ヨハネ 3
Japanese Bible: Easy-to-Read Version
3 パリサイ派の重役の１人に、ユダヤ人を指導するニコデモという男がいた。 2 ある晩のこと、ニコデモはイエスを訪ねてこう言った。「先生、我々はあなたが神から遣われし方だと知っています。神の助けなしにここまでの奇跡を行うことなどできません」
3 イエスは答えた。「あなたに言います。全ての人は必ず生まれ変わらなければならない。生まれ変われていない人は、神の国に入ることができません」
4 ニコデモが言った。「すでに年老いた男はどうやって生まれ変わることができるのでしょうか？その男が母親の胎に戻り、もう一度生まれることができますか？」
5 イエスが答えた。「信じなさい！誰でも水と聖霊によって産まれないかぎり、神の国に入ることはできない。 6 人間の親からは人間の命が生まれるだけです。ですが、聖霊が人に与える新しいいのちとは、霊的なものです。 7 わたしから『生まれ変わらなければならない』と聞いて驚いてはなりません。 8 風は思うがまま自由に吹きます。風の音が聞こえても、どこから来て、どこへ行くのかなんてわかりません。聖霊によって生まれた者も同じです」
9 ニコデモは尋ねた。「どうやったらそんなことが起こりうるのですか？」
10 イエスが言った。「あなたはイスラエルの重要な教師だというのに、これらのことも分からないのですか？ 11 真実を言います・・・わたしたちは自分たちが知っていることを話します。また自分たちが見たものについて話します。しかし、あなた達は私たちが言うことを受け入れません。 12 ここでこの世のことについて話しましたが、あなた達はわたしを信じていません。ですから、わたしが天のことを話しても、わたしを信じないのです！ 13 天にいる神のもとへ昇ったことがあるのは、天から降りて来た人の子だけなのです。 14 モーセが荒野で青銅のヘビを掲げたように、人の子も掲げられなければなりません。 15 そのおかげで、人の子を信じる全ての人が、永遠のいのちを手にすることができるのです！
16 そう！このようにして神は大きな愛をこの世に示してくれたのです。それは、神がこの世に自分の1人息子を与えたことによって。その1人息子を信じる全ての人が、死によって滅びるのではなく、永遠のいのちを得るのです！ 17 神はこの世に自分の1人息子を遣わしてくれた！それはこの世を裁くためではなく、彼を通してこの世を救うために、神は遣わしたのです！ 18 この1人息子を信じる者は無罪となり、信じない者の判決はすでに決まっています。 19 この事実によって彼らは裁かれるのです。この世に光が訪れたにもかかわらず、彼らはその光を愛さなかった。彼らは、光ではなく闇を欲しがったのです。それもこれも、彼らが過ちを犯して生きているせいです。 20 過ちを犯す者は、光を嫌います。光によって今まで犯した過ちを暴露されたくないからです。 21 しかし、真理を追い求める者は喜んで光のもとに出てきます。光は見せてくれるのです。人々の中で動く神の全ての働きを」
イエスと洗礼者ヨハネ
22 このあと、お供を連れてイエスはユダヤ地方へと向かった。しばらくそこに留まり、洗礼を授けた。 23 洗礼者ヨハネもサマリア地方にあるサリムの北部に位置する水の豊かなアエノンの町で洗礼を授けていた。そのため、洗礼を受けるために人々はそこを訪れていた。 24 これは、洗礼者ヨハネが牢屋に入れられる前のことである・・・
25 ある時、洗礼者ヨハネの弟子と他のユダヤ人との間で、「清めの儀式」のことで議論が繰り広げられていた。 26 弟子たちは洗礼者ヨハネのもとに来た。「先生、ヨルダン川の向こうであなたと一緒にいた方を覚えてますか？先生が全ての人に告げ知らせていた時にいた一人です。彼も洗礼を授けているようで、多くの人が彼のほうに流れているんですよ！」
27 ヨハネは答えた。「人は、神にもらった役割以上のことはできない。 28 俺は救い主じゃないと言った俺の言葉を、お前たちも聞いただろう。俺は、誰もが『あの方』のもとへ行けるように、ただ道を整えるために神に遣わされた身だ。 29 言うならば、俺は花婿の友人。花嫁が花婿のところに行くのは当然なこと。友人はそれを見て喜び、彼の頼みは心から行う。これが俺の今の心境だ。これ以上の幸せはない。 30 あの方の存在感が増し、自分の影は薄れていくべきだ！」
天国から来た人
31 「天から来られた者が、他の誰よりも勝るのは当然のこと。この世から生まれた者はこの世の視点で話し、天から来られた者は天の視点で話す。 32 あの方は、見たこと聞いたことをお話しになるが、人は彼の言うことを受け入れない。 33 あの方のことばを受け入れる者は、神が言ったことが真実だと信じている。 34 神はあの方を送られた。そして、彼はいつも神からのことばを持っている。なぜなら、神は彼に限界のない霊を与えるからだ。 35 父親は、そのひとり子を愛しているからこそ、そのひとり子に全ての権限をお与えになった。 36 ひとり子を信頼する者は、永遠のいのちを持つ。だが、ひとり子に従わない者は、そのいのちを持つことはない。そういった人々は神の怒りから逃げることはできないのだ」
John 3
New King James Version
The New Birth
3 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 (A)This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for (B)no one can do these signs that You do unless (C)God is with him.”
