论重生

有一个法利赛人名叫尼哥德慕,是犹太人的官。 一天晚上,他来见耶稣,说:“老师,我们知道你是上帝差来教导人的,因为如果没有上帝的同在,没有人能行你所行的神迹。”

耶稣说:“我实实在在地告诉你,人若不重生[a],就不能看见上帝的国。”

尼哥德慕说:“人老了,怎能重生呢?难道要再进母腹生一次吗?”

耶稣说:“我实实在在地告诉你,人如果不是从水和圣灵生的,就不能进上帝的国。 从肉体生的还是肉体,从圣灵生的才是灵。 所以我说你们必须重生,你不要惊奇。 风随意吹动,你听见它的声音,却不知道它从哪里来,往哪里去。凡从圣灵生的人也是这样。”

尼哥德慕又问:“这怎么可能呢?”

10 耶稣说:“你是以色列人的教师,还不明白这事吗? 11 我实实在在地告诉你,我们所说的是自己知道的,所见证的是自己见过的,可是你们不肯接受我们的见证。 12 我对你们说地上的事,你们尚且不信,要是说天上的事,你们怎么会信呢? 13 除了从天上降下来的人子[b]以外,没有人到过天上。 14 摩西在旷野怎样举起铜蛇,人子也必照样被举起来, 15 叫一切信祂的人都得到永生。

16 “因为上帝爱世人,甚至将祂独一的儿子赐给他们,叫一切信祂的人不致灭亡,反得永生。 17 上帝差祂的儿子到世上来,不是要定世人的罪,而是要借着祂的儿子拯救世人。 18 信祂的人不会被定罪,不信的人已经被定罪,因为他们不信上帝独一的儿子。 19 光来到世上,世人因为自己的行为邪恶而不爱光,反爱黑暗,这就是他们被定罪的原因。 20 作恶的人恨光,不肯接近光,恐怕他们的罪行暴露出来。 21 但遵行真理的人喜欢接近光,好显明他所做的是靠上帝做的。”

施洗者约翰论耶稣

22 这事之后,耶稣和门徒前往犹太地区,在那里住下来给人施洗。 23-24 那时约翰还没有入狱,他在靠近撒冷的哀嫩也给人施洗。那里水多,众人都去受洗。 25 约翰的门徒和一个犹太人为了洁净的礼仪争辩起来, 26 于是门徒来见约翰,说:“老师,你看,以前在约旦河对岸和你在一起、你为祂做见证的那位在给人施洗,众人都去祂那里了!”

27 约翰回答说:“除非是从天上赏赐下来的,否则人什么都得不到。 28 你们自己可以为我做见证,我说过我不是基督,我只是奉差在祂前面预备道路的。 29 娶新娘的是新郎,站在旁边的朋友听见新郎的声音,就会欢喜快乐。因此,我现在也心满意足了。 30 祂必兴旺,我必衰微。

31 “从天上来的,超越一切;从地上来的,属于地,他所谈论的也不外乎地上的事。那来自天上、超越万物的, 32 要把所见所闻讲给人听,只是没有人接受祂的见证。 33 但已经接受祂见证的人证实了上帝是真实的。 34 上帝所差来的,说的是上帝的话,因为上帝将圣灵无限量地赐给祂。 35 父爱子,已把万物交在祂手里。 36 信子的人有永生;不信子的人得不到永生,上帝的烈怒常在他身上。”

Footnotes

  1. 3:3 重生”或译“生自上面”,7节同。
  2. 3:13 从天上降下来的人子”有古卷作:“从天降下、仍旧在天的人子”。

There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.

The same came to Jesus by night and said unto Him, “Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God; for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, unless God be with him.”

Jesus answered and said unto him, “Verily, verily I say unto thee, unless a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.”

Nicodemus said unto 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?”

Jesus answered, “Verily, verily I say unto thee, unless a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God.

That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Marvel not that I said unto thee, ‘Ye must be born again.’

The wind bloweth where it will, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.”

Nicodemus answered and said unto Him, “How can these things be?”

10 Jesus answered and said unto him, “Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?

11 Verily, verily I say unto thee, we speak what we know and testify what we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.

12 If I have told you earthly things and ye believe not, how shall ye believe if I tell you of heavenly things?

13 And no man hath ascended up to Heaven, but He that came down from Heaven, even the Son of Man who is in Heaven.

14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,

15 that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.

16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

17 For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

18 “He that believeth in Him is not condemned; but He that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

19 And this is the condemnation: that Light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.”

22 After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He tarried with them, and baptized.

23 And John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. And they came and were baptized,

24 for John had not yet been cast into prison.

25 Then there arose a question between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purifying.

26 And they came unto John and said unto him, “Rabbi, He that was with thee beyond the Jordan, to whom thou bearest witness — behold, the same baptizeth and all men come to Him.”

27 John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing, unless it be given him from Heaven.

28 Ye yourselves bear me witness that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but that ‘I am sent before Him.’

29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. This my joy, therefore, is fulfilled.

30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

31 “He that cometh from above is above all; he that is of the earth is earthly and speaketh of the earth. He that cometh from Heaven is above all.

32 And what He hath seen and heard, to that He testifieth, and no man receiveth His testimony.

33 He that hath received His testimony hath set his seal to this: that God is true.

34 For He whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God, for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto Him.

35 The Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into His hand.

36 He that believeth in the Son hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.”