1 N ow there 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 him 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.”

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

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 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?”

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, “Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born of water and spirit, he can’t enter into God’s Kingdom!

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. 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 D on’t marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born anew.’

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

8 T he 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.”

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 him, “How can these things be?”

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

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

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

11 M ost 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.

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 told you earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you 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 N o one has ascended into heaven, but he who descended out of heaven, the Son of Man, who 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 s 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 whoever believes 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 one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal 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 didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him.

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 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 one and only 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 T his 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.

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

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

21 B ut he who does the truth comes to the light, that his works may be revealed, that they have been done 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, Jesus came with his disciples into the land of Judea. He stayed there 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 J ohn also was baptizing in Enon near Salim, because there was much water there. 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 thrown into prison.

John had not been put in prison yet.

25 T here arose therefore a questioning on the part of John’s disciples with some Jews about purification.

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

26 T hey came to John, and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, the same baptizes, and everyone is coming 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, “A man can receive nothing, unless it has been given him from heaven.

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

28 Y ou yourselves testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been 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 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. This, my joy, therefore is made full.

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 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.

“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 W hat he has seen and heard, of that he testifies; and no one receives his witness.

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

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

Whoever receives His words proves that God is true.

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

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

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 O ne 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.”

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.”