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].
Ary nisy Fariseo anankiray atao hoe Nikodemosy, mpanapaka tamin’ ny Jiosy.
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.”
Izy nankao amin’ i Jesosy nony alina ka nanao taminy hoe: Raby ô, fantatray fa mpampianatra avy amin’ Andriamanitra Hianao; fa tsy misy olona mahay manao izao famantarana ataonao izao, raha tsy Andriamanitra no momba azy.
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]!”
Jesosy namaly ka nanao taminy hoe: Lazaiko aminao marina dia marina tokoa: Raha tsy ateraka indray ny olona, dia tsy mahazo mahita ny fanjakan’ Andriamanitra.
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]”
Hoy Nikodemosy taminy: Hataon’ ny olona ahoana no hateraka rehefa lehibe; moa mahazo miditra any an-kibon-dreniny indray va izy ka hateraka?
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].
Jesosy namaly hoe: Lazaiko aminao marina dia marina tokoa: Raha misy olona tsy ateraky ny rano sy ny Fanahy, dia tsy mahazo miditra amin’ ny fanjakan’ Andriamanitra izy.
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].
Izay ateraky ny nofo dia nofo; ary izay ateraky ny Fanahy dia fanahy.
7 Do not be surprised about my telling you that you must be born again [and have a new life from God].
aza gaga noho ny nilazako taminao hoe: Tsy maintsy hateraka indray ianareo.
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].”
Ny rivotra mitsoka amin’ izay tiany, ary renao ny feony, nefa tsy fantatrao izay ihaviany na izay alehany, dia tahaka izany izay rehetra ateraky ny Fanahy.
9 Nicodemus replied to him, “How can that happen?”
Nikodemosy namaly ka nanao taminy hoe: Hatao ahoana no hahatonga izany zavatra izany?
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]
Jesosy namaly ka nanao taminy hoe: Hianao va no mpampianatra ny Isiraely ka tsy mahalala izany zavatra izany?
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].
Lazaiko aminao marina dia marina tokoa: Izay fantatray no lazainay, ary izay hitanay no ambaranay; nefa ny fanambaranay tsy raisinareo.
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]
Raha ny zavatra etỳ an-tany aza no nolazaiko taminareo ka tsy inoanareo, ahoana no hinoanareo, raha milaza aminareo ny zavatra any an-danitra Aho?
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].
Ary tsy nisy niakatra ho any an-danitra, afa-tsy Ilay nidina avy tany an-danitra, dia ny Zanak’ olona, Izay any an-danitra.
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].
Ary tahaka ny nanandratan’ i Mosesy ny menarana tany an-efitra no tsy maintsy hanandratana ny Zanak’ olona,
mba hanana fiainana mandrakizay izay rehetra mino Azy. (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)
Fa toy izao no nitiavan’ Andriamanitra izao tontolo izao: nomeny ny Zanani-lahy Tokana, mba tsy ho very izay rehetra mino Azy, fa hanana fiainana mandrakizay. (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].
Fa Andriamanitra tsy naniraka ny Zanaka ho amin’ izao tontolo izao hanameloka izao tontolo izao, fa mba hamonjeny izao tontolo izao.
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].
Izay mino Azy dia tsy helohina; fa izay tsy mino kosa dia efa voaheloka rahateo, satria tsy nino ny anaran’ ny Zanaka-lahy Tokan’ Andriamanitra izy.
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].
Ary izao no fanamelohana, fa tonga amin’ izao tontolo izao ny mazava, nefa aleon’ ny olona ny maizina toy izay ny mazava, satria ratsy ny asany.
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].
Fa izay rehetra manao ratsy dia mankahala ny mazava sady tsy manatona ny mazava, fandrao hita miharihary ny asany.
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.
Fa izay manao ny marina kosa dia manatona ny mazava, mba haseho ny asany, fa atao amin’ Andriamanitra izany.
22 Some time later Jesus and we disciples went to Judea district. He stayed with us there and [directed us as we] baptized people.
Rehefa afaka izany, dia tonga tany amin’ ny tany Jodia Jesosy sy ny mpianany; ary niara-nitoetra taminy tao Izy sady nanao batisa.
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}.
Ary Jaona koa nanao batisa tao Ainona, akaikin’ i Saleima, satria nisy loharano maro tao; dia nankany ny olona ka nataony batisa.
24 That happened before John was put {they put John} in prison.
Fa tsy mbola natao tao an-tranomaizina Jaona.
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].
Ary nisy nifandiran’ ny mpianatr’ i Jaona tamin’ ny Jiosy anankiray ny amin’ ny fanadiovana;
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]!”
ary tonga tany amin’ i Jaona ny mpianany ka nanao taminy hoe: Raby ô, Ilay tany aminao, tany an-dafin’ i Jordana, Izay nambaranao, indro, manao batisa Izy, ary ny olona rehetra manatona Azy.
27 John replied, “A person can become [important] only if God [MTY] permits it. [So] we [should not be jealous about Jesus being popular]!
Jaona namaly ka nanao hoe: Tsy misy olona mahay mandray na inona na inona, raha tsy nomena azy avy any an-danitra izany.
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.
Hianareo no vavolombeloko fa hoy izaho: Tsy izaho no Kristy, fa nirahiny hialoha Azy aho.
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].
Izay manana ny ampakarina no mpampakatra; fa ny sakaizan’ ny mpampakatra, izay mitsangana sy mihaino azy, dia mifaly indrindra noho ny feon’ ny mpampakatra; ary efa tanteraka izany fifaliako izany.
30 It is necessary for Jesus to become more important [by making more disciples than I have], and for me to become less [important].”
Izy tsy maintsy mitombo, fa izaho kosa tsy maintsy mihena.
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.
Izay avy any ambony dia ambonin’ izy rehetra; ary izay avy amin’ ny tany dia avy amin’ ny tany, ka ny momba ny etỳ an-tany ihany no lazainy; Izay avy any an-danitra dia ambonin’ izy rehetra;
32 He tells people what he has seen and what he heard [in heaven], but very few people [HYP] listen to what he says.
koa izay hitany sy reny no ambarany; ary tsy misy mandray ny fanambarany.
33 Those who have accepted what he has said verify that what God has said is true.
Izay mandray ny fanambarany dia nanisy tombo-kase fa marina Andriamanitra.
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].
Fa Izay nirahin’ Andriamanitra dia milaza ny teniny; fa tsy misy fetra ny fanomezan’ Andriamanitra ny Fanahy.
35 God loves his Son, and has caused him to have control/power over everything.
Ny Ray tia ny Zanaka ka efa nanolotra ny zavatra rehetra ho eo an-tànany.
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)
Izay mino ny Zanaka manana fiainana mandrakizay; fa izay tsy mino ny Zanaka dia tsy hahita fiainana, fa ny fahatezeran’ Andriamanitra no mitoetra eo aminy. (aiōnios g166)
