New birth, adoption and assurance

This page contains selected passages from the Open English Translation with the passage from the OET Readers’ Version on the left, and the OET Literal Version on the right. Minimal commentary is included (only some headings)—our aim is simply to conveniently list the passages in one place so that our readers can make up their own minds about what the writer of the passage was intending to communicate.

Readers’ Version

Literal Version

New birth and new life

OET Yhn (Jhn) 1:9-13

9 The true light which enlightens every person was coming into the world.

10 He was in the world and he’s the creator of the world, and yet the world didn’t even know him. 11 He came to his own chosen people, but they wouldn’t accept him, 12 however anyone who would accept him and trusted in his authority, he gave them the right to become children of God—13 not physical children and not coming from human actions, but children of God.

9 It _was the the true light, which is _enlightening every person, coming into the world.

10 He _was in the world, and the world became through him, and the world not knew him.

11 He _came to his own, and his own not received him.

12 But as _many _as received him, he _gave to _them the_right to _become children of_god, to _the ones believing in the name of _him,

13 who were _born neither of bloods, nor of will of _flesh, nor of will of _man, but of god.

OET Yhn (Jhn) 3:1-21

3:1 Yeshua tells Nikodemos about the need to be reborn

3 After dark one evening, a Jewish leader named Nikodemos who was a member of the Farisaios party 2 went to Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) and said, “Teacher, we know that God has sent you as a teacher, because no one could do those kinds of miracles if God wasn’t with him.”

3 Yeshua responded, “I’ll tell you frankly that no one can get to see God’s kingdom unless he’s reborn.”

4 Nikodemos questioned, “How can an adult be reborn? A person can’t just return into their mother’s womb and then get born a second time!”

5 But Yeshua continued, “Honestly, I’m telling you: unless a person is born from both water and the spirit, they can’t enter God’s kingdom. 6 Someone that’s born from a body is flesh and bone, but someone that’s born from God’s spirit is spiritual. 7 So you shouldn’t be surprised that I told you that everyone needs to be reborn. 8 The wind blows wherever it wants, and you can hear its sound but you can’t actually see where it’s coming from or where it’s going to. So too with everyone who’s born from God’s spirit.”

9 Nikodemos replied, “How can all that even happen?”

10 “You’re a Jewish teacher,” Yeshua answered, “and yet you don’t know all that? 11 It’s true that we just teach what we know, and explain what we’ve seen ourselves, but you people aren’t accepting our testimony. 12 If I tell all of you earthly things and you don’t believe them, how will you ever believe if I explain heavenly things to you? 13 None of you have ever gone up into heaven, but I, the son of humanity, have come down from heaven.

14 “Just like Mosheh (Moses) lifted up that bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness,[ref] it’s also necessary for the son of humanity to be lifted up,[fn] 15 so that everyone who believes in him won’t die, but will live forever.[fn] 16 Because[fn] in that same way, God loves the people of the world enough to cause his only son to be born, and to give him to the world, so that everyone who believes that won’t die, but will go on to live forever.

17 “God didn’t send his son here to condemn people, but rather to save them. 18 Anyone who trusts in me won’t be condemned. However, anyone who doesn’t believe this has already been condemned because he rejected the authority of the only son that God fathered. 19 And this is the verdict: that light has come into the world, but some people love the darkness more than the light because they do evil things, 20 because everyone who does evil things hates the light and doesn’t come to the light so that their actions won’t be exposed. 21 But anyone who does what is right, comes toward the light so that their actions can be revealed as being done with God’s help.”

3:14 lifted up / exalted: See https://bibleDifferences.net/2019/04/25/156-exulted

3:15 See http://bibleandtech.blogspot.com/2021/03/john-314-21-translation-and-commentary.html

3:16 Sadly when older English translations use ‘For’ (following John Wycliffe’s middle-English translation from Latin from the 1300’s), it’s quite easy to ignore what it’s there for. The OET uses the modern-English translation ‘Because’ which makes the connection to the previous verses (especially v14-15) clearer.

