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].
There was however, a man from among the Pharisees, Nicodemus, his name, —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, came unto him, by night, and said unto him—Rabbi! we know that, from God, thou hast come, a teacher; for, no one, can be doing, these signs, which, thou, art doing, except, God, be 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 unto him—Verily, verily, I say unto thee: Except one be 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]”
Nicodemus saith unto him—How, can a man be born, when he is, old? Can he, into the womb of his mother, a second time, enter, 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].
Jesus answered—Verily, verily, I say unto thee: Except one be born of water and spirit, he cannot enter into 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 hath been born of the flesh, is, flesh, and, that which hath been 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].
Do not marvel, that I said unto thee: Ye must needs be born 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 spirit, where it pleaseth, doth breathe, and, the sound thereof, thou hearest; but knowest not, whence it cometh and whither it goeth: Thus, is every one who hath been born of the spirit.
9 Nicodemus replied to him, “How can that happen?”
Nicodemus answered, and said unto him—How, can these things, come about?
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 unto him—Art, thou, the teacher of Israel, and, these things, knowest not?
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].
Verily, verily, I say unto thee: What we know, we speak, and, of what we have seen, we bear witness, and, our witness, ye receive not.
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, the earthly things, I told you, and ye believe not, How, if I should tell you the heavenly things, will ye believe?
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].
And, no one, hath ascended into heaven, save he that, out of heaven, descended, —The Son of Man.
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 desert, so, must, the Son of Man, be lifted up, —
That, whosoever believeth in him, may have life age-abiding. (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, his Only Begotten Son, he gave, —that, whosoever believeth on him, might not perish, but have life age-abiding. (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, sent not, his Son into the world, that he might judge the world, but, 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].
He that believeth on him, is not to be judged: he that believeth not, already, hath been judged, —because he hath not believed on 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 judgment: That, the light, hath come into the world, —and men loved, rather the darkness than the light, for, wicked, were their, works.
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, whosoever doth practise corrupt things, hateth the light, and cometh not unto the light, lest his works should be reproved;
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 that doeth the truth, cometh unto the light, that his works may be, made manifest, that, in God, have they been wrought.
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, came Jesus, and his disciples, into the Judaean land; and, there, was he tarrying with them, and immersing.
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}.
And John also was immersing in Aenon, near to him, because, many waters, were there; and they were coming, and being immersed; —
24 That happened before John was put {they put John} in prison.
for, not yet, had John been cast 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].
There arose, therefore, a questioning, from among the disciples of John, with a Jew, —concerning 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]!”
And they came unto John, and said unto him—Rabbi! he who was with thee beyond the Jordan, unto whom, thou, hast borne witness, see! the same, is immersing; and, all, are coming unto 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 man can receive, nothing, except it have been given him out of 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.
Ye yourselves, unto me, bear witness, that, I, said—I, am not the Christ; but—I am sent before, That One.
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 that hath the bride, is, bridegroom; but, the friend of the bridegroom, who standeth by and hearkeneth unto him, greatly, rejoiceth, by reason of the voice of the bridegroom. This, my joy, therefore, is 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].”
That One, it behoveth to increase, —but, me, to 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, from above, doth come, over all, is: he that is of the earth, of the earth, is, and, of the earth, doth speak: he that, out of heaven, doth come, over all, is,
32 He tells people what he has seen and what he heard [in heaven], but very few people [HYP] listen to what he says.
What he hath seen and heard, of, the same, he beareth witness, —and, his witness, no one, receiveth: —
33 Those who have accepted what he has said verify that what God has said is true.
He that hath received his witness, hath set 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 hath sent, the sayings of God, doth speak; for, not by measure, giveth he the Spirit.
35 God loves his Son, and has caused him to have control/power over everything.
The Father, loveth the Son, and, all things, hath given 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)
He that believeth on the Son, hath life age-abiding: whereas, he that yieldeth not unto the Son, shall not see life, —but, the anger of God, awaiteth him. (aiōnios g166)
