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 one of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler among 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.”
This man came to Jesus by night, and said to him. "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher sent from God; for no man can do these signs which you are continually doing, 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]!”
"In very truth I tell you," answered Jesus, "that unless a man is born from above, he cannot 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]”
"How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus replied; "Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?"
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].
"I tell you solemnly," Jesus answered, "that unless a man is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot 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].
What is born of the flesh is flesh; and what is born of 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].
Marvel not at my telling you, ‘You must all be born again 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 wills, and you hear its voice, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with every one who has been born of the Spirit."
9 Nicodemus replied to him, “How can that happen?”
"How can this be?" said Nicodemus in reply.
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]
"Are you the Teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?" said Jesus.
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 solemnly I tell you we are speaking of what we know, and it is about that of which we were eyewitnesses that we give testimony. Yet all of you reject 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 yet none of you believe me, how will you believe if I tell you concerning heavenly things?
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].
There is no one gone up to heaven, except the One who came down from heaven - the Son of man himself.
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].
And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up,
in order that every one who believes in him may 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)
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever trusts in him should not perish, but 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 to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.
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].
He who trusts in him is not condemned, but he who does not trust has already been condemned, because he has not put his trust in 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].
And this is the condemnation, that Light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
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 every one who practises wrong hates light, and does not come to the light, lest his actions 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 he who does what is true, comes to the light, in order that his actions may be shown to have been wrought 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 this Jesus and his disciples went into the countryside of Judea, and there he was staying with them and baptizing.
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}.
John also was baptizing in Aenon, near Salim, because there were many streams there, and people kept coming to receive baptism.
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 got into a controversy with a Jew in regard to purification; so they came to John and said to him.
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]!”
"Rabbi, see! The man who was with you on the other side of Jordan, and to whom you yourself have borne testimony, is now baptizing, and everybody is coming 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]!
In reply John said. "A man cannot obtain anything unless it has been granted 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 are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but have been sent before 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 and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. So then this joy of mine has now complete fulfilment.
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 that comes from above is above all; but one who is of the earth, of the earth he is, and of the earth he speaks. 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.
He bears testimony to what he has heard and seen, yet no one receives his testimony.
33 Those who have accepted what he has said verify that what God has said is true.
Whoever does receive it has set his seal 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 utters the words of God; for God does not give the Spirit sparingly.
35 God loves his Son, and has caused him to have control/power over everything.
the Father loves the Son and has committed everything into his hands.
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)
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but he who disobeys the Son shall not see life, but he who disobeys the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides upon him." (aiōnios g166)
