¹² But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become God's children, to those who believe in his name:

¹³ who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

¹⁴ The Word became flesh, and lived among us. We saw his glory, such glory as of the one and only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.

²⁵ not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as you see the Day approaching.

⁷ It is for discipline that you endure. God deals with you as with children, for what son is there whom his father doesn't discipline?

⁸ But if you are without discipline, of which all have been made partakers, then are you illegitimate, and not children.

⁹ Furthermore, we had the fathers of our flesh to chasten us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits, and live?

¹⁰ For they indeed, for a few days, punished us as seemed good to them; but he for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness.

¹¹ All chastening seems for the present to be not joyous but grievous; yet afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been exercised thereby.

³³ He answered them, "Who are my mother and my brothers?"

³⁴ Looking around at those who sat around him, he said, "Behold, my mother and my brothers!

³⁵ For whoever does the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother."

¹ Don't rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father; the younger men as brothers;

² the elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, in all purity.

³ Honor widows who are widows indeed.

¹⁵ For you didn't receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, "Abba{Abba is a Chaldee word for father or daddy, often used affectionately and respectfully in prayer to our Father in heaven.}! Father!"

¹⁶ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God;

¹⁷ and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if indeed we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified with him.

¹⁸ For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which will be revealed toward us.

⁴ But when the fullness of the time came, God sent out his Son, born to a woman, born under the law,

⁵ that he might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of children.

⁶ And because you are children, God sent out the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, "Abba,{Abba is a Greek spelling for the Chaldee word for "Father" or "Daddy" used in a familiar, respectful, and loving way.} Father!"

⁷ So you are no longer a bondservant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

⁸ However at that time, not knowing God, you were in bondage to those who by nature are not gods.

²⁶ For you are all children of God, through faith in Christ Jesus.

²⁷ For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

²⁸ There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

²⁹ If you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to promise.

³⁵ A bondservant doesn't live in the house forever. A son remains forever.

⁵ so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.

¹ Behold, how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! For this cause the world doesn't know us, because it didn't know him.

² Beloved, now we are children of God, and it is not yet revealed what we will be. But we know that, when he is revealed, we will be like him; for we will see him just as he is.

³ Everyone who has this hope set on him purifies himself, even as he is pure.

¹⁰ So then, as we have opportunity, let's do what is good toward all men, and especially toward those who are of the household of the faith.

²⁶ When one member suffers, all the members suffer with it. Or when one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

¹⁴ For this cause, I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

¹⁵ from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,

¹⁶ that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that you may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inward man;

⁵ having predestined us for adoption as children through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his desire,

⁶ to the praise of the glory of his grace, by which he freely bestowed favor on us in the Beloved,

⁷ in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,

¹⁹ So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God,

²⁰ being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief cornerstone;

²¹ in whom the whole building, fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord;

²² in whom you also are built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit.

⁴² Therefore Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came out and have come from God. For I haven't come of myself, but he sent me.