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].
Now there was a man among the Pharisees whose name was 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 went to Jesus at night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that you have come as a teacher from God, because no one can do these signs that you do unless God is 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, “Most assuredly I say to you, unless someone is begotten from Above, he is not able to 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 begotten, being old? He can't enter his mother's womb a second time and be born, can he?”
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: “Most assuredly I say to you, unless someone is begotten by water and Spirit he is not able to enter 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 has been begotten by the flesh is flesh, and that which has been begotten by 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].
Do not be perplexed that I said to you, ‘You (pl) need to be begotten from Above.’
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 wishes, and you (sg) hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who has been begotten by 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: “You are the teacher of Israel, yet you do not understand 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].
Most assuredly I say to you, we speak what we know and testify to what we have seen, but you (pl) do not receive our testimony.
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 do not believe, how will you believe if I should tell you the heavenly?
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].
No one has gone up into Heaven except the One who came down out of Heaven —the Son of the Man, who 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].
Also, just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, just so the Son of the Man must be lifted up,
so that everyone who believes into Him should not be wasted, but should 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)
Because God loved the world so much that He gave His only begotten Son, so that everyone who believes into Him should not be wasted, but should have eternal 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 did not send His Son into the world in order to condemn the world, but so that the world might be saved through Him.
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].
The one believing into Him is not condemned, but the one not believing has already been condemned, because he has not believed into 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].
“Now this is the basis for the condemning, that the Light has come into the world, but the people loved the darkness rather than the Light, because their deeds were malignant.
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 whoever practices evil hates the Light and does not come to the Light, so that his deeds may not be exposed.
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 whoever does the truth comes to the Light so that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they are done 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 Jesus, with His disciples, went into the Judean countryside, and there He spent time 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}.
Now John also was baptizing in Aenon, near Salem, because there was plenty of water there. And people were coming and being baptized;
24 That happened before John was put {they put John} in prison.
for John had not yet been thrown 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 some of John's disciples had an argument with a Judean about purification.
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]!”
So they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, the One who was with you across the Jordan, about whom you have testified—well, here He is baptizing, and everyone is flocking 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 person can receive nothing unless it has been given to 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 can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent ahead of 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 who has the bride is the bridegroom, but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands by and hears him, has great joy at the bridegroom's voice. So this my joy has been 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 who comes from Above is above all; he who is from the earth is earthly, and speaks of the earth. He who 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 to what He has seen and heard He testifies, yet no one receives His testimony.
33 Those who have accepted what he has said verify that what God has said is true.
The one who receives His testimony certifies 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 sent speaks God's words, because God does not give the Spirit by measure.
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)
The one believing into the Son has eternal life, but the one disobeying the Son will not see the Life, but the wrath of God will remain upon him.” (aiōnios g166)