3:14: Num 21:9.

3 And was a_man of the Farisaios_party, Nikodaʸmos the_name to _him, a_ruler of _the Youdaiōns,

2 this one came to him by _night, and said to _him:
My _great_one, we _have _known that you _have _come from god as_a_teacher, because/for no _one is _able to _be _doing these the signs, what you are _doing, if the god not may _be with him.

3 Yaʸsous answered and said to _him:
Truly, truly, I _am _saying to _you, if anyone not may _be _born again, he _is_ not _able to _see the kingdom of_ the _god.

4 Nikodaʸmos is _saying to him:
How is_ a_person _able to _be _born, being old?
He _is_ not _able to _come _in into the womb of _the mother of _him secondly and to _be _born?

5 Yaʸsous answered:
Truly, truly, I _am _telling to _you, if anyone not may _be _born of water and of_spirit, he _is_ not _able to _come _in into the kingdom the of_god.

6 The thing having _been _born of the flesh, is flesh, and the thing having _been _born of the spirit, is spirit.

7 You _may_ not _wonder that I _said to _you:
It _is _fitting you _all to _be _born again.

8 The spirit it _is _blowing where is _wanting, and you _are _hearing the sound of _it, but you _have_ not _known from _where it _is _coming, and where it _is _going, thus is everyone which having _been _born of the spirit.

9 Nikodaʸmos answered and said to _him:
How is_ these things _able to _become?

10 Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa) answered and said to _him:
You are the teacher of_ the _Israaʸl/(Yisrā^ʼēl), and you _are_ not _knowing these things?

11 Truly, truly, I _am _saying to _you that we _are _speaking what we _have _known, and we _are _testifying what we _have _seen, and you _all _are_ not _receiving the testimony of _us.

12 If I _told the earthly things to _you _all, and you _all _are_ not _believing, how you _all _will _be _believing if I _may _tell to _you _all the heavenly things?

13 And no _one has _gone _up into the heaven, except not/lest the one having _come _down out _of the heaven, the son of_ the _Man.

14 And as Mōsaʸs/(Mosheh) exalted the serpent in the wilderness, thus it _is _fitting the son of_ the _man to _be _exalted,

15 in _order _that everyone which believing in him may _be _having eternal life.

16 For/Because thus the god loved the world, so _that he _gave the the only _begotten son, in _order _that everyone which believing in him may_ not _perish, but may _be _having eternal life.

17 For/Because the god not sent _out his son into the world, in _order _that he _may _judge the world, but in _order _that the world may _be _saved through him.

18 The one believing in him not is _being _judged.
But the one not believing, has _been_ already _judged, because he _has_ not _believed in the name of _the only _begotten son of_ the _god.

19 And this is the judgement, that the light has _come into the world, and the people loved the darkness rather than the light, because/for the works of _them was evil.

20 For/Because everyone which doing evil, is _hating the light, and is_ not _coming to the light, in _order _that the works of _him may _be_ not _rebuked.

21 But the one practicing the truth, is _coming to the light, in _order _that the works of _him may _be _revealed, that it _is having _been _worked in god.

OET Tit 3:3-7

3 We were also foolish and stubborn at one time, straying from the good and giving in to various lusts and pleasures, being mean and envious, even full of hate and hating one another. 4 But when God our saviour revealed his kindness and love for humankind, 5 he saved us, not because of the ‘good deeds’ that we did, but out of his mercy. He regenerated us through washing and renewed us by his holy spirit 6 which he lavishly poured on us through Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) the messiah 7 ⇔so that we might become heirs with the expectation of living forever, having been declared that we have no outstanding legal charges thanks to his grace.

3 For/Because once we also were foolish, unpersuadable, being _strayed, serving in _lusts and various gratifications, going _by in malice and envy, hateful, hating one _another.

