…Think carefully.
I am giving you a promise now
while the seed is still in the barn…
So don’t be surprised when I say,
‘You must be born again.’
The wind blows wherever it wants.
Just as you can hear the wind
but can’t tell where it comes from
or where it is going,
so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”
…I tell you the truth,
you will ask the Father directly,
and he will grant your request because you use my name.
…Ask, using my name, and you will receive,
and you will have abundant joy.
Jesus asked, “Do you finally believe?
I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me.
Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrow.
But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter
the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.
Humans can reproduce only human life,
but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life.
So don’t be surprised when I say,
‘You must be born again.’
The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee.
He found Philip and said to him,
“Come, follow me.”
As Jesus walked by,
John looked at him and declared,
“Look! There is the Lamb of God!”
When John’s two disciples heard this, they followed Jesus.
Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother,
was one of these men who heard what John said
and followed Jesus.
Andrew went to find his brother, Simon, and told him,
“We have found the Messiah”
(which means “Christ”).
…“I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove,
and it remained on him.
I myself did not know him,
but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me,
‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one
who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’
And I myself have seen and have testified
that this is the Son of God.”
In the beginning the Word already existed.
The Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He existed in the beginning with God.
God created everything through him,
and nothing was created except through him.
The Word gave life to everything that was created,
and his life brought light to everyone.
The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness can never extinguish it.
The LORD gave this message to Jonah…:
“Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh.
But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction
to get away from the LORD.
…he found a ship leaving for Tarshish
…and went on board,
hoping to escape from the LORD…
(Eastern bluebird, female)