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

There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.

2 H e 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

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

Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

4 N icodemus 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?”

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 J esus 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.

Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

6 W hatever is born of the flesh is flesh. Whatever is born of the Spirit is spirit.

That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

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

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

8 T he 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.”

The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

9 N icodemus said to Him, “How can this be?”

Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?”

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

Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?

11 F or 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.

Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness.

12 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?

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

13 “ 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.

No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.

14 A s Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up.

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,

15 T hen whoever puts his trust in Him will have life that lasts forever.

that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

16 F or 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.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

17 F or 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.

For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

18 W hoever 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.

“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

19 “ 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.

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

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

For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.

21 T he 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

But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” John the Baptist Exalts Christ

22 A fter 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

After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He remained with them and baptized.

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

Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. And they came and were baptized.

24 J ohn had not been put in prison yet.

For John had not yet been thrown into prison.

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

Then there arose a dispute between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purification.

26 T hey 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.”

And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified—behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him!”

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

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

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

You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before Him.’

29 T he 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.

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 this joy of mine is fulfilled.

30 H e must become more important. I must become less important.

He must increase, but I must decrease.

31 “ 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.

He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.

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

And what He has seen and heard, that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony.

33 W hoever receives His words proves that God is true.

He who has received His testimony has certified that God is true.

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

For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure.

35 T he Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand.

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

36 H e 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.”

He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”