eugene h peterson

[Jesus said,] "I'm telling you these things while I'm still living with you. The Friend, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send at my request, will make everything plain to you. He will remind you of all the things I have told you. I'm leaving you well and whole. That's my parting gift to...

[Jesus said,] "I will talk to the Father, and he'll provide you another Friend so that you will always have someone with you. This Friend is the Spirit of Truth. The godless world can't take him in because it doesn't have eyes to see him, doesn't know what to look for. But you know him already...

[Jesus said,] "If you love me, show it by doing what I've told you. I will talk to the Father, and he'll provide you another Friend so that you will always have someone with you." —John 14:15-16 MESSAGE Key Thought Love is shown by the actions that back up a person's words. We show our love...

On the final and climactic day of the Feast, Jesus took his stand. He cried out, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Rivers of living water will brim and spill out of the depths of anyone who believes in me this way, just as the Scripture says." (He said this in regard to the...

[Jesus said,] "The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you — they are full of the Spirit and life." —John 6:63 NIV Key Thought The apostle Paul said essentially the same thing as in today's verse when he wrote, "I consider everything a loss because of...

[Jesus said,] "But the time is coming — indeed it's here now — when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth." —John 4:23-24 NLT...

[Jesus said,] "Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth." —John 4:23-24 NIV Key Thought...

For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. —John 3:34-35 NIV Key Thought John's gospel declares again and again that Jesus is God among us. He speaks the words of God. His...

[Jesus continued,] "The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." "How can this be?" Nicodemus asked. —John 3:8 NIV Key Thought As a young boy, I remember taking apart an old...

[Jesus said,] "So don't be surprised when I say, 'You must be born again.'" —John 3:7 NLT Key Thought We sometimes fail to realize that Nicodemus is the ultimate good guy — he is the best of the best. He is a religious leader and teacher. He has come to Jesus out of darkness to find light. He...

[Jesus continued,] "Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life." —John 3:6 NLT Key Thought Ten times in five verses in the Bible's first chapter we are told that each living thing produced according to its kind (Genesis 1:11-12; Genesis 1:21...

"What do you mean?" exclaimed Nicodemus. "How can an old man go back into his mother's womb and be born again?" Jesus replied, "I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit." —John 3:4-5 NLT Key Thought We can begin life all over again. This new...

[John the Baptizer continued,] "I didn't know [Jesus] was the one, but when God sent me to baptize with water, he told me, 'The one on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' I saw this happen to Jesus, so I testify that he is the Chosen One of...

[John the Baptizer said,] "I did not recognize [Jesus] as the Messiah, but I have been baptizing with water so that he might be revealed to Israel." Then John testified, "I saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove from heaven and resting upon him." —John 1:31-32 NLT Key Thought Even though...

[The Gentile Christians] were pleased to [send financial support to Jewish Christians], and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews' spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings. —Romans 15:27 NIV Key Thought Through...

Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. —Romans 12:11 NIV Key Thought The phrase "keep your spiritual fervor" is the meaning of an idiom in Greek that literally says "to boil in the spirit." We are to be on fire with the Holy Spirit! That fire is the key to...

For I long to visit you so I can bring you some spiritual gift that will help you grow strong in the Lord. —Romans 1:11 NLT Key Thought Paul wants to bless the believers in Rome with a spiritual gift that finds its effectiveness and grace in the Holy Spirit's power and presence. When Paul is...

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. —Ephesians 1:3 NIV Key Thought Go back and read that verse again and instead of "every spiritual blessing," read "every blessing the Spirit gives"! Does...

Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. —Colossians 3:16 NIV Key Thought Many translations use the term "spiritual songs" and so we...

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, ... —Colossians 1:9 NIV Key Thought There are simply some things that no...