John 3

1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews.

1 Basi palikuwa na mtu mmoja Farisayo, jina lake Nikodemo, mmoja wa Baraza la Wayahudi lililotawala.

2 He 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.”

2 Huyu alimjia Yesu usiku akamwambia, “Rabi, tunajua kuwa wewe ni mwalimu uliyetumwa na Mungu, kwa maana hakuna mtu awezaye kufanya miujiza hii uifanyayo wewe, kama Mungu hayuko pamoja naye.”

3 Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”

3 Yesu akamjibu, “Amin, amin nakuambia, hakuna mtu anayeweza kuuona Ufalme wa Mungu kama hajazaliwa mara ya pili.”

4 “How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Can he enter his mother’s womb a second time to be born?”

4 Nikodemo akauliza, “Awezaje mtu kuzaliwa wakati akiwa mzee? Hakika hawezi kuingia mara ya pili kwenye tumbo la mama yake ili azaliwe!”

5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.

5 Yesu akamwambia, “Amin, amin nakuambia, hakuna mtu yeyote anayeweza kuingia Ufalme wa Mungu kama hajazaliwa kwa maji na kwa Roho.

6 Flesh is born of flesh, but spirit is born of the Spirit.

6 Mwili huzaa mwili, lakini Roho huzaa roho.

7 Do not be amazed that I said, ‘You must be born again.’

7 Kwa hiyo usishangae ninapokuambia huna budi ‘kuzaliwa mara ya pili.’

8 The wind blows where it wishes. You hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

8 Upepo huvuma popote upendapo. Mvumo wake unausikia lakini huwezi ukafahamu utokako wala uendako. Ndivyo ilivyo kwa kila mtu aliyezaliwa na Roho.”

9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.

9 Nikodemo akamuuliza, “Mambo haya yanawezekanaje?”

10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and you do not understand these things?

10 Yesu akamwambia, “Wewe ni mwalimu mashuhuri wa Waisraeli, nawe huelewi mambo haya?

11 Truly, truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, and yet you people do not accept our testimony.

11 Amin, amin ninakuambia, sisi tunazungumza lile tunalolijua na tunashuhudia lile tuliloliona. Lakini ninyi watu hamkubali ushuhuda wetu.

12 If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?

12 Nimewaambia mambo ya duniani, nanyi hamkuniamini, mtaniaminije basi nitakapowaambia mambo ya mbinguni?

13 No one has ascended into heaven except the One who descended from heaven—the Son of Man.

13 Hakuna mtu yeyote aliyekwenda mbinguni isipokuwa yeye aliyeshuka kutoka mbinguni, yaani, Mwana wa Adamu.

14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,

14 Kama vile Mose alivyomwinua yule nyoka kule jangwani, vivyo hivyo Mwana wa Adamu hana budi kuinuliwa juu.

15 that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.

15 Ili kila mtu amwaminiye awe na uzima wa milele.

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

16 “Kwa maana jinsi hii Mungu aliupenda ulimwengu hata akamtoa Mwanawe wa pekee, ili kila mtu amwaminiye asipotee, bali awe na uzima wa milele.

17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.

17 Kwa maana Mungu hakumtuma Mwanawe kuuhukumu ulimwengu, bali kupitia kwake ulimwengu upate kuokolewa.

18 Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

18 Yeyote amwaminiye hahukumiwi, lakini asiyeamini amekwisha kuhukumiwa, kwa sababu hakuliamini jina la Mwana pekee wa Mungu.

19 And this is the verdict: The Light has come into the world, but men loved the darkness rather than the Light because their deeds were evil.

19 Hii ndiyo hukumu kwamba: Nuru imekuja ulimwenguni, nao watu wakapenda giza kuliko nuru kwa sababu matendo yao ni maovu.

20 Everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come into the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.

20 Kwa kuwa kila atendaye maovu huchukia nuru, wala haji kwenye nuru ili matendo yake maovu yasifichuliwe.

21 But whoever practices the truth comes into the Light, so that it may be seen clearly that what he has done has been accomplished in God.”

21 Lakini yule aishiye kwa ukweli huja kwenye nuru, ili ionekane wazi kwamba matendo yake yametendeka katika Mungu.”

22 After this, Jesus and His disciples went into the Judean countryside, where He spent some time with them and baptized.

22 Baada ya haya, Yesu na wanafunzi wake walikwenda katika nchi ya Uyahudi, nao wakakaa huko kwa muda na kubatiza.

23 Now John was also baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because the water was plentiful there, and people kept coming to be baptized.

23 Yohana naye alikuwa akibatiza huko Ainoni karibu na Salimu kwa sababu huko kulikuwa na maji tele. Watu wazima wakamjia huko ili kubatizwa.

24 (For John had not yet been thrown into prison.)

24 (Hii ilikuwa kabla Yohana hajatiwa gerezani).

25 Then a dispute arose between John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the issue of ceremonial washing.

25 Mashindano yakazuka kati ya baadhi ya wanafunzi wa Yohana na Myahudi mmoja kuhusu suala la desturi ya kunawa kwa utakaso.

26 So John’s disciples came to him and said, “Look, Rabbi, the One who was with you beyond the Jordan, the One you testified about—He is baptizing, and everyone is going to Him.”

26 Wakamwendea Yohana wakamwambia, “Rabi, yule mtu aliyekuwa pamoja nawe ngʼambo ya Mto Yordani, yule uliyeshuhudia habari zake, sasa anabatiza na kila mtu anamwendea!”

27 John replied, “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven.

27 Yohana akawajibu, “Hakuna mtu yeyote awezaye kupata kitu chochote isipokuwa kile tu alichopewa kutoka mbinguni.

28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but am sent ahead of Him.’

28 Ninyi wenyewe ni mashahidi wangu kwamba nilisema, ‘Mimi si Kristo, ila nimetumwa nimtangulie.’

29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom stands and listens for him, and is overjoyed to hear the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.

29 Bibi arusi ni wa bwana arusi. Lakini rafiki yake bwana arusi anayesimama karibu naye na kusikiliza kutoka kwake, hufurahi sana aisikiapo sauti ya bwana arusi. Kwa sababu hii furaha yangu imekamilika.

30 He must increase; I must decrease.

30 Yeye hana budi kuwa mkuu zaidi na mimi nizidi kuwa mdogo.”

31 The 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.

31 “Yeye ajaye kutoka juu yu juu ya yote, yeye aliye wa duniani ni wa dunia, naye huzungumza mambo ya duniani. Yeye aliyekuja kutoka mbinguni, yu juu ya yote.

32 He testifies to what He has seen and heard, yet no one accepts His testimony.

32 Yeye hushuhudia yale aliyoyaona na kuyasikia, lakini hakuna yeyote anayekubali ushuhuda wake.

33 Whoever accepts His testimony has certified that God is truthful.

33 Lakini yeyote anayekubali huo ushuhuda anathibitisha kwamba, Mungu ni kweli.

34 For the One whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit.

34 Yeye aliyetumwa na Mungu husema maneno ya Mungu, kwa kuwa Mungu humtoa Roho pasipo kipimo.

35 The Father loves the Son and has placed all things in His hands.

35 Baba anampenda Mwana, naye ametia vitu vyote mikononi mwake.

36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Whoever rejects the Son will not see life. Instead, the wrath of God remains on him.”

36 Yeyote anayemwamini Mwana ana uzima wa milele, lakini yeye asiyemwamini Mwana hatauona uzima, bali ghadhabu ya Mungu itakuwa juu yake.”