"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called God's sons.

"You have heard that it was said, 'You must love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you, practice loving your enemies and praying for your persecutors, read more. to prove that you are sons of your Father in heaven, for He makes His sun rise on bad as well as good people, and makes the rain come down on doers of right and of wrong alike.

to prove that you are sons of your Father in heaven, for He makes His sun rise on bad as well as good people, and makes the rain come down on doers of right and of wrong alike. For if you practice loving only those who love you, what reward will you get? Do not even the tax-collectors practice that? read more. And if you say 'Good morning' to your brothers only, what more than others are you doing? So you, my followers, ought to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is."

"Take care not to do your good deeds in public, to attract the attention of people; if you do, you will get no reward from your Father in heaven.

But if you do not forgive others, your heavenly Father will not forgive your shortcomings either.

Take a good look at the wild birds, for they do not sow or reap, or store up food in barns, and yet your heavenly Father keeps on feeding them. Are you not worth more than they?

At that time Jesus said, "I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for concealing these matters from wise and learned men, and for revealing them to little children.

At that time Jesus said, "I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for concealing these matters from wise and learned men, and for revealing them to little children.

Then the upright will shine out like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let him who has ears listen!

Then He walked on a few steps and threw Himself upon His face, and in this attitude continued to pray, and say, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass by me; and yet, I pray, not what I want but what you want."

And whenever you stand and pray, if you have anything against anybody, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven too may forgive you your shortcomings."

But you must practice loving your enemies, doing good to them, and lending to them, despairing of nothing; so that your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Continue to be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

All things have been entrusted to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is but the Father, and who the Father is but the Son, and anyone to whom the Son chooses to make Him known."

So He said to them, "Whenever you pray, say: 'Father, Your name be revered; Your kingdom come;

So if you, in spite of your being bad, know how to give your children what is good, how much more surely will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who continue to ask Him?"

Then Jesus uttered a loud cry, and said, "Father, I now commit my spirit to your care." As He said this He breathed His last.

But to all who did accept Him, and trust in His name, He gave the right to become the children of God, who were born of God and not of natural blood nor of physical or human impulse. read more. So the Word became human and lived a little while among us, and we actually saw His glory, the glory of One who is an only Son from His Father, and He was full of spiritual blessing and truth.

No one has ever seen God; the only son, Deity Himself, who lies upon His Father's breast, has made him known.

Jesus answered him, "I most solemnly say to you, no one can ever see the kingdom of God, unless he is born from above." Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot again enter his mother's womb and be born, can he?" read more. Jesus answered, "I most solemnly say to you, no one can ever get into the kingdom of God, unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Whatever is born of the physical is physical, and whatever is born of the Spirit is spiritual.

Whatever is born of the physical is physical, and whatever is born of the Spirit is spiritual. Never wonder at my telling you that you must all be born from above. read more. The wind blows where it pleases, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. That is just the way it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."

No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him to me; then I myself will raise him to life on the last day.

So He continued, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me, unless it is granted to him by my Father."

They answered Him, "Our father is Abraham." Jesus said to them, "If you are Abraham's children, you must be practicing what Abraham did. But right now you are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that He has learned from God. Abraham never did that. read more. You are practicing what your real father does." They said to Him, "We are not illegitimate children; we have one Father, even God." Then Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. No, indeed, I have not come on my own authority, but He has sent me.

Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your law, 'I said, "You are gods"'?

and not only for the nation, but also to unite the scattered children of God.

Jesus answered him, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

At that time you will know that I am in union with my Father and you are in union with me and I am in union with you.

Jesus said to her, "Stop clinging to me so, for I have not yet gone up to my Father; but go to my brothers and tell them that I am going up to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God."

But these have been recorded, in order that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life, as bearers of His name.

