John 3
1 There was a man named Nicodemus, who was a member of the Jewish religious council. He belonged to the Pharisee [religious sect].
There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
2 He went to see Jesus at night, [to talk to him about God’s kingdom]. He said to Jesus, “Teacher, [we believe that] you are a teacher who has come from God. [We believe this because] we know that someone could perform the miracles you are doing only if God were helping him.”
The same came to Jesus by night, and said to him, Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that you do, except God be with him.
3 Jesus replied to him, “Listen to this carefully: Unless people are born again and [have a new life from God], they cannot even see the place where God rules [MET]!”
Jesus answered and said to him, Truly, truly, I say to you, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4 Then Nicodemus said to him, “(No one can be born when he is old!/How can anyone be born when he is old?) [RHQ] (There is no way he can enter his mother’s womb and be born a second time!/How can he enter his mother’s womb and be born a second time?) [RHQ]”
Nicodemus says to him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?
5 Jesus answered, “Note this: Being born naturally is not [enough]; people need to also be born [spiritually] by God’s Spirit. If that does not happen, they cannot experience God ruling [MET] [their lives].
Jesus answered, Truly, truly, I say to you, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6 Humans give birth to humans. But those who are born [again] as a result of what [God’s] Spirit [does receive a new] spiritual [nature from God].
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Do not be surprised about my telling you that you must be born again [and have a new life from God].
Marvel not that I said to you, You must be born again.
8 [Let me illustrate]: The wind blows wherever it wants to blow. You hear its sound, but you do not know where the wind comes from or where it is going. Similarly, those [who do not know God cannot understand/control/predict] how people are born again as a result of what God’s spirit [does].”
The wind blows where it wants, and you hear the sound thereof, but can not tell from where it comes, and where it goes: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
9 Nicodemus replied to him, “How can that happen?”
Nicodemus answered and said to him, How can these things be?
10 Jesus replied to him, “You [(sg)] are a [well-known] teacher among [us] Israelite people, so (I am surprised that you do not understand these things!/how is it that you do not understand these things?) [RHQ]
Jesus answered and said to him, Are you a master of Israel, and know not these things?
11 Listen to this carefully: (My disciples and I/I) tell you [(pl)] about the things that my disciples and I have seen and know [are true], but you [(pl)] do not admit that what my disciples and I are saying [is true].
Truly, truly, I say to you, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and you receive not our witness.
12 I have told you about the things [that happen here] on earth that are true, but you [(pl)] do not believe me. So if I tell you [(sg)] about things [that happen] in heaven, (you certainly will not believe me!/how will you believe me?) [RHQ]
If I have told you earthly things, and you believe not, how shall you believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?
13 I am the only one who has gone up to heaven; no one else has gone up there. I am also the one who came down from heaven. [So I know what happens there].
And no man has ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
14 [Long ago when the Israelite people rebelled against God] in the desolate area, [God sent poisonous snakes to bite them]. But when Moses lifted up [on a pole] the [model of a] poisonous snake, [everyone who looked at that model was healed from their snake bites]. Similarly, [even though I] am the one who came from heaven, [some day people] will lift me up [on a cross to kill me].
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
That whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. (aiōnios g166)
16 God loved us people [MTY] in the world so much that he gave his only Son [as a sacrifice for us], in order that everyone who believes in him would not be separated from God forever. Instead, they would have eternal life. (aiōnios g166)
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (aiōnios g166)
17 When God sent his Son into the world, his purpose was not to punish the [people in] [MTY] the world for their sins. Instead, he sent him in order that they might be saved by him {he might save them} [from being] ([guilty/punished]) [for their sins].
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18 Everyone who trusts in his Son, [God says that they] will not be punished {that he will not punish them}. But God has already [said that] everyone who does not trust in his Son will be punished {that he will punish everyone who does not trust in his Son}, because they have not trusted in what his only Son [has done for them].
He that believes on him is not condemned: but he that believes not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19 The [one who was like a] light [MET] [to reveal God’s truth to us] came into the world. But people loved doing what was [evil, like] darkness [MET] [is evil], instead of loving the [one who was like a] light. That is the reason [God will] judge people [and condemn them].
And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 Everyone who does what is evil hates the [one who is like a] light, and they will not come to the [one who is like a] light, because it would be shown {[the one who is like a light] would show} that their deeds [are evil, and he would rebuke them].
For every one that does evil hates the light, neither comes to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
21 But those who live according to [God’s] truth come to the [one who is like a] light, in order that it may be seen clearly {that people may see clearly} that the things they have done, they did them because [they have depended] on God.
But he that does truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are worked in God.
22 Some time later Jesus and we disciples went to Judea district. He stayed with us there and [directed us as we] baptized people.
After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized.
23 John [the Baptizer] was also baptizing people. He was doing that at Aenon [village] near Salim [town in Samaria district], because there were many springs in that area. [Many] people kept coming [to John] and were being baptized {he was baptizing them}.
And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.
24 That happened before John was put {they put John} in prison.
For John was not yet cast into prison.
25 Then some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew started arguing about the Jewish rituals of washing things [to make them acceptable to God].
Then there arose a question between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purifying.
26 Then those disciples went to John and said to him, “Teacher, [do you remember] the man who was with you when you were baptizing people on the other side of the Jordan River? He is the one you were telling us about. Well, now he is baptizing people, and many people are going to him [instead of coming to us]!”
And they came to John, and said to him, Rabbi, he that was with you beyond Jordan, to whom you bore witness, behold, the same baptizes, and all men come to him.
27 John replied, “A person can become [important] only if God [MTY] permits it. [So] we [should not be jealous about Jesus being popular]!
John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.
28 You yourselves can verify what I said. I told you that I am not (the Messiah/God’s promised king). Instead, I [told you that] I was sent {that [God] sent me} to prepare the way for him.
You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.
29 [Let me illustrate] [MET]: [He is like a] ([bridegroom/man who is being married]), [and I am like his friend]. The friend of the bridegroom stands there and waits [for him to come]. That friend is very happy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice [when he arrives]. Similarly, I am very happy [about what you have told me].
He that has the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.
30 It is necessary for Jesus to become more important [by making more disciples than I have], and for me to become less [important].”
He must increase, but I must decrease.
31 [Jesus] came from heaven. He is more important than anyone else. Those who are born from [parents here] on earth [MTY] are just humans, and they speak about things [that happen here] on the earth. But since Jesus came from heaven, his [words are] more important than anyone else’s.
He that comes from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaks of the earth: he that comes from heaven is above all.
32 He tells people what he has seen and what he heard [in heaven], but very few people [HYP] listen to what he says.
And what he has seen and heard, that he testifies; and no man receives his testimony.
33 Those who have accepted what he has said verify that what God has said is true.
He that has received his testimony has set to his seal that God is true.
34 [We know it is true] because [Jesus], the one God sent, speaks the message of God. [That is also true] because God causes his Spirit to live [in Jesus] to completely [direct everything he says and does].
For he whom God has sent speaks the words of God: for God gives not the Spirit by measure to him.
35 God loves his Son, and has caused him to have control/power over everything.
The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand.
36 Those who trust in [God’s] Son have eternal life. But those who reject God’s Son will never have [eternal] life. Instead, God is angry with them [and he will surely punish them]. (aiōnios g166)
He that believes on the Son has everlasting life: and he that believes not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God stays on him. (aiōnios g166)
