John 3

Conversation with Nicodemus

1Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, who was a ruler of the Jews. 2He came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that yoʋ are a teacher who has come from God, for no one can do these signs yoʋ are doing unless God is with him.” 3Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to yoʋ, unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4Nicodemus said to him, “How can a person be born when he is old? Can he enter the womb of his mother a second time and be born?” 5Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to yoʋ, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7Do not be amazed that I said to yoʋ, ‘You must be born again.’ 8The wind blows where it wishes. Yoʋ hear the sound of it, but yoʋ do not know where it is coming from or where it is going; so it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

9In response Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” 10Jesus answered him, “Yoʋ are the teacher of Israel, and yoʋ do not understand these things? 11Truly, truly, I say to yoʋ, we speak of what we know, and we testify about what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. 12If I have spoken to you about earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I speak to you about heavenly things? 13No one has ascended into heaven, except he who descended from heaven, the Son of 1Man, who is in heaven. 14Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15so that everyone who believes in him should 2not perish but have eternal life.

16“For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send 3his Son into the world to condemn the world, but so that the world might be saved through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe has been condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God. 19This is the judgment: The light has come into the world, but people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20For whoever does evil hates the light and does not come to the light, so that his works may not be exposed. 21But whoever lives by the truth comes to the light, so that it may be evident that his works have been done in obedience to God.”

John the Baptist Exalts Christ

22After this Jesus went into the Judean countryside along with his disciples, and he spent some time there with them, baptizing people. 23Now John was also baptizing people in Aenon near 4Salem, because there was plenty of water there, and people were coming to him and being baptized. 24(For John had not yet been thrown into prison.)

25Now a discussion arose between the disciples of John and 5a Jew about purification. 26So John's disciples came and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with yoʋ beyond the Jordan, about whom yoʋ have testified, behold, he is baptizing people, and everyone is going to him.” 27John replied, “A person cannot receive 6anything unless it is given to him from heaven. 28You yourselves can testify 7to me that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but rather, ‘I have been sent ahead of him.’ 29He who has the bride is the bridegroom. But the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and listens for him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. So this joy of mine has been made full. 30He must increase, but I must decrease.”

He Who Comes from Heaven

31He who comes from above is above all. He who is from the earth belongs to the earth and speaks about earthly things. But he who comes from heaven is above all. 32He testifies to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. 33Whoever does receive his testimony has certified that God is true. 34For he whom God sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without measure. 35The Father loves the Son and has put all things in his hand. 36Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever disobeys the Son will not see life; rather, the wrath of God 8will remain upon him.