John 3
3
Jesus Teaches Nicodemus
1Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”
3Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.#3:3 The Greek for again also means from above; also in verse 7.”
4“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their motherʼs womb to be born!”
5Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit#3:6 Or but spirit gives birth to spirit. 7You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You#3:7 The Greek is plural. must be born again.’ 8The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”#3:8 The Greek for Spirit is the same as that for wind.
9“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.
10 “You are Israelʼs teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven — the Son of Man.#3:13 Some manuscripts Man, who is in heaven 14Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,#3:14 The Greek for lifted up also means exalted. 15that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”#3:15 Some interpreters end the quotation with verse 21.
16For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of Godʼs one and only Son. 19This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.
John Testifies Again About Jesus
22After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized. 23Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were coming and being baptized. 24(This was before John was put in prison.) 25An argument developed between some of Johnʼs disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. 26They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan — the one you testified about — look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.”
27To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. 28You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’ 29The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroomʼs voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30He must become greater; I must become less.”#3:30 Some interpreters end the quotation with verse 36.
31The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. 32He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. 33Whoever has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. 34For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God#3:34 Greek he gives the Spirit without limit. 35The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. 36Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for Godʼs wrath remains on them.
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John 3: BOOKS
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The Books of the Bible™
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St John 3
3
1AND there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
2This man came to Jesus by night, and said to him: Rabbi, we know that thou art come a teacher from God; for no man can do these signs which thou dost, unless God be with him.
3Jesus answered, and said to him: Amen, amen I say to thee, unless a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4Nicodemus saith to him: How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter a second time into his mother's womb, and be born again?
5Jesus answered: Amen, amen I say to thee, unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6That which is born of the flesh, is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit, is spirit.
7Wonder not, that I said to thee, you must be born again.
8The Spirit breatheth where he will; and thou hearest his voice, but thou knowest not whence he cometh, and whither he goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
9Nicodemus answered, and said to him: How can these things be done?
10Jesus answered, and said to him: Art thou a master in Israel, and knowest not these things?
11Amen, amen I say to thee, that we speak what we know, and we testify what we have seen, and you receive not our testimony.
12If I have spoken to you earthly things, and you believe not; how will you believe, if I shall speak to you heavenly things?
13And no man hath ascended into heaven, but he that descended from heaven, the Son of man who is in heaven.
14And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of man be lifted up:
15That whosoever believeth in him, may not perish; but may have life everlasting.
16For God so loved the world, as to give his only begotten Son; that whosoever believeth in him, may not perish, but may have life everlasting.
17For God sent not his Son into the world, to judge the world, but that the world may be saved by him.
18He that believeth in him is not judged. But he that doth not believe, is already judged: because he believeth not in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19And this is the judgment: because the light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than the light: for their works were evil.
20For every one that doth evil hateth the light, and cometh not to the light, that his works may not be reproved.
21But he that doth truth, cometh to the light, that his works may be made manifest, because they are done in God.
22After these things Jesus and his disciples came into the land of Judea: and there he abode with them, and baptized.
23And John also was baptizing in Ennon near Salim; because there was much water there; and they came and were baptized.
24For John was not yet cast into prison.
25And there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews concerning purification:
26And they came to John, and said to him: Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond the Jordan, to whom thou gavest testimony, behold he baptizeth, and all men come to him.
27John answered, and said: A man cannot receive any thing, unless it be given him from heaven.
28You yourselves do bear me witness, that I said, I am not Christ, but that I am sent before him.
29He that hath the bride, is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, who standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth with joy because of the bridegroom's voice. This my joy therefore is fulfilled.
30He must increase, but I must decrease.
31He that cometh from above, is above all. He that is of the earth, of the earth he is, and of the earth he speaketh. He that cometh from heaven, is above all.
32And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth: and no man receiveth his testimony.
33He that hath received his testimony, hath set to his seal that God is true.
34For he whom God hath sent, speaketh the words of God: for God doth not give the Spirit by measure.
35The Father loveth the Son: and he hath given all things into his hand.
36He that believeth in the Son, hath life everlasting; but he that believeth not the Son, shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
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An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.