[1] Now there was among the Pharisees a man named Nicodemus, who was one of
the rulers of the Jews. [2] He came to Jesus by night and said to him,
Rabbi, we are certain that you have come from God as a teacher, because no
man would be able to do these signs which you do if God was not with him.
[3] Jesus said to him, Truly, I say to you, Without a new birth no man is
able to see the kingdom of God. [4] Nicodemus said to him, How is it
possible for a man to be given birth when he is old? Is he able to go into
his mother's body a second time and come to birth again? [5] Jesus said in
answer, Truly, I say to you, If a man's birth is not from water and from
the Spirit, it is not possible for him to go into the kingdom of God. [6]
That which has birth from the flesh is flesh, and that which has birth from
the Spirit is spirit. [7] Do not be surprised that I say to you, It is
necessary for you to have a second birth. [8] The wind goes where its
pleasure takes it, and the sound of it comes to your ears, but you are
unable to say where it comes from and where it goes: so it is with everyone
whose birth is from the Spirit. [9] And Nicodemus said to him, How is it
possible for these things to be? [10] And Jesus, answering, said, Are you
the teacher of Israel and have no knowledge of these things? [11] Truly, I
say to you, We say that of which we have knowledge; we give witness of what
we have seen; and you do not take our witness to be true. [12] If you have
no belief when my words are about the things of earth, how will you have
belief if my words are about the things of heaven? [13] And no one has ever
gone up to heaven but he who came down from heaven, the Son of man. [14] As
the snake was lifted up by Moses in the waste land, even so it is necessary
for the Son of man to be lifted up: [15] So that whoever has faith may have
in him eternal life. [16] For God had such love for the world that he gave
his only Son, so that whoever has faith in him may not come to destruction
but have eternal life. [17] God did not send his Son into the world to be
judge of the world; he sent him so that the world might have salvation
through him. [18] The man who has faith in him does not come up to be
judged; but he who has no faith in him has been judged even now, because he
has no faith in the name of the only Son of God. [19] And this is the test
by which men are judged: the light has come into the world and men have
more love for the dark than for the light, because their acts are evil.
[20] The light is hated by everyone whose acts are evil and he does not
come to the light for fear that his acts will be seen. [21] But he whose
life is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his
acts have been done by the help of God. [22] After these things Jesus and
his disciples went into the land of Judaea, and there he was with them for
some time, giving baptism. [23] Now John was then giving baptism at Aenon
near Salim, because there was much water there; and people came and were
given baptism. [24] For at this time John had not been put into prison.
[25] Then a question came up between John's disciples and a Jew about
washing. [26] And they went to John and said to him, Rabbi, the man who was
with you on the other side of the Jordan, the man to whom you gave witness,
is now giving baptism, and everyone is going to him. [27] And this was
John's answer: A man is unable to have anything if it is not given to him
from heaven. [28] You yourselves give witness that I said, I am not the
Christ. What I said was, I am sent before the Christ. [29] He who has the
bride is the husband: but the husband's friend, whose place is by his side
and whose ears are open to him, is full of joy because of the husband's
voice: such is my joy, and it is complete. [30] He has to become greater
while I become less. [31] He who comes from heaven is greater than all
others: he who comes from earth is of the earth, and of the earth are his
words: he who comes from heaven is over all. [32] He gives witness of what
he has seen and of what has come to his ears; and no man takes his witness
as true. [33] He who so takes his witness has made clear his faith that God
is true. [34] For he whom God has sent says God's words; and God does not
give him the Spirit by measure. [35] The Father has love for the Son and
has put all things into his hands. [36] He who has faith in the Son has
eternal life; but he who has not faith in the Son will not see life; God's
wrath is resting on him.
