John 3
3
A Meeting with Nicodemus
1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees whose name was#Literally “the name to him” Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2This man came to him at night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are#*Here both the pronoun and verb are understood in Greek and are supplied in the translation a teacher who has come from God, for no one is able to perform these signs that you are performing unless God were with him.” 3Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly I say to you, unless someone is born from above,#The same Greek word can mean either “from above” or “again,” which allows for the misunderstanding by Nicodemus here; Jesus was speaking of new birth “from above,” while Nicodemus misunderstood him to mean a second physical birth he is not able to see the kingdom of God.” 4Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is an old man? He is not able to enter into his mother’s womb for the second time and be born, can he?”#*The negative construction in Greek anticipates a negative answer here, indicated in the translation by the phrase “can he”
5Jesus answered, “Truly, truly I say to you, unless someone is born of water and spirit, he is not able to enter into the kingdom of God. 6What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘It is necessary for you to be born from above.’#The same Greek word can mean either “from above” or “again” (see also v. 3) 8The wind blows wherever it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from and where it is going. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
9Nicodemus answered and said to him, “How can these things be?” 10Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and you do not understand these things? 11Truly, truly I say to you, we speak what we know, and we testify about what we have seen, and you do not accept our testimony! 12If I tell you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13And no one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven—the Son of Man. 14And just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness,#An allusion to Num 21:5–9 thus it is necessary that the Son of Man be lifted up, 15so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.”#Some interpreters and Bible translations extend the quotation of Jesus’ words through v. 21
God’s Love for the World
16For in this way God loved the world, so that he gave his one and only Son, in order that everyone who believes in him will not perish, but will have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world in order that he should judge#Or “he should condemn” the world, but in order that the world should be saved through him. 18The one who believes in him is not judged,#Or “condemned” but the one who does not believe has already been judged,#Or “been condemned” because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God. 19And this is the judgment: that the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light, because their deeds were evil. 20For everyone who practices evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds be exposed. 21But the one who practices the truth comes to the light, in order that his deeds may be revealed, that they are done in God.
Additional Testimony by John the Baptist About Jesus
22After these things Jesus and his disciples came into Judean territory, and there he spent time with them and was baptizing. 23Now John was also baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and they were coming and were being baptized. 24(For John had not yet been thrown into prison.)
25So a dispute occurred on the part of John’s disciples with a Jew#Some significant early manuscripts read “the Jews” concerning purification. 26And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you on the other side of the Jordan, about whom you testified—look, this one is baptizing, and all are coming to him!”
27John answered and said, “A man can receive not one thing unless it is granted to him from heaven! 28You yourselves testify about me that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I am sent before that one.’ 29The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. But the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly#Literally “with joy” because of the bridegroom’s voice. So this joy of mine is complete. 30It is necessary for that one to increase, but for me to decrease.”
31The one who comes from above is over all. The one who is from the earth is from the earth and speaks from the earth; the one who comes from heaven is over all. 32What he has seen and heard, this he testifies, and no one accepts his testimony. 33The one who accepts his testimony has attested that God is true. 34For the one whom God sent speaks the words of God, for he does not give the Spirit by measure. 35The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. 36The one who believes in the Son has eternal life, but the one who disobeys the Son will not see life—but the wrath of God remains on him.#Some interpreters and Bible translations extend the quotation of John the Baptist’s words through v. 36
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John 3: LEB
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John 3
3
1 Now there was a man among the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews.
2 He went to Jesus at night, and he said to him: "Rabbi, we know that you have arrived as a teacher from God. For no one would be able to accomplish these signs, which you accomplish, unless God were with him."
3 Jesus responded and said to him, "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless one has been reborn anew, he is not able to see the kingdom of God."
4 Nicodemus said to him: "How could a man be born when he is old? Surely, he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be reborn?"
5 Jesus responded: "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless one has been reborn by water and the Holy Spirit, he is not able to enter into the kingdom of God.
6 What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 You should not be amazed that I said to you: You must be born anew.
8 The Spirit inspires where he wills. And you hear his voice, but you do not know where he comes from, or where he is going. So it is with all who are born of the Spirit."
9 Nicodemus responded and said to him, "How are these things able to be accomplished?"
10 Jesus responded and said to him: "You are a teacher in Israel, and you are ignorant of these things?
11 Amen, amen, I say to you, that we speak about what we know, and we testify about what we have seen. But you do not accept our testimony.
12 If I have spoken to you about earthly things, and you have not believed, then how will you believe, if I will speak to you about heavenly things?
13 And no one has ascended to heaven, except the one who descended from heaven: the Son of man who is in heaven.
14 And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so also must the Son of man be lifted up,
15 so that whoever believes in him may not perish, but may have eternal life.
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that all who believe in him may not perish, but may have eternal life.
17 For God did not send his Son into the world, in order to judge the world, but in order that the world may be saved through him.
18 Whoever believes in him is not judged. But whoever does not believe is already judged, because he does not believe in the name of the only-begotten Son of God.
19 And this is the judgment: that the Light has come into the world, and men loved darkness more than light. For their works were evil.
20 For everyone who does evil hates the Light and does not go toward the Light, so that his works may not be corrected.
21 But whoever acts in truth goes toward the Light, so that his works may be manifested, because they have been accomplished in God."
22 After these things, Jesus and his disciples went into the land of Judea. And he was living there with them and baptizing.
23 Now John was also baptizing, at Aenon near Salim, because there was much water in that place. And they were arriving and being baptized.
24 For John had not yet been cast into prison.
25 Then a dispute occurred between the disciples of John and the Jews, about purification.
26 And they went to John and said to him: "Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan, about whom you offered testimony: behold, he is baptizing and everyone is going to him."
27 John responded and said: "A man is not able to receive anything, unless it has been given to him from heaven.
28 You yourselves offer testimony for me that I said, 'I am not the Christ,' but that I have been sent before him.
29 He who holds the bride is the groom. But the friend of the groom, who stands and listens to Him, rejoices joyfully at the voice of the groom. And so, this, my joy, has been fulfilled.
30 He must increase, while I must decrease.
31 He who comes from above, is above everything. He who is from below, is of the earth, and he speaks about the earth. He who comes from heaven is above everything.
32 And what he has seen and heard, about this he testifies. And no one accepts his testimony.
33 Whoever has accepted his testimony has certified that God is truthful.
34 For he whom God has sent speaks the words of God. For God does not give the Spirit by measure.
35 The Father loves the Son, and he has given everything into his hand.
36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. But whoever is unbelieving toward the Son shall not see life; instead the wrath of God remains upon him."
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