John 3

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

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

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 He came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do, unless God is with him.”

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

3 Jesus answered him, “Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born anew, he can’t see God’s Kingdom.”

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 Nicodemus said 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?”

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 Jesus answered, “Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born of water and Spirit, he can’t enter into God’s Kingdom.

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

6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

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

7 Don’t marvel that I said to you, ‘You must all be born anew.’

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 The wind blows where it wants to, and you hear its sound, but don’t know where it comes from and where it is going. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.

9 Nicodemus answered him, “How can these things be?”

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

10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and don’t understand these things?

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 Most certainly I tell you, we speak that which we know and testify of that which we have seen, and you don’t receive our witness.

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 If I told you earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?

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

13 No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended out of heaven, the Son of Man, who is in heaven.

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

14 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,

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

15 that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

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 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only born Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

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

17 For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him.

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 He who believes in him is not judged. He who doesn’t believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only born Son of God.

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 This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light, for their works were evil.

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

20 For everyone who does evil hates the light and doesn’t come to the light, lest his works would be exposed.

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 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his works may be revealed, that they have been done in God.”

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

22 After these things, Jesus came with his disciples into the land of Judea. He stayed there with them and baptized.

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

23 John also was baptizing in Enon near Salim, because there was much water there. They came and were baptized;

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

24 for John was not yet thrown into prison.

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

25 Therefore a dispute arose on the part of John’s disciples with some Jews about purification.

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 They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, he baptizes, and everyone is coming to him.”

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

27 John answered, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven.

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

28 You yourselves testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before him.’

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 He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore my joy is made full.

30 He must increase; I must decrease.

30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

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 “He who comes from above is above all. He who is from the earth belongs to the earth and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.

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

32 What he has seen and heard, of that he testifies; and no one receives his witness.

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

33 He who has received his witness has set his seal to this, that God is true.

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

34 For he whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for God gives the Spirit without measure.

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

35 The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand.

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 One who believes in the Son has eternal life, but one who disobeys the Son won’t see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”