1 T here was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

There was a man named Nicodemus. He was a proud religious law-keeper and a leader of the Jews.

2 T he same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

He came to Jesus at night and said, “Teacher, we know You have come from God to teach us. No one can do these powerful works You do unless God is with Him.” Jesus Tells of the New Kind of Birth

3 J esus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Jesus said to him, “For sure, I tell you, unless a man is born again, he cannot see the holy nation of God.”

4 N icodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?

Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? How can he get into his mother’s body and be born the second time?”

5 J esus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

Jesus answered, “For sure, I tell you, unless a man is born of water and of the Spirit of God, he cannot get into the holy nation of God.

6 T hat which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Whatever is born of the flesh is flesh. Whatever is born of the Spirit is spirit.

7 M arvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

“Do not be surprised that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’

8 T he wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

The wind blows where it wants to and you hear its sound. You do not know where it comes from or where it goes. It is the same with everyone who is born of the Spirit of God.”

9 N icodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?

Nicodemus said to Him, “How can this be?”

10 J esus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?

Jesus said, “Are you a teacher among the Jews and do not know these things?

11 V erily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.

For sure, I tell you, We are talking about things We know. We tell of what We have seen. Yet you do not take Our words to be true.

12 I f I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?

I tell you about things of the earth and you do not believe them. How will you believe if I tell you things about heaven?

13 A nd no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

“No one has gone up into heaven except the One Who came down from heaven. That One is the Son of Man Who is in heaven.

14 A nd as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

As Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up.

15 T hat whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Then whoever puts his trust in Him will have life that lasts forever.

16 F or God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son. Whoever puts his trust in God’s Son will not be lost but will have life that lasts forever.

17 F or God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

For God did not send His Son into the world to say it is guilty. He sent His Son so the world might be saved from the punishment of sin by Him.

18 H e that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Whoever puts his trust in His Son is not guilty. Whoever does not put his trust in Him is guilty already. It is because he does not put his trust in the name of the only Son of God.

19 A nd this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

“The Light has come into the world. And the Light is the test by which men are guilty or not. People love darkness more than the Light because the things they do are sinful.

20 F or every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

Everyone who sins hates the Light. He stays away from the Light because his sin would be found out.

21 B ut he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

The man who does what is right comes to the Light. What he does will be seen because he has done what God wanted him to do.” Jesus Preaches in Judea

22 A fter these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized.

After this, Jesus and His followers came into the country of Judea. He stayed with them there and baptized people. John the Baptist Tells More about Jesus

23 A nd John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.

John was baptizing in the town of Aenon near Salim. There was much water there and people were coming to be baptized.

24 F or John was not yet cast into prison.

John had not been put in prison yet.

25 T hen there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying.

Then some of the followers of John and a Jew started to argue about the religious washing of the Jewish worship.

26 A nd they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him.

They came to John and said to him, “Teacher, the One with you on the other side of the Jordan River is baptizing also. He is the One you told of. Everyone is going to Him.”

27 J ohn answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.

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

28 Y e yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.

You heard the words that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before Him.’

29 H e that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.

The man who has just been married has the bride. The friend of the man just married stands at his side and listens to him. He has joy when he hears the voice of the man just married. I am full of this joy.

30 H e must increase, but I must decrease.

He must become more important. I must become less important.

31 H e that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.

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

32 A nd what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony.

He tells of what He has seen and heard. But no one believes what He says.

33 H e that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.

Whoever receives His words proves that God is true.

34 F or he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.

He was sent by God and He speaks God’s Word. God gives Him all of His Spirit.

35 T he Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.

The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand.

36 H e that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

He who puts his trust in the Son has life that lasts forever. He who does not put his trust in the Son will not have life, but the anger of God is on him.”