For it is through union with Him that we live and move and exist, as some of your own poets have said, "'For we are His offspring too.'

proved to be God's Son in power by the resurrection from the dead -- I mean, Jesus Christ, our Lord,

For all who are guided by God's Spirit are God's sons. For you do not have a sense of servitude to fill you with dread again, but the consciousness of adopted sons by which we cry, "Abba," that is, "Father." read more. The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirits that we are God's children; and if children, then also heirs, heirs of God and fellow-heirs with Christ if in reality we share His sufferings, so that we may share His glory too. For I consider all that we suffer in this present life is nothing to be compared with the glory which by-and-by is to be uncovered for us. For all nature is expectantly waiting for the unveiling of the sons of God. For nature did not of its own accord give up to failure; it was for the sake of Him who let it thus be given up, in the hope that even nature itself might finally be set free from its bondage to decay, so as to share the glorious freedom of God's children. Yes, we know that all nature has gone on groaning in agony together till the present moment. Not only that but this too, we ourselves who enjoy the Spirit as a foretaste of the future, even we ourselves, keep up our inner groanings while we wait to enter upon our adoption as God's sons at the redemption of our bodies.

Not only that but this too, we ourselves who enjoy the Spirit as a foretaste of the future, even we ourselves, keep up our inner groanings while we wait to enter upon our adoption as God's sons at the redemption of our bodies. For we were saved in such a hope. read more. But a hope that is seen is not real hope, for who hopes for what he actually sees? But if we hope for something we do not see, we keep on patiently waiting for it.

For those on whom He set His heart beforehand He marked off as His own to be made like His Son, that He might be the eldest of many brothers;

For those on whom He set His heart beforehand He marked off as His own to be made like His Son, that He might be the eldest of many brothers;

For they are Israelites; to them belong the privileges of sonship, God's glorious presence, the special covenants, the giving of the law, the temple service, the promises,

That is, it is not Abraham's natural descendants who are God's children, but those who are made children by the promise are counted his true descendants.

Just as He says in Hosea: "I will call a people that was not mine, my people, and her who was not beloved, my beloved, And in the place where it was said, 'You are no people of mine,' they shall be called sons of the living God."

And in the place where it was said, 'You are no people of mine,' they shall be called sons of the living God."

But there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord is over them all, because He is infinitely kind to all who call upon Him. For everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.

But again I ask, Israel did not understand, did they? For in the first place Moses says: "I will make you jealous of a nation that is no nation; I will provoke you to anger at a senseless nation."

But before this faith came, we were kept locked up under the law, in preparation for the faith which was to be unveiled.

For all of you are sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

I mean this: As long as the heir is under age he is not a whit better off than a slave, although he is heir of all the property, but he is under guardians and trustees until the time fixed by the father. read more. So when we were spiritually under age, we were slaves to the world's crude notions, but when the proper time had come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born subject to law, to ransom those who were subject to law, so that we might be adopted as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, "Abba," that is, "Father." So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir by God's own act.

So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir by God's own act.

Now we, brothers, like Isaac, are children born to fulfill the promise.

He foreordained us to become His sons by adoption through Christ Jesus, to carry out the happy choice of His will, so that we might praise the splendid favor which He has shown us in His beloved Son. read more. It is through union with Him that we have redemption by His blood and the forgiveness of our shortcomings, in accordance with the generosity of His unmerited favor which He lavished upon us. Through perfect wisdom and spiritual insight He has made known to us the secret of His will, which is in accordance with His purpose which He planned in Christ, so that, at the coming of the climax of the ages, everything in heaven and on earth should be unified through Christ, in union with whom we were made God's portion, since we had been foreordained in accordance with the purpose of Him who in everything carries out the plan of His will, that we who had first put our hope in Christ might praise His glory. You too, as you have heard the message of the truth, the good news that means your salvation, and as you have trusted in Him too, have been stamped with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit, who is the first installment of our inheritance, so that we may finally come into full possession of the prize of redemption, and praise His glory for it.

who is the first installment of our inheritance, so that we may finally come into full possession of the prize of redemption, and praise His glory for it. This is why I myself, since I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and in all His people, read more. never cease to thank God for you when I mention you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may grant you the Spirit to give wisdom and revelation which come through a growing knowledge of Him, by having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, so that you may know what the hope is to which He calls you, how glorious rich God's portion in His people is,

so that you may prove to be blameless and spotless, faultless children of God in a crooked and perverted age, in which you shine as light-bearers in the world as you continue

For to what angel did God ever say, "You are my Son, today I have become your Father"?

