Jọn 3
1 O nwere otu nwoke onyeisi ndị Juu nke so nʼotu ndị Farisii aha ya bụ Nikọdimọs.
There was a man named Nicodemus, who was a member of the Jewish religious council. He belonged to the Pharisee [religious sect].
2 Ọ bịakwutere ya nʼabalị sị ya, “Onye ozizi, anyị maara na ị bụ onye ozizi sitere na Chineke, nʼihi na o nweghị onye ọbụla pụrụ ịrụ ọrụ ebube dị otu a ma ọ bụrụ na Chineke anọnyereghị ya.”
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.”
3 Jisọs zara sị ya, “Nʼezie, nʼezie agwa m unu, ọ bụrụ na amụghị mmadụ ọzọ, ọ pụghị ịhụ alaeze Chineke anya.”
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]!”
4 Nikọdimọs sịrị ya, “Olee otu a ga-esi mụgharịa mmadụ mgbe o mere okenye? Ọ ga-aba nʼafọ nne ya nke ugboro abụọ?”
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]”
5 Ma Jisọs sịrị, “Nʼezie, nʼezie agwa m unu, ọ bụrụ na amụghị mmadụ site na mmiri na Mmụọ Nsọ, o nweghị ike ịba nʼalaeze Chineke.
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].
6 Ihe e si nʼanụ ahụ mụọ bụ anụ ahụ, ma ihe a mụrụ site na Mmụọ bụ mmụọ.
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].
7 Ya ejula gị anya na m sịrị gị, ‘Agaghị ịmụ unu ọzọ.’
Do not be surprised about my telling you that you must be born again [and have a new life from God].
8 Ifufe na-efe nʼebe ọbụla masịrị ya. I nwere ike nụ ụzụ ya ma ịmataghị ebe o si abịa maọbụ ebe ọ na-aga. Otu a ka ọ dịkwara onye ọbụla a mụrụ site na Mmụọ.”
[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].”
9 Nikọdimọs zara sị ya, “Olee otu ihe ndị a ga-esi mee?”
Nicodemus replied to him, “How can that happen?”
10 Jisọs zara sị ya, “Ị bụ onye ozizi ndị Izrel, ma ị ghọtaghị ihe ndị a?
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]
11 Nʼezie, nʼezie agwa m unu. Anyị na-ekwu banyere ihe anyị maara, na-akọwapụtakwa ihe anyị hụrụ, ma unu onwe unu adịghị anabata akaebe anyị.
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].
12 Ekwuola m banyere ihe dị nʼụwa ma unu ekweghị ya, oleekwanụ otu unu ga-esi kwere, ma ọ bụrụ na mụ agwa unu banyere ihe ndị dị nʼeluigwe?
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]
13 O nwebeghị onye ọbụla rigooro nʼeluigwe ewezuga Nwa nke Mmadụ bụ onye siri nʼeluigwe rịdata.
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].
14 Dị ka Mosis weliri agwọ elu nʼime ọzara, otu a ka a ga-ewelikwa Nwa nke Mmadụ elu.
[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].
As a result, everyone who believes/trusts in me will have eternal life.” (aiōnios g166)
16 Nʼihi na Chineke hụrụ ụwa nʼanya, nke a mere o jiri nye Ọkpara ọ mụrụ naanị ya, ka onye ọbụla kweere na ya ghara ịla nʼiyi, kama ka o nwee ndụ ebighị ebi. (aiōnios g166)
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)
17 Nʼihi na Chineke eziteghị Ọkpara ya nʼụwa ka o maa ụwa ikpe, kama ka e site nʼaka ya zọpụta ụwa.
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].
18 Ikpe amaghị onye ọbụla kwere na ya, ma onye ọbụla na-ekweghị aghọọlarị onye ikpe mara, nʼihi na o kweghị nʼaha Ọkpara Chineke mụrụ naanị ya.
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].
19 Nke a bụ mkpebi ikpe ahụ; na Ìhè abịala nʼụwa, ma ụmụ mmadụ hụrụ ọchịchịrị nʼanya kama ìhè ahụ, nʼihi na ọrụ ha jọrọ njọ.
