< John 3 >

1 Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, who was a leading man among his people.
Now there was one of the Pharisees whose name was Nicodemus--a ruler among the Jews.
2 This man came to Jesus by night, and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God; for no one could give such signs as you are giving, unless God were with him.”
He came to Jesus by night and said, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher from God; for no one can do these miracles which you are doing, unless God is with him.
3 “In truth I tell you,” exclaimed Jesus, “unless a person is reborn, they cannot see the kingdom of God.”
"In most solemn truth I tell you," answered Jesus, "that unless a man is born anew he cannot see the Kingdom of God."
4 “How can a person,” asked Nicodemus, “be born when they are old? Can they be born a second time?”
"How is it possible," Nicodemus asked, "for a man to be born when he is old? Can he a second time enter his mother's womb and be born?"
5 “In truth I tell you,” answered Jesus, “unless a person owes their birth to water and Spirit, they cannot enter the kingdom of God.
"In most solemn truth I tell you," replied Jesus, "that unless a man is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God.
6 All that owes its birth to human nature is human, and all that owes its birth to the Spirit is spiritual.
Whatever has been born of the flesh is flesh, and whatever has been born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Do not wonder at my telling you that you all need to be reborn.
Do not be astonished at my telling you, 'You must all be born anew.'
8 The wind blows wherever it wants, and you can hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from, or where it goes; it is the same with everyone who owes his birth to the Spirit.”
The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going. So is it with every one who has been born of the Spirit."
9 “How can that be?” asked Nicodemus.
"How is all this possible?" asked Nicodemus.
10 “What! You a teacher of Israel,” exclaimed Jesus, “and yet do not understand this!
"Are you," replied Jesus, "'the Teacher of Israel,' and yet do you not understand these things?
11 In truth I tell you that we speak of what we know, and state what we have seen; and yet you do not accept our statements.
In most solemn truth I tell you that we speak what we know, and give testimony of that of which we were eye-witnesses, and yet you all reject our testimony.
12 If, when I tell you earthly things, you do not believe me, how will you believe me when I tell you of heavenly things?
If I have told you earthly things and none of you believe me, how will you believe me if I tell you of things in Heaven?
13 No one has ascended to heaven, except him who descended from heaven – the Son of Man himself.
There is no one who has gone up to Heaven, but there is One who has come down from Heaven, namely the Son of Man whose home is in Heaven.
14 And, as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up;
And just as Moses lifted high the serpent in the Desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
15 so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” (aiōnios g166)
in order that every one who trusts in Him may have the Life of the Ages." (aiōnios g166)
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost, but have eternal life. (aiōnios g166)
For so greatly did God love the world that He gave His only Son, that every one who trusts in Him may not perish but may have the Life of Ages. (aiōnios g166)
17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but so that the world might be saved through him.
For God did not send His Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.
18 The person who believes in him escapes condemnation, while the person who does not believe in him is already condemned, because they have not believed in the only Son of God.
He who trusts in Him does not come up for judgement. He who does not trust has already received sentence, because he has not his trust resting on the name of God's only Son.
19 The ground of their condemnation is this, that though the light has come into the world, people preferred the darkness to the light, because their actions were wicked.
And this is the test by which men are judged--the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness more than they loved the Light, because their deeds were wicked.
20 For the person who lives an evil life hates the light, and will not come to it, fearing that their actions will be exposed;
For every wrongdoer hates the light, and does not come to the light, for fear his actions should be exposed and condemned.
21 but the person who lives by the truth comes into the light, so it can be clearly seen that God is in all they do.
But he who does what is honest and right comes to the light, in order that his actions may be plainly shown to have been done in God.
22 After this, Jesus went with his disciples into the country parts of Judea; and there he stayed with them, and baptized.
After this Jesus and His disciples went into Judaea; and there He made a stay in company with them and baptized.
23 John, also, was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there were many streams there; and people were constantly coming and being baptized.
And John too was baptizing at Aenon, near Salim, because there were many pools of water there; and people came and received baptism.
24 (For John had not yet been imprisoned).
(For John was not yet in prison.)
25 Now a discussion arose between some of John’s disciples and a fellow Jew on the subject of purification;
As the result, a discussion having arisen on the part of John's disciples with a Jew about purification,
26 and the disciples came to John and said, “Rabbi, the man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan, and to whom you have yourself borne testimony – he, also, is baptizing, and everybody is going to him.”
they came to John and reported to him, "Rabbi, he who was with you on the other side of the Jordan and to whom you bore testimony is now baptizing, and great numbers of people are resorting to him."
27 John’s answer was – “A person can gain nothing but what is given them from heaven.
"A man cannot obtain anything," replied John, "unless it has been granted to him from Heaven.
28 You are yourselves witnesses that I said ‘I am not the Christ,’ but ‘I have been sent before him as a messenger.’
You yourselves can bear witness to my having said, 'I am not the Christ,' but 'I am His appointed forerunner.'
29 It is the groom who has the bride; but the groom’s friend, who stands by and listens to him, is filled with joy when he hears the groom’s voice. This joy I have felt to the full.
He who has the bride is the bridegroom; and the bridegroom's friend who stands by his side and listens to him, rejoices heartily on account of the bridegroom's happiness. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete.
30 He must become greater, and I less.”
He must grow greater, but I must grow less.
31 He who comes from above is above all others; but a child of earth is earthly, and his teaching is earthly, too. He who comes from heaven is above all others.
He who comes from above is above all. He whose origin is from the earth is not only himself from the earth, his teaching also is from the earth. He who comes from Heaven is above all.
32 He states what he has seen and what he heard, and yet no one accepts his statement.
What He has seen and heard, to that He bears witness; but His testimony no one receives.
33 They who did accept his statement confirm the fact that God is true.
Any man who has received His testimony has solemnly declared that God is true.
34 For he whom God sent as his messenger gives us God’s own teaching, for God does not limit the gift of the Spirit.
For He whom God has sent speaks God's words; for God does not give the Spirit with limitations."
35 The Father loves his Son, and has put everything in his hands.
The Father loves the Son and has entrusted everything to His hands.
36 The person who believes in the Son has eternal life, while a person who rejects the Son will not even see that life, but remains under God’s displeasure. (aiōnios g166)
He who believes in the Son has the Life of the Ages; he who disobeys the Son will not enter into Life, but God's anger remains upon him. (aiōnios g166)

< John 3 >