4 But when the kindness and the love _of _mankind of_ god _the saviour of _us has _appeared,

5 not by works which in righteousness, that we practiced, but according _to the mercy, of _him he _saved us, through the_washing of _regeneration and renewal of_the_ holy _spirit,

6 whom he _poured _out on us richly, through Yaʸsous chosen _one /messiah, the saviour of _us,

7 in _order _that having _been _justified by _the grace of _that one, we _may _be _become heirs, according _to the_hope of_ eternal _life.

OET 1 Pet 1:3-9

1:3 The future hope of life without ending

3 May God, the father of our master Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) the messiah be blessed. He’s the one who, because of his incredible mercy, births us into living hope through the death and coming back to life of Yeshua the messiah. 4 Now we have an inheritance that can’t be destroyed or ruined and never diminishes. It’s kept in the heavens for you chosen people, 5 who are guarded through faith by God’s power, because the rescue is ready to be revealed in the final age.

6 This rescue brings some happiness now, although offset by the sorrow of various trials that you go through 7 in order that your faith will be purified by fire, like gold, but even more precious, because gold corrodes. Then your faith will lead to praise and glory and honour when Yeshua the messiah is revealed, 8 the one you chosen people love, even though you’ve never seen him. Yet you believe, and because of that, you’re happier than you can even show, AND HAVING BEEN GLORIFIED, 9 you’ll receive the result of your faith, which is that your souls are rescued.

3 Blessed is the god and father of _the master of _us, Yaʸsous chosen _one /messiah, who according _to the great mercy of _him, having _born _again us to a_ living _hope, through the_resurrection of_Yaʸsous chosen _one /messiah from the_dead,

4 to an_ indestructible _inheritance, and undefiled, and unfading, having _been _kept in the_heavens for you _all,

5 who by the_power of_god being _guarded through faith, because/for the_salvation ready to _be _revealed in the_ last _time.

6 In which you _all _are _exulting a_little now, if fitting having _been _sorrowed by various trials,

7 in _order _that the proving the faith of _you _all more _preciously than gold which is perishing, by but fire being _approved, may _be _found to praise, and glory, and honour, in the_revelation of_Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa) chosen _one /messiah.

8 Whom you _all _are _loving not having _seen, in whom now not seeing but believing, you _all _are _exulting with _joy inexpressible and having _been _glorified,

9 receiving _back the outcome of _the faith of _you _all, the_salvation of _souls.

Becoming God’s children

OET Rom 8:12-17

12 So then, brothers and sisters, we don’t owe anything to our sinful natures, nor do we need to live in worldly ways. 13 If your lives, brothers and sisters, are governed by your sinful natures, you’ll die, but if you put bodily practices to death with the help of the spirit, you’ll live, 14 because everyone who’s led by God’s spirit becomes one of God’s children. 15 You didn’t receive a spirit of slavery to fear again, but rather it was the spirit of adoption as children that you received, and with his help we call out, ‘Dad, dad!’[ref] 16 God’s spirit himself agrees together with our spirit that we are God’s children, 17 and if we’re his children, then we’re also heirs, so we’ll receive an inheritance from God. That makes us fellow-heirs along with Messiah—if we’re suffering with him then we’ll also be honoured along with him.

8:15-17: Gal 4:5-7.

12 Therefore consequently, brothers, debtors we _are, not to _the flesh, which according _to flesh to _be _living.

13 For/Because if according _to the_flesh you _all _are _living, you _all _are _going to _be _dying _off, but if by_the_spirit the practices of _the body you _all _are _putting _to _death, you _all _will _be _living.

14 For/Because as _many _as by_the_spirit of_god are _being _led, these the_sons of_god are.

15 For/Because not you _all _received a_spirit of _slavery again to fear, but you _all _received the_spirit of _adoption _as _sons, by whom we _are _crying _out:
father, the father.

16 Himself the spirit is _bearing _witness _with with _the spirit of _us that we _are children of_god.

17 And if children, also heirs, heirs on _one _hand of_god, on _the _other _hand fellow-heirs of_chosen _one /messiah, if _indeed we _are _suffering _with him, that also we _may _be _glorified _with him.