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].
20 Nʼihi na onye ọbụla na-eme ihe ọjọọ kpọrọ ìhè ahụ asị, ọ dịghị abịakwute ìhè ahụ, ka a ghara ime ka ọrụ ya pụta ìhè.
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].
21 Ma ndị na-ebi ndụ nʼeziokwu na-abịakwute ìhè ahụ, ka e nwee ike hụta ya nke ọma, na ihe niile ha na-eme sitere na ike Chineke.
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.
22 Emesịa, Jisọs na ndị na-eso ụzọ ya banyere nʼime obodo Judịa, ebe ọ nọtụrụ nwa oge, meekwa baptizim.
Some time later Jesus and we disciples went to Judea district. He stayed with us there and [directed us as we] baptized people.
23 Nʼotu aka ahụ, Jọn nọkwa nʼọnụ mmiri Enọn dị nso na Salim na-eme baptizim nʼihi na mmiri buru ibu nʼebe ahụ, ndị mmadụ gakwara nʼihu na-abịakwute ya, ọ na-emekwa ha baptizim.
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}.
24 E tinyebeghị Jọn nʼụlọ mkpọrọ mgbe ahụ.
That happened before John was put {they put John} in prison.
25 Nʼoge a, ịrụrịta ụka malitere nʼetiti ndị na-eso ụzọ Jọn na otu onye Juu banyere mmemme ịdị ọcha.
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].
26 Ha bịakwutere Jọn sị ya, “Onye ozizi, onye ahụ ị gbara ama banyere ya nọ nʼofe Jọdan na-eme baptizim, mmadụ niile na-agakwukwara ya.”
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]!”
27 Jọn zaghachiri sị, “Ihe mmadụ nwere ike ịnata bụ naanị ihe ahụ e nyere ya site nʼeluigwe.
John replied, “A person can become [important] only if God [MTY] permits it. [So] we [should not be jealous about Jesus being popular]!
28 Unu onwe unu ga-agbara m akaebe na m sịrị, na abụghị m Kraịst ahụ, kama e zitere m ka m buru ụzọ bịa.
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.
29 Nwanyị a na-alụ ọhụrụ bụ nke di ya. Enyi onye na-alụ nwunye ọhụrụ na-eche ma na-egekwa ntị ịnụ olu ya, ọṅụ na-ejupụtakwa ya obi mgbe ọ nụrụ olu onye ahụ na-alụ nwunye ọhụrụ. Ya mere, ọṅụ m e zuola oke ugbu a.
[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].
30 Ọ ghaghị ịdị elu, ma mụ onwe m aghaghị ịdịkwa ala.
It is necessary for Jesus to become more important [by making more disciples than I have], and for me to become less [important].”
31 “Onye ahụ si nʼelu bịa dị elu karịa ihe niile, onye ahụ si nʼụwa bụkwa nke ụwa ma na-ekwukwa okwu dị ka onye si nʼụwa. Onye ahụ si nʼeluigwe dị elu karịa ihe niile.
[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.
32 Ọ na-agba ama banyere ihe ọ hụrụ nakwa nke ọ nụrụ, ma o nweghị onye na-anabata ama ya.
He tells people what he has seen and what he heard [in heaven], but very few people [HYP] listen to what he says.
33 Onye ọbụla nabatara akaebe ya ji nke a mere akara, na Chineke bụ eziokwu.
Those who have accepted what he has said verify that what God has said is true.
34 Nʼihi na onye Chineke zitere na-ekwu okwu Chineke. Nʼihi na ọ na-enye Mmụọ ya nʼuju.
[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].
35 Nna hụrụ Ọkpara ya nʼanya, o tinyekwala ihe niile nʼaka ya.
God loves his Son, and has caused him to have control/power over everything.
36 Onye ọbụla kwere nʼỌkpara ahụ nwere ndụ ebighị ebi, ma onye ọbụla jụrụ Ọkpara ahụ agaghị ahụ ndụ nʼihi na iwe Chineke ga-adịrị ya.” (aiōnios g166)
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)
