Jesus Teaches Nicodemus

3 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus^(A) who was a member of the Jewish ruling council.^{(B) 2} He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi,^(C) we know^(D) that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs^(E) you are doing if God were not with him.”^(F)

³ Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.^[a]”^(G)

⁴ “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”

⁵ Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.^{(H) 6} Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit^[b] gives birth to spirit.^{(I) 7} You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You^[c] must be born again.’ ⁸ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”^[d](J)

¹⁵ that everyone who believes^(A) may have eternal life in him.”^[a](B)

¹⁶ For God so loved^(C) the world that he gave^(D) his one and only Son,^(E) that whoever believes^(F) in him shall not perish but have eternal life.^(G)

⁴ I have told you this, so that when their time comes you will remember^(A) that I warned you about them. I did not tell you this from the beginning because I was with you,^{(B) 5} but now I am going to him who sent me.^(C) None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’^{(D) 6} Rather, you are filled with grief^(E) because I have said these things. ⁷ But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate^(F) will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.^{(G) 8} When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: ⁹ about sin,^(H) because people do not believe in me; ¹⁰ about righteousness,^(I) because I am going to the Father,^(J) where you can see me no longer; ¹¹ and about judgment, because the prince of this world^(K) now stands condemned.

¹² “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear.^{(L) 13} But when he, the Spirit of truth,^(M) comes, he will guide you into all the truth.^(N) He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. ¹⁴ He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. ¹⁵ All that belongs to the Father is mine.^(O) That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”