⁸ But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,”^[a](A) that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim:

¹⁷ Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message,^(A) and the message is heard through the word about Christ.^(B)

¹⁰ if you obey the Lord your God and keep his commands and decrees that are written in this Book of the Law^(A) and turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.^(B)

The Offer of Life or Death

¹¹ Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach.^{(C) 12} It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven^(D) to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?”^{(E) 13} Nor is it beyond the sea,^(F) so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?”^{(G) 14} No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.^(H)

¹⁶ Let the message of Christ^(A) dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom^(B) through psalms,^(C) hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.^(D)

²³ For you have been born again,^(A) not of perishable seed, but of imperishable,^(B) through the living and enduring word of God.^(C)

And this is the word that was preached to you.

The Word Became Flesh

1 In the beginning was the Word,^(A) and the Word was with God,^(B) and the Word was God.^(C)

¹⁴ The Word became flesh^(A) and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory,^(B) the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace^(C) and truth.^(D)

¹³ He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood,^(A) and his name is the Word of God.^{(B) 14} The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen,^(C) white^(D) and clean. ¹⁵ Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword^(E) with which to strike down^(F) the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.”^[a](G) He treads the winepress^(H) of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. ¹⁶ On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:^(I)