John 3
1 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, who was a leading man among the Jews.
2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said to him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
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.”
3 Jesus answered and said to him, Verily, verily, I say to thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
“In truth I tell you,” exclaimed Jesus, “unless a man is reborn, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
4 Nicodemus saith to him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
“How can a man,” asked Nicodemus, “be born when he is old? Can he be born a second time?”
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say to thee, Except a man be born of water, and [of] the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
“In truth I tell you,” answered Jesus, “unless a man owes his birth to Water and Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh, is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit, is spirit.
All that owes its birth to human nature is human, and all that owes its birth to the Spirit is spiritual.
7 Marvel not that I said to thee, Ye must be born again.
Do not wonder at my telling you that you all need to be reborn.
8 The wind bloweth where it will, and thou hearest the sound of it, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound of it, but you do not know whence it comes, or where it goes; it is the same with every one that owes his birth to the Spirit.”
9 Nicodemus answered and said to him, How can these things be?
“How can that be?” asked Nicodemus.
10 Jesus answered and said to him, Art thou a teacher of Israel, and knowest not these things?
“What! You a teacher of Israel,” exclaimed Jesus, “and yet do not understand this!
11 Verily, verily, I say to thee, We speak what we know, and testify what we have seen; and ye receive not our testimony.
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.
12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how will ye believe if I tell you heavenly things?
If, when I tell you earthly things, you do not believe me, how will you believe me when I tell you of heavenly things?
13 And no man hath ascended to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, [even] the Son of man who is in heaven.
No one has ascended to Heaven, except him who descended from Heaven — the Son of Man himself.
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
And, as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up;
that every one who believes in him may have Immortal Life.” (aiōnios g166)
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life. (aiōnios g166)
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that every one who believes in him may not be lost, but have Immortal Life. (aiōnios g166)
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him may be saved.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.
18 He that believeth on him, is not condemned: but he that believeth not, is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God.
He who believes in him escapes condemnation, while he who does not believe in him is already condemned, because he has not believed in the only Son of God.
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men have loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
The ground of his condemnation is this, that though the Light has come into the world, men preferred the darkness to the Light, because their actions were wicked.
20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
For he who lives an evil life hates the light, and will not come to it, for fear that his actions should be exposed;
21 But he that doeth truth, cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
but he who acts up to the truth comes to the light, that his actions may be shown to have been done in dependence upon God.
22 After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized.
After this, Jesus went with his disciples into the country parts of Judea; and there he stayed with them, and baptized.
23 And John also was baptizing in Enon, near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.
John, also, was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there were many streams there; and people were constantly coming and being baptized.
24 For John was not yet cast into prison.
(For John had not yet been imprisoned).
25 Then there arose a question between [some] of John's disciples and the Jews, about purifying.
Now a discussion arose between some of John’s disciples and a Jew on the subject of ‘purification;’
26 And they came to John, and said to him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou didst bear testimony, behold, the same baptizeth, and all [men] come to him.
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.”
27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.
John’s answer was — “A man can gain nothing but what is given him from Heaven.
28 Ye yourselves bear me testimony, that I said I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.
You are yourselves witnesses that I said ‘I am not the Christ,’ but ‘I have been sent before him as a Messenger.’
29 He that hath the bride, is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, who standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly, because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.
It is the bridegroom who has the bride; but the bridegroom’s friend, who stands by and listens to him, is filled with joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. This joy I have felt to the full.
30 He must increase, but I [must] decrease.
He must become greater, and I less.”
31 He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.
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.
32 And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony.
He states what he has seen and what he heard, and yet no one accepts his statement.
33 He that hath received his testimony, hath set to his seal that God is true.
They who did accept his statement attested the fact that God is true.
34 For he whom God hath sent, speaketh the words of God: for [to him] God giveth not the Spirit by measure.
For he whom God sent as his Messenger gives us God’s own teaching, for God does not limit the gift of the Spirit.
35 The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.
The Father loves his Son, and has put everything in his hands.
36 He that believeth on the Son, hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son, shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (aiōnios g166)
He who believes in the Son has Immortal Life, while he who rejects the Son will not even see that Life, but remains under ‘God’s displeasure.’ (aiōnios g166)
