²⁴ “‘For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land