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New International Version (NIV) |
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8 the Spirit, the Baptism, the Crucifixion. And the three in perfect agreement.
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8 the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.
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9 If we take human testimony at face value, how much more should we be reassured when God gives testimony as he does here, testifying concerning his Son.
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9 We accept man's testimony, but God's testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son.
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10 Whoever believes in the Son of God inwardly confirms God's testimony. Whoever refuses to believe in effect calls God a liar, refusing to believe God's own testimony regarding his Son.
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10 Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart. Anyone who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about his Son.
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11 This is the testimony in essence: God gave us eternal life; the life is in his Son.
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11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
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12 So, whoever has the Son, has life; whoever rejects the Son, rejects life.
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12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
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13 My purpose in writing is simply this: that you who believe in God's Son will know beyond the shadow of a doubt that you have eternal life, the reality and not the illusion.
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13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.
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14 And how bold and free we then become in his presence, freely asking according to his will, sure that he's listening.
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14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.
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15 And if we're confident that he's listening, we know that what we've asked for is as good as ours.
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15 And if we know that he hears us--whatever we ask--we know that we have what we asked of him.
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16 For instance, if we see a Christian believer sinning (clearly I'm not talking about those who make a practice of sin in a way that is "fatal," leading to eternal death), we ask for God's help and he gladly gives it, gives life to the sinner whose sin is not fatal. There is such a thing as a fatal sin, and I'm not urging you to pray about that.
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16 If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that he should pray about that.
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17 Everything we do wrong is sin, but not all sin is fatal.
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17 All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death.
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18 We know that none of the God-begotten makes a practice of sin - fatal sin. The God-begotten are also the God-protected. The Evil One can't lay a hand on them.
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18 We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him.
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| Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved. (The Message Bible Online) |
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide. (New International Version Bible Online) |