but we do see Jesus, who was made inferior to the angels for a little while, crowned with glory and honor because He suffered death, so that by God's favor He might experience death for every human being. For it was appropriate for Him, who is the Final Goal and the First Cause of the universe, in bringing many children to glory, to make the Leader in their salvation perfect through the process of sufferings. read more. For both He who is purifying them and those who are being purified all spring from one Father; so He is not ashamed to call them brothers, when He says: "I will announce your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise"; and again, "I too will put my trust in God"; and again, "Here I am and the children God has given me." Since then the children mentioned share our mortal nature, He too took on Himself a full share of the same, in order that He by His death might put a stop to the power of him who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and set at liberty those who all their lifetime had been subject to slavery because of their dread of death. For of course it is not angels but descendants of Abraham that He is to help. Therefore He had to be made like His brothers, so that He could be a sympathetic High Priest, as well as a faithful one, in things relating to God, in order to atone for the people's sins. For inasmuch as He has suffered Himself by being tempted, He is able to give immediate help to any that are tempted.

You have not yet, as you have struggled on against sin, resisted to the point of pouring out your blood, and you have forgotten the encouragement which is addressed to you as sons: "My son, refrain from thinking lightly of the discipline the Lord inflicts, and giving up when you are corrected by Him. read more. For He disciplines everyone He loves, and chastises every son whom He heartily receives." You must submit to discipline. God is dealing with you as His sons. For who is the son that his father never disciplines? Now if you are without any discipline, in which all true sons share, you are only illegitimate children and not true sons. Furthermore, we had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we used to treat them with respect; how much more cheerfully should we submit to the Father of our spirits, and live! For they disciplined us only a short time, as it seemed proper to them, but He does it for our good, in order that we may share His holy character. Now for the time being no discipline seems to be pleasant; it is painful; later on, however, to those who are trained by it, it yields the fruit of peace which grows from upright character. So tighten the grip of your slipping hands; stiffen the stand of your knocking knees; and keep your feet in straight paths, so that limbs may not be dislocated, but instead be cured.

Every good gift and every perfect boon is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, in whom there is no variation or changing shadow. In accordance with His will He made us His children by the message of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.

A religious worship that is pure and stainless in the sight of God the Father is this: To look after orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep one's own self unstained by the world.

With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse men who are made in God's likeness.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In accordance with His great mercy He has begotten us anew to an ever living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead;

And if you address as Father, Him who judges everyone impartially in accordance with what he does, you must live reverently all your fleeting stay on earth,

because you have been born anew, not from a germ that perishes but from one that does not perish, by the word of the living and everlasting God.

So once for all get rid of all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all sorts of slander, and like new-born babies thirst for pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up to final salvation, read more. since you have learned by experience that the Lord is kind. Keep on coming to Him, as to a living stone, rejected by men but chosen by God and precious in His sight, and keep on building yourselves up, as living stones, into a spiritual house for a consecrated priesthood, to offer up, through Jesus Christ, spiritual sacrifices that will be acceptable to God. It must be so, because the Scriptures say: "Here now I lay in Zion a chosen stone, a costly cornerstone, And not a single one who puts his trust in Him will ever be put to shame." So to you who put your trust in Him the honor belongs, but to those who fail to trust Him: "That stone which then the builders threw away Has now become the cornerstone," and: "A stone for them to stumble over and a rock to trip them up." They keep on stumbling over the message, because they are disobedient to it, and this is their appointed doom. But you are the chosen race, the royal priesthood, the consecrated nation, the people to be His very own, to proclaim the perfections of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once His mercy had not been shown you, but now it has.

Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once His mercy had not been shown you, but now it has.

because everything that is in the world, the things that our lower nature and eyes are longing for, and the proud pretensions of life, do not come from the Father, but from the world;

No one who disowns the Son can have the Father. Whoever owns the Son has the Father too.

If you know that He is upright, you must know that everyone who practices uprightness is born of Him.

Dearly beloved, we are now God's children, but what we are going to be has not been unveiled. We know that if it is unveiled, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is.

No one who is born of God makes a practice of sinning, because the God-given life-principle continues to live in him, and so he cannot practice sinning, because he is born of God.

Dearly beloved, let us practice loving one another, because love originates with God, and everyone who practices loving is a child of God and knows God by experience.

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves His child.

for every child of God continues to conquer the world. Our faith is the victory that has conquered the world.

Whoever conquers will come into possession of these things, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But the cowards, the unfaithful, the polluted, the murderers, the sexually immoral, the practicers of magic, the worshipers of idols, and all liars will have their portion in the lake that keeps on burning with fire and brimstone. This is the second death."