Yohana 3
1 Jwapali chilongola jwa Chiyahudi liina lyakwe che Nikodemu juŵaliji mu mpingo wa Mafalisayo.
There was a man named Nicodemus, who was a member of the Jewish religious council. He belonged to the Pharisee [religious sect].
2 Chilo chimo che Nikodemu ŵanjaulile Che Yesu ni kunsalila, “Jwakwiganya, tukwimanyilila kuti mmwe ndi jwakwiganya jwalajiswe ni Akunnungu, pakuŵa ngapagwa mundu jwakukombola kupanganya imanyisyo inkwitendekanya mmwe akaŵe Akunnungu ali pamo najo.”
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.”
3 Che Yesu ŵanjanjile, “Isyene ngunsalila, iŵaga mundu ngakupagwa kaaŵili, ngaakombola kwinjila mu umwenye wa Akunnungu.”
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]!”
4 Che Nikodemu ŵambusisye, “Ana mundu akukombola chinauli kupagwa kaaŵili ali akusile? Akukombola chinauli kwinjila mu lutumbo lwa achikulugwe ni kupagwa kaaŵili?”
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]”
5 Che Yesu ŵanjanjile, “Isyene ngunsalila, iŵaga mundu ngaapagwa kwa meesi ni kwa Mbumu jwa Akunnungu, ngaakombola kwinjila mu umwenye wa Akunnungu.
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].
6 Kwa chiilu mundu akupagwa ni atati ni achikulugwe, nambo akupagwa kwa mbumu, akupagwa kwa Mbumu jwa Akunnungu.
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].
7 Nkasimonga pakuŵa ndite kuti nkusachilwa mpagwe kaaŵili.
Do not be surprised about my telling you that you must be born again [and have a new life from God].
8 Mbungo jikupuga kujikusaka, nkujipikana pajikupuga, nambo ngankukumanyilila kujikukopochela atamuno kujikwaula. Ikuŵa yelei kwa jwalijose jwapagwilwe kwa Mbumu jwa Akunnungu.”
[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].”
9 Che Nikodemu ŵausisye Che Yesu, “Ayi indu yi ana chiikomboleche chinauli?”
Nicodemus replied to him, “How can that happen?”
10 Che Yesu ŵanjanjile, “Mmwejo ndi jwakwiganya jwa Ŵaisilaeli ana iŵele uli ngankwimanyilila indu yi?
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]
11 Isyene ngunsalila, uweji tukuŵecheta itukwimanyilila ni kuŵalanga umboni wa itwiweni, nambo ŵanyamwe ngankusaka kuujitichisya utenga wetu.
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].
12 Iŵaga nantanjile indu ya pachilambo ni ŵanyamwe nganinjitichisya, ana nantanjilaga indu ya kwinani chinjitichisye chinauli?
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]
13 Ngapagwa jwalijose jwajawile kwinani ikaŵe Mwana jwa Mundu juŵatulwiche kutyochela kwinani.”
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].
14 Mpela ila che Musa iŵatite pakulikoleka penani pa luchanamila lijoka lilyakolochekwe ni shaba mwipululu mula, iyoyo peyo Mwana jwa Mundu ikusachilwa anyakulikwe mwinani,
[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].
As a result, everyone who believes/trusts in me will have eternal life.” (aiōnios g166)
16 Pakuŵa Akunnungu ŵaanonyele nnope ŵandu ŵa pachilambo, nipele ŵantyosisye Mwanagwe jwajikape, kuti jwalijose jwakunkulupilila akajonasika, nambo akole umi wa moŵa gose pangali mbesi. (aiōnios g166)
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)
17 Pakuŵa Akunnungu nganantuma Mwanagwe pachilambo kuti aiche kukwalamula ŵandu, nambo aiche kukwakulupusya.
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].
18 Jwakunkulupilila Mwana jwa Akunnungu, jwelejo ngakulamulwa, nambo jwangankulupilila jwelejo amasile kulamulikwa, pakuŵa nganankulupilila Mwana jwajikape jwa Akunnungu.
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].
19 Lilamulo lili lyeleli, lilanguka liiche pachilambo nambo ŵandu achinonyele nnope chipi kupunda lilanguka, pakuŵa akupanganya ya chigongomalo.