OET Gal 4:4-7

4 but at the appointed time, God sent his son down to be given birth to by a woman and to live under Mosheh’s (Moses) law 5 so that he could buy back those enslaved under the law and they could now be adopted as children with an inheritance.[ref]

6 So because you’re now children, God sent his son’s spirit down into our hearts as we call out, ‘Father, father.’ 7 Now you’re no longer slaves, but children with full rights, and as children, heirs of God’s promise.

4:5-7: Rom 8:15-17.

4 But when the fullness of _the time came, the god sent _away the son of _him, having _become of woman, having _become under law,

5 in _order _that he _may _redeem the ones under the_law, in _order _that we _may _take _back the adoption _as _sons.

6 And because you _all _are sons, the god sent _away the spirit of _the son of _him into the hearts of _us crying _out:
father, the father.

7 So _as you _are no _longer a_slave, but a_son, and if a_son, also an_heir through god.

OET 1 Yhn (1 Yohan or 1 Jhn) 3:1-3

3:1 Living as God’s children

3 Consider the amazing love that the father has given to us in order that we can be called God’s children,[ref] and indeed we are.[fn] 2 Dear friends we are God’s children now, but it’s not yet revealed what we will become. We know that when Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) is revealed, we will be similar to him because then we’ll be seeing him exactly as he is. 3 Everyone who trusts their future to him needs to purify themself just like he is pure.

3:1 ‘and indeed we are’ is missing from later manuscripts (and hence is omitted in some translations—there are more later copies than early ones and some scholars give more importance to that fact).

3:1: Yhn 1:12.

3 See what _kind _of love the father has _given to _us, in _order _that we _may _be _called children of_god, and we _are.
Because _of this, the world is_ not _knowing us, because it_ not _knew him.

2 Beloved, now we _are children of_god, and was_ not _yet _revealed what we _will _be.
We _have _known that if he _may _be _revealed, we _will _be similar to _him, because we _will _be _seeing him as he _is.

3 And everyone which having the this hope in him, is _purifying himself, as that one is pure.

Confidence in God

OET Yhn (Jhn) 10:22-30

10:22 The Jewish leaders won’t accept Yeshua’s teaching

22 By then it was winter and the time for the Jewish Festival of Dedication in Yerushalem (Jerusalem). 23 Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) was walking in the temple in an area known as Shelomoh’s Porch 24 when he was surrounded by the Jewish religious leaders and interrogated, “How long do you plan to keep us in suspense for? If you are the messiah, just tell us clearly.”

25 “I already told you all,” Yeshua answered, “but you didn’t believe me. The miracles that I do with the authority of my father testify about me, 26 but you don’t accept what the miracles point to because you aren’t part of my flock. 27 My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them and they follow after me. 28 I give them life which will never end so they won’t ever be destroyed, and no one will be able to snatch them away from me. 29 My father is the one who gave them to me, and he’s more powerful than any other, so no one can snatch them away from him. 30 The father and I are one.”

22 Then the feast _of _dedication became at the Hierousalaʸm/(Yərūshālayim).
It _was winter,

23 and the Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa) was _walking in the temple, in the portico of_ the _Solomōn/(Shəlmoh).

24 Therefore the Youdaiōns surrounded him, and they _were _saying to _him:
Until when you _are _holding _in _suspense the soul of _us?
If you are the chosen _one /messiah, tell to _us with _plainness.

25 The Yaʸsous answered to _them:
I _told to _you _all and you _all _are_ not _believing.
The works that I am _doing in the name of _the father of _me, these things is _testifying concerning me,

26 but you _all are_ not _believing, because you _all _are not of the of _my the sheep.

27 The my the sheep are _hearing of _the voice of _me, and _I I _am _knowing them, and they _are _following after _me,

28 and _I am _giving eternal life to _them, and by _no _means they _may_ not _perish, because/for the age, and anyone will _be_ not _snatching them out _of the hand of _me.

