John 3
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Nicodemus Visits Jesus
3 Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. 2 He came to Jesus[a] by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.” 3 Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.”[b] 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. 6 What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.[c] 7 Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You[d] must be born from above.’[e] 8 The wind[f] blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, 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, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered him, “Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?
11 “Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you[g] do not receive our testimony. 12 If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.[h] 14 And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.[i]
16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
17 “Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. 20 For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. 21 But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.”[j]
Jesus and John the Baptist
22 After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he spent some time there with them and baptized. 23 John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim because water was abundant there; and people kept coming and were being baptized 24 —John, of course, had not yet been thrown into prison.
25 Now a discussion about purification arose between John’s disciples and a Jew.[k] 26 They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you testified, here he is baptizing, and all are going to him.” 27 John answered, “No one can receive anything except what has been given from heaven. 28 You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah,[l] but I have been sent ahead of him.’ 29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. For this reason my joy has been fulfilled. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”[m]
The One Who Comes from Heaven
31 The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks about earthly things. The one who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He testifies to what he has seen and heard, yet no one accepts his testimony. 33 Whoever has accepted his testimony has certified[n] this, that God is true. 34 He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. 35 The Father loves the Son and has placed all things in his hands. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but must endure God’s wrath.
Footnotes
- John 3:2 Gk him
- John 3:3 Or born anew
- John 3:6 The same Greek word means both wind and spirit
- John 3:7 The Greek word for you here is plural
- John 3:7 Or anew
- John 3:8 The same Greek word means both wind and spirit
- John 3:11 The Greek word for you here and in verse 12 is plural
- John 3:13 Other ancient authorities add who is in heaven
- John 3:15 Some interpreters hold that the quotation concludes with verse 15
- John 3:21 Some interpreters hold that the quotation concludes with verse 15
- John 3:25 Other ancient authorities read the Jews
- John 3:28 Or the Christ
- John 3:30 Some interpreters hold that the quotation continues through verse 36
- John 3:33 Gk set a seal to
约翰福音 3
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)
论重生
3 有一个法利赛人名叫尼哥德慕，是犹太人的官。 2 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。”
3 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。”
4 尼哥德慕说：“人老了，怎能重生呢？难道要再进母腹生一次吗？”
5 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。 6 从肉体生的还是肉体，从圣灵生的才是灵。 7 所以我说你们必须重生，你不要惊奇。 8 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。”
9 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。”
New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Chinese Contemporary Bible Copyright © 1979, 2005, 2007, 2011 by Biblica® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.