husbands, in like manner, live with your wives according to knowledge, giving honor to the woman, as to the weaker vessel, as being also joint heirs of the grace of life; that your prayers may not be hindered.

3:8 Finally, be all like-minded, compassionate, loving as brothers, tenderhearted, courteous,

3:9 not rendering evil for evil, or reviling for reviling; but instead blessing; knowing that to this were you called, that you may inherit a blessing.

3:10 For, "He who would love life, and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit.

3:11 Let him turn away from evil, and do good. Let him seek peace, and pursue it.

3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears open to their prayer; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."

3:13 Now who is he who will harm you, if you become imitators of that which is good?

3:14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you are blessed. "Don't fear what they fear, neither be troubled."

3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts; and always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, with humility and fear:

3:16 having a good conscience; that, while you are spoken against as evildoers, they may be disappointed who curse your good manner of life in Christ.

3:17 For it is better, if it is God's will, that you suffer for doing well than for doing evil.

3:18 Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God; being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;

3:19 in which he also went and preached to the spirits in prison,

3:20 who before were disobedient, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, while the ship was being built. In it, few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.

3:21 This is a symbol of baptism, which now saves you--not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

3:22 who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him.

I Peter 4

4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind; for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin;

4:2 that you no longer should live the rest of your time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.

4:3 For we have spent enough of our past time doing the desire of the Gentiles, and having walked in lewdness, lusts, drunken binges, orgies, carousing, and abominable idolatries.

4:4 They think it is strange that you don't run with them into the same excess of riot, blaspheming:

4:5 who will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

4:6 For to this end the Good News was preached even to the dead, that they might be judged indeed as men in the flesh, but live as to God in the spirit.

4:7 But the end of all things is near. Therefore be of sound mind, self-controlled, and sober in prayer.

4:8 And above all things be earnest in your love among yourselves, for love covers a multitude of sins.

4:9 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.

4:10 As each has received a gift, employ it in serving one another, as good managers of the grace of God in its various forms.

4:11 If anyone speaks, let it be as it were the very words of God. If anyone serves, let it be as of the strength which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

4:12 Beloved, don't be astonished at the fiery trial which has come upon you, to test you, as though a strange thing happened to you.

4:13 But because you are partakers of Christ's sufferings, rejoice; that at the revelation of his glory you also may rejoice with exceeding joy.

4:14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed; because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. On their part he is blasphemed, but on your part he is glorified.

4:15 For let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evil doer, or a meddler in other men's matters.

4:16 But if one of you suffers for being a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God in this matter.

4:17 For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God. If it begins first with us, what will happen to those who don't obey the Good News of God?

4:18 "If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will happen to the ungodly and the sinner?"

4:19 Therefore let them also who suffer according to the will of God in doing good entrust their souls to him, as to a faithful Creator.