< John 3 >
1 And there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
Now there was among the Pharisees a man named Nicodemus, who was one of the rulers of the Jews.
2 This man came to him by night, and said to him, Rabbi, we know that thou hast come as a teacher from God; for no one can do these signs which thou doest, unless God be with him.
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.
3 Jesus answered and said to him, Truly, truly do I say to thee, Unless a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Jesus said to him, Truly, I say to you, Without a new birth no man is able to see the kingdom of God.
4 Nicodemus saith to him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter his mother's womb a second time, and be born?
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?
5 Jesus answered, Truly, truly do I say to thee, Unless a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.
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.
6 That which is born of the flesh, is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit, is spirit.
That which has birth from the flesh is flesh, and that which has birth from the Spirit is spirit.
7 Marvel not that I said to thee, Ye must be born again.
Do not be surprised that I say to you, It is necessary for you to have a second birth.
8 The wind bloweth where it will; and thou hearest the sound thereof, but knowest not whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
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.
9 Nicodemus answered and said to him, How can these things be?
And Nicodemus said to him, How is it possible for these things to be?
10 Jesus answered and said to him, Art thou the teacher of Israel, and understandest not these things?
And Jesus, answering, said, Are you the teacher of Israel and have no knowledge of these things?
11 Truly, truly do I say to thee, We speak that which we know, and testify that which we have seen; and ye receive not our testimony.
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.
12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how will ye believe if I tell you heavenly things?
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?
13 And no one hath ascended into heaven, but he who came down from heaven, even the Son of man.
And no one has ever gone up to heaven but he who came down from heaven, the Son of man.
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up
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:
15 that every one who believeth in him may have everlasting life. (aiōnios )
So that whoever has faith may have in him eternal life. (aiōnios )
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave the only begotten Son, that every one who believeth in him may not perish, but may have everlasting life. (aiōnios )
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 )
17 For God sent not the Son into the world to condemn the world, but that through him the world might be saved.
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.
18 He that believeth in him is not condemned; he that believeth not hath already been condemned, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
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.
19 And this is the condemnation, that the light hath come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their deeds were evil.
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.
20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, and cometh not to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
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.
21 But he that doeth the truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
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.
22 After these things Jesus and his disciples came into the land of Judaea; and there he remained with them, and baptized.
After these things Jesus and his disciples went into the land of Judaea, and there he was with them for some time, giving baptism.
23 And John also was baptizing in AEnon, near Salim, because there was much water there; and they came, and were baptized.
Now John was then giving baptism at Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there; and people came and were given baptism.
24 For John was not yet thrown into prison.
For at this time John had not been put into prison.
25 Then there arose a question on the part of John's disciples with a Jew about purifying.
Then a question came up between John's disciples and a Jew about washing.
26 And they came to John, and said to him, Rabbi, he who was with thee beyond the Jordan, to whom thou hast borne witness, behold, he baptizeth, and all men are going to him.
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.
27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, unless it be given him from heaven.
And this was John's answer: A man is unable to have anything if it is not given to him from heaven.
28 Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I was sent before that man.
You yourselves give witness that I said, I am not the Christ. What I said was, I am sent before the Christ.
29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. This my joy then hath become full.
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.
30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
He has to become greater while I become less.
31 He that cometh from above is above all. He that is from the earth is earthly, and speaketh earthly things; he that cometh from heaven
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.
32 testifieth what he hath seen and heard; and no one receiveth his testimony.
He gives witness of what he has seen and of what has come to his ears; and no man takes his witness as true.
33 He that hath received his testimony hath set his seal that God is true.
He who so takes his witness has made clear his faith that God is true.
34 For he whom God sent speaketh the words of God; for he giveth not the Spirit by measure.
For he whom God has sent says God's words; and God does not give him the Spirit by measure.
35 The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.
The Father has love for the Son and has put all things into his hands.
36 He that believeth in the Son hath everlasting life; and he that disobeyeth the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him. (aiōnios )
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 )