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].
20 Mundu jwalijose jwakupanganya ya chigongomalo akulichima lilanguka, ngakwika kulilanguka pakuŵa ngakusaka iwoneche indu yao ya chigongomalo.
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].
21 Nambo jwakuukamulisya usyene akwika kulilanguka kuti yakuipanganya iwoneche kuti ipanganyiche kwa kwajitichisya Akunnungu.
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.
22 Payamasile yeleyo Che Yesu pamo ni ŵakulijiganya ŵao ŵajawile ku chilambo cha Ŵayahudi. Ŵatemi pamo nawo kweleko, achibatisyaga ŵandu.
Some time later Jesus and we disciples went to Judea district. He stayed with us there and [directed us as we] baptized people.
23 Che Yohana nombe ŵaliji ku Ainoni, pachiŵandi ku Salimu achibatisyaga ŵandu, pakuŵa kweleko kwaliji ni meesi gamajinji. Ŵandu ŵanjaulilaga, nombewo ŵabatisye.
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}.
24 Yeleyo yakopochele katema che Yohana nganataŵikwe mu nyuumba jakutaŵilwa.
That happened before John was put {they put John} in prison.
25 Gakopochele makani pasikati ja Myahudi jumo ni ŵakulijiganya ŵampepe ŵa che Yohana nkati masyoŵelelo ga kuliswejesya kwaligongo lya kwapopelela Akunnungu.
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].
26 Nipele, ŵakulijiganya wo ŵanjaulile che Yohana ni kunsalila, “Jwakwiganya, ajula mundu juŵaliji pamo nomwe peesi Yolodani, jumwaŵalasile ngani syakwe, nombejo sambano akubatisya, ni ŵandu wose akwajaulila.”
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]!”
27 Che Yohana ŵajanjile, “Mundu ngakukombola kukola chachilichose ikaŵe apegwilwe ni Akunnungu ŵa kwinani.
John replied, “A person can become [important] only if God [MTY] permits it. [So] we [should not be jealous about Jesus being popular]!
28 Ni ŵanyamwe mwachinsyene nkumanyilila kuti nasasile, ‘Uneji nguniŵa Kilisito Jwakuwombola, nambo nalajiswe kuti naalongolele!’
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.
29 Jwakulombekwa ali jwakwe nnombela, nambo nkamusi jwa nnombela akwima kuntumichila nnombela, nkamusi jo akusangalala nnope pakupilikana liloŵe lya nnombela ali nkukunguluka. Iyoyo peyo ni uneji ngusangalala nnope.
[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].
30 Che Yesu ikusachilwa aŵe jwankulu, ni uneji mme jwannondi.
It is necessary for Jesus to become more important [by making more disciples than I have], and for me to become less [important].”
31 “Jwakwika kutyochela kwinani ali jwankulu kwapunda wose. Jwakutyochela pachilambo ali jwa pachilambo nombe akuŵecheta mpela mundu jwa pachilambo. Nambo jwakwika kutyochela kwinani akuilongosya indu yose.
[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.
32 Jwelejo akutyosya umboni wa indu yaiweni ni kuilipikana, nambo ngapagwa mundu jwakukunda indu yakuisala.
He tells people what he has seen and what he heard [in heaven], but very few people [HYP] listen to what he says.
33 Nambo mundu jwalijose jwakukunda umboni wakuusala jwelejo, akwitichisya kuti Akunnungu ali usyene.
Those who have accepted what he has said verify that what God has said is true.
34 Ajula jwatumikwe ni Akunnungu akusala maloŵe ga Akunnungu, pakuŵa Akunnungu akwapa Mbumu jwa Akunnungu kwa winji.
[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].
35 Akunnungu akunnonyela Mwana ni indu yose aŵisile mu ulamusi wao.
God loves his Son, and has caused him to have control/power over everything.
36 Jwakunkulupilila Mwana akwete umi wa moŵa gose pangali mbesi, jwangakunkulupilila Mwana ngakola umi, ni uchimwa wa Akunnungu uli pa jwelejo.” (aiōnios g166)
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)
