John 3

Jesus and Nicodemus

1There was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a Jewish leader. 2He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God, because no one can do these signs you do unless God is with him.” 3Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I tell you, unless someone is born from above, they cannot see God’s kingdom.” 4Nicodemus said, “How can someone be born when they are old? Can they enter their mother’s womb a second time and be born?” 5Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I tell you, unless someone is born of water and Spirit, they cannot enter God’s kingdom. 6What is born of flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7Do not be amazed that I told you, ‘You must be born from above.’ 8The wind blows where it wants. You hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” 9Nicodemus asked him, “How can these things happen?” 10Jesus answered, “You are Israel’s teacher, and you do not understand these things? 11Truly, truly, I tell you, we speak about what we know and testify to what we have seen, yet you do not receive our testimony. 12If I told you earthly things and you do not trust, how will you trust if I tell you heavenly things? 13No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven—the Son of Man. 14Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15so that everyone who trusts in him may have eternal life. 16For God loved the world in this way: he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who trusts in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but so that the world might be saved through him. 18The one who trusts in him is not condemned, but the one who does not trust has already been condemned because they have not trusted in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19This is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20Everyone who practices evil hates the light and does not come to the light, so that their works will not be exposed. 21But the one who does what is true comes to the light, so that it may become clear that their works have been done in God.

John Testifies Again

22After this, Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside. He spent time there with them and was baptizing. 23John was also baptizing at Aenon near Salim because there was plenty of water there. People kept coming and being baptized. 24John had not yet been thrown into prison. 25A discussion about purification arose between John’s disciples and a Judean. 26They came to John and said, “Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan, the one you testified about—look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.” 27John answered, “A person cannot receive anything unless it has been given from heaven. 28You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent ahead of him.’ 29The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The bridegroom’s friend, who stands and listens for him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. So this joy of mine has been made complete. 30He must increase, but I must decrease. 31The one who comes from above is above all. The one who is from the earth belongs to the earth and speaks from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. 32He testifies to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. 33Whoever receives his testimony confirms that God is true. 34For the one God sent speaks God’s words, because God gives the Spirit without measure. 35The Father loves the Son and has given everything into his hand. 36The one who trusts in the Son has eternal life. The one who refuses the Son will not see life; instead, God’s wrath remains on that person.”