< John 3 >

1 Now there was among the Pharisees a man named Nicodemus, who was one of the rulers of the Jews.
Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jewish people.
2 He came to Jesus by night and said to him, Rabbi, we are certain that you have come from God as a teacher, because no man would be able to do these signs which you do if God was not with him.
This man came to him at night, and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do, unless God is with him."
3 Jesus said to him, Truly, I say to you, Without a new birth no man is able to see the kingdom of God.
Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I tell you, unless one is born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God."
4 Nicodemus said to him, How is it possible for a man to be given birth when he is old? Is he able to go into his mother's body a second time and come to birth again?
Nicodemus said to him, "How can anyone be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb, and be born?"
5 Jesus said in answer, Truly, I say to you, If a man's birth is not from water and from the Spirit, it is not possible for him to go into the kingdom of God.
Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I tell you, unless one is born of water and Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God.
6 That which has birth from the flesh is flesh, and that which has birth from the Spirit is spirit.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Do not be surprised that I say to you, It is necessary for you to have a second birth.
Do not be surprised that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'
8 The wind goes where its pleasure takes it, and the sound of it comes to your ears, but you are unable to say where it comes from and where it goes: so it is with everyone whose birth is from the Spirit.
The wind blows where it wants to, and you hear its sound, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit."
9 And Nicodemus said to him, How is it possible for these things to be?
Nicodemus answered and said to him, "How can these things be?"
10 And Jesus, answering, said, Are you the teacher of Israel and have no knowledge of these things?
Jesus answered him, "Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not understand these things?
11 Truly, I say to you, We say that of which we have knowledge; we give witness of what we have seen; and you do not take our witness to be true.
Truly, truly, I tell you, we speak that which we know, and testify of that which we have seen, but you do not accept our testimony.
12 If you have no belief when my words are about the things of earth, how will you have belief if my words are about the things of heaven?
If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?
13 And no one has ever gone up to heaven but he who came down from heaven, the Son of man.
And no one has ascended into heaven, but he who descended out of heaven, the Son of Man, who is in heaven.
14 As the snake was lifted up by Moses in the waste land, even so it is necessary for the Son of man to be lifted up:
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
15 So that whoever has faith may have in him eternal life. (aiōnios g166)
so that everyone who believes in him may have life without end. (aiōnios g166)
16 For God had such love for the world that he gave his only Son, so that whoever has faith in him may not come to destruction but have eternal life. (aiōnios g166)
For this is how God loved the world: he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have life without end. (aiōnios g166)
17 God did not send his Son into the world to be judge of the world; he sent him so that the world might have salvation through him.
For God did not send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him.
18 The man who has faith in him does not come up to be judged; but he who has no faith in him has been judged even now, because he has no faith in the name of the only Son of God.
The one who believes in him is not judged, but the one who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
19 And this is the test by which men are judged: the light has come into the world and men have more love for the dark than for the light, because their acts are evil.
This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light, because their works were evil.
20 The light is hated by everyone whose acts are evil and he does not come to the light for fear that his acts will be seen.
For everyone who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, so that his works will not be exposed.
21 But he whose life is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his acts have been done by the help of God.
But the one who does the truth comes to the light, that his works may be revealed, that they have been done in God."
22 After these things Jesus and his disciples went into the land of Judaea, and there he was with them for some time, giving baptism.
After these things, Jesus came with his disciples into the land of Judea. He stayed there with them, and was baptizing.
23 Now John was then giving baptism at Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there; and people came and were given baptism.
Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. They came, and were baptized.
24 For at this time John had not been put into prison.
For John was not yet thrown into prison.
25 Then a question came up between John's disciples and a Jew about washing.
Now a dispute arose between John's disciples with a Jew about purification.
26 And they went to John and said to him, Rabbi, the man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan, the man to whom you gave witness, is now giving baptism, and everyone is going to him.
And they came to John, and said to him, "Rabbi, he who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, look, he is baptizing, and everyone is coming to him."
27 And this was John's answer: A man is unable to have anything if it is not given to him from heaven.
John answered, "No one can receive anything, unless it has been given to him from heaven.
28 You yourselves give witness that I said, I am not the Christ. What I said was, I am sent before the Christ.
You yourselves bear me witness that I said, 'I am not the Christ,' but, 'I have been sent before him.'
29 He who has the bride is the husband: but the husband's friend, whose place is by his side and whose ears are open to him, is full of joy because of the husband's voice: such is my joy, and it is complete.
He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. So this joy of mine is now complete.
30 He has to become greater while I become less.
He must increase, but I must decrease.
31 He who comes from heaven is greater than all others: he who comes from earth is of the earth, and of the earth are his words: he who comes from heaven is over all.
He who comes from above is above all. He who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.
32 He gives witness of what he has seen and of what has come to his ears; and no man takes his witness as true.
What he has seen and heard, of that he testifies; and no one receives his witness.
33 He who so takes his witness has made clear his faith that God is true.
He who has received his witness has set his seal to this, that God is true.
34 For he whom God has sent says God's words; and God does not give him the Spirit by measure.
For he whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for he does not give the Spirit by measure.
35 The Father has love for the Son and has put all things into his hands.
The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand.
36 He who has faith in the Son has eternal life; but he who has not faith in the Son will not see life; God's wrath is resting on him. (aiōnios g166)
Whoever believes in the Son has everlasting life, but whoever refuses to believe in the Son won't see life, but the wrath of God remains on him." (aiōnios g166)

< John 3 >