3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, (D)unless one is born [a]again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
4 Nicodemus 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?”
5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, (E)unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is (F)flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 (G)The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
9 Nicodemus answered and said to Him, (H)“How can these things be?”
10 Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? 11 (I)Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and (J)you do not receive Our witness. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 (K)No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man [b]who is in heaven. 14 (L)And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so (M)must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever (N)believes in Him should [c]not perish but (O)have eternal life. 16 (P)For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten (Q)Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 (R)For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
18 (S)“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, (T)that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For (U)everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been (V)done in God.”
John the Baptist Exalts Christ
22 After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He remained with them (W)and baptized. 23 Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near (X)Salim, because there was much water there. (Y)And they came and were baptized. 24 For (Z)John had not yet been thrown into prison.
25 Then there arose a dispute between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purification. 26 And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, (AA)to whom you have testified—behold, He is baptizing, and all (AB)are coming to Him!”
27 John answered and said, (AC)“A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. 28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, (AD)‘I am not the Christ,’ but, (AE)‘I have been sent before Him.’ 29 (AF)He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but (AG)the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. 30 (AH)He must increase, but I must decrease. 31 (AI)He who comes from above (AJ)is above all; (AK)he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. (AL)He who comes from heaven is above all. 32 And (AM)what He has seen and heard, that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony. 33 He who has received His testimony (AN)has certified that God is true. 34 (AO)For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit (AP)by measure. 35 (AQ)The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand. 36 (AR)He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the (AS)wrath of God abides on him.”
John 3
English Standard Version
You Must Be Born Again
3 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named (A)Nicodemus, (B)a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus[a] (C)by night and said to him, (D)“Rabbi, (E)we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do (F)unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is (G)born (H)again[b] he cannot (I)see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus 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?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born (J)of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 (K)That which is born of the flesh is (L)flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.[c] 7 (M)Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You[d] must be born (N)again.’ 8 (O)The wind[e] blows (P)where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
9 Nicodemus said to him, (Q)“How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel (R)and yet you do not understand these things? 11 Truly, truly, I say to you, (S)we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but (T)you[f] do not receive our testimony. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 (U)No one has (V)ascended into heaven except (W)he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.[g] 14 And (X)as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man (Y)be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes (Z)in him (AA)may have eternal life.[h]
For God So Loved the World
16 “For (AB)God so loved (AC)the world,[i] (AD)that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not (AE)perish but have eternal life. 17 For (AF)God did not send his Son into the world (AG)to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 (AH)Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not (AI)believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 (AJ)And this is the judgment: (AK)the light has come into the world, and (AL)people loved the darkness rather than the light because (AM)their works were evil. 20 (AN)For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, (AO)lest his works should be exposed. 21 But whoever (AP)does what is true (AQ)comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”
John the Baptist Exalts Christ
22 After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and (AR)was baptizing. 23 John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized 24 (for (AS)John had not yet been put in prison).
25 Now a discussion arose between some of John's disciples and a Jew over (AT)purification. 26 And they came to John and said to him, (AU)“Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, (AV)to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and (AW)all are going to him.” 27 John answered, (AX)“A person cannot receive even one thing (AY)unless it is given him (AZ)from heaven. 28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, (BA)‘I am not the Christ, but (BB)I have been sent before him.’ 29 (BC)The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. (BD)The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, (BE)rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. 30 (BF)He must increase, but I must decrease.”[j]
31 (BG)He who comes from above (BH)is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and (BI)speaks in an earthly way. (BJ)He who comes from heaven (BK)is above all. 32 (BL)He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, (BM)yet no one receives his testimony. 33 Whoever receives his testimony (BN)sets his seal to this, (BO)that God is true. 34 For he whom (BP)God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit (BQ)without measure. 35 (BR)The Father loves the Son and (BS)has given all things into his hand. 36 (BT)Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; (BU)whoever does not obey the Son shall not (BV)see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.
Footnotes
- John 3:2 Greek him
- John 3:3 Or from above; the Greek is purposely ambiguous and can mean both again and from above; also verse 7
- John 3:6 The same Greek word means both wind and spirit
- John 3:7 The Greek for you is plural here
- John 3:8 The same Greek word means both wind and spirit
- John 3:11 The Greek for you is plural here; also four times in verse 12
- John 3:13 Some manuscripts add who is in heaven
- John 3:15 Some interpreters hold that the quotation ends at verse 15
- John 3:16 Or For this is how God loved the world
- John 3:30 Some interpreters hold that the quotation continues through verse 36
Copyright © 2023 by Bible League International
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