29 The father of _me who has _given them to _me, is greater than all things, and no _one is _able to _be _snatching out _of the hand of _the father.

30 I and the father one are.

OET Rom 8:31-39

8:31 Nothing can separate us from God’s love

31 So then, what can we say about all this? If God is for us, who’s against us? 32 If he didn’t spare his own son, but gave him to be executed for us, won’t they together also give us everything else? 33 Who’ll bring charges against people chosen by God? God is the one declaring us guiltless. 34 So who’s the one condemning us? Messiah Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) (the one who died but came back to life and who’s now sitting beside God) is also pleading for us.[ref] 35 Who will separate us from Messiah’s love? Troubles or distress or persecution or famine or poverty or danger or execution? 36 As it’s been written:

‘We are being put to death all day

on your account.

We were counted like sheep ready to be slaughtered.’[ref]

37 But in all that, we’re more than conquerors through the one who loved us. 38 Yes, I’ve been persuaded that neither death or life, angels or rulers, present or future events, powers, 39 height or depth, or anything else in creation, will be able to separate us from God’s love that’s revealed in our master Messiah Yeshua.

8:34: Heb 7:25.

8:36: Psa 44:22.

31 Therefore what we _will _be _saying to these things?
If the god is for us, who is against us?

32 Who surely from _his own son not spared, but for us all gave _over him, how not also with him, the things all to _us he _will _be _granting?

33 Who will _be _indicting against the_chosen ones of_god?
god is the one justifying.

34 Who is the one condemning?
chosen _one /messiah Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa) the one having _died _off, but rather having _been _raised who, also is at the_right hand of_ the _god, who also is _pleading for us.

35 Who us will _be _separating from the love of _the chosen _one /messiah?
Tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?

36 As it _has _been _written, that On _account of _you, we _are _being _put _to _death all the day, we _were _counted as sheep of _slaughter.

37 But in these things all, we _are _beyond _conquering through the one having _loved us.

38 For/Because I _have _been _persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor messengers, nor rulers, nor having _presented things, nor coming things, nor powers,

39 nor height, nor depth, nor any creation other, will _be _able us to _separate from the love of_ the _god, which in chosen _one /messiah Yaʸsous, the master of _us.

OET 1 Yhn (1 Yohan or 1 Jhn) 5:9-13

9 If we accept testimonies from people, then God’s testimony is better, because God’s testimony is about his son. 10 Any person that believes that Yeshua is God’s son has internalised God’s testimony, but anyone who doesn’t believe in God calls him a liar because they have not believed the testimony of God himself about his son. 11 And this is the testimony: that God gave eternal life to us and this life is in his son.[ref] 12 Anyone who has the son has life, but anyone who doesn’t have the god’s son, doesn’t have eternal life.

5:13 Living without ending

13 I wrote these things to you so that you all could know that you have eternal life, that is the ones believed in the name and authority of God’s son.

5:11: Yhn 3:36.

9 If we _are _receiving the testimony the of _humans, the testimony of_ the _god is greater, because this is the testimony of_ the _god, that he _has _testified concerning the son of _him.

10 The one believing in the son of_ the _god, is _having the testimony in himself, the one not believing the in_god, has _made him a_liar, because he _has_ not _believed in the testimony that the god has _testified concerning the son of _him.

11 And this is the testimony:
that the god gave eternal life to _us, and this the life is in the son of _him.

12 The one having the son, is _having the life, the one not having the son of_ the _god, is_ not _having the life.

13 I _wrote these things to _you _all, in _order _that you _all _may _have _known that you _all _are _having eternal, life to _the ones believing in the name of _the son of_ the _god.

Please contact us at Freely dot Given dot org (at) gmail dot com if there’s any passages that you’d like us to add to this topic page, or any passages that need a little bit more context around them. (We encourage our readers to always view things in their context, so we discourage use of the word ‘verse’, especially in sayings like, “This verse says …”.)