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].
But there was one of the Pharishee whose name was Nikodimos, a ruler of the Jihudoyee:
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 came to Jeshu in the night, and said to him, Rabi, we know that from Aloha thou art sent a teacher; for no man can these signs perform which thou doest, unless Aloha 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]!”
Jeshu answered and said to him, Amen, amen, I say to thee, Except a man be born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of Aloha.
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]”
Nikodimos said to him, How can an old man be born? Who can again the womb of his mother the 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].
Jeshu answered and said to him, Amen, amen, I say to thee, That if a man be not born of waters and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of Aloha.
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].
Whatever is born of the flesh, is flesh; and whatever 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].
Wonder not that I have said to thee, that it behoves you to be born anew.
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 bloweth where she willeth, and her voice thou hearest; but thou knowest not whence she cometh, nor whither she goeth: so is every man who is born of the Spirit.
9 Nicodemus replied to him, “How can that happen?”
Nikodimos 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]
Jeshu answered and said to him, Art thou Malphona of Israel, and these 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].
Amen, amen, I say to thee, What we know we speak, and what we have seen we testify; but our testimony you 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 of (what is) on earth I tell you, and you believe not, how if I tell you of (what is) in heaven, could you believe me?
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 man hath ascended into heaven, but he who descended from heaven, the Son of man, he 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].
And as Musha elevated the serpent in the wilderness, so is to be elevated the Son of man,
that every man who believeth in him might not perish, but have the life which is eternal. (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 so loved Aloha the world, as his Son, the Only-begotten, he would give, that every one who believeth in him might not perish, but have the life which is eternal. (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 Aloha sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might live by 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 who believeth on him is not judged, and he who believeth not is judged already, because he believeth not in the name of the only-begotten Son of Aloha.
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 the sons of men have loved darkness rather than the light, for their deeds have been 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 doeth abominable things hateth the light, and cometh not to the light, lest his deeds 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 who doeth the truth cometh to the light, that his works may be known that in Aloha they are 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 came Jeshu and his disciples into the land of Jihuda, and there conversed 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}.
But Juchanon also was baptizing in Ein-yon, near Sholim, because the waters were there many; and they came and were baptized;
24 That happened before John was put {they put John} in prison.
for not yet was Juchanon cast into the house of the bound.
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].
But there was a question with some of the disciples of Juchanon (and) a certain Jihudoya, upon 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 to Juchanon, and said to him, Raban, he who was with thee at the passage of Jurdan, (and) concerning whom thou didst give witness, he also baptizeth, and many come 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]!
Juchanon answered and said to them, A man cannot receive of his own will any thing, unless it be 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 bear me witness that I said, I am not the Meshicha, but I am an apostle 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 that hath the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who standeth and attendeth him, with great joy rejoiceth on account of the voice of the bridegroom: this my joy therefore, behold, is complete.
30 It is necessary for Jesus to become more important [by making more disciples than I have], and for me to become less [important].”
To him it must be to increase, and to 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.
For he who from above hath come, is above all; and he who is from the earth, is of the earth, and of the earth speaketh: he who from heaven hath come, 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 what he hath seen and heard he testifieth, and his testimony no man receiveth.
33 Those who have accepted what he has said verify that what God has said is true.
But he who hath received his testimony, hath sealed that the true Aloha is he.
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 Aloha hath sent, the very words of Aloha speaketh; for it was not in measure that Aloha gave the Spirit.
35 God loves his Son, and has caused him to have control/power over everything.
The Father loveth the Son, and every thing hath he given 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)
He who believeth in the Son hath the life which is eternal; and he who obeyeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of Aloha remaineth on him. (aiōnios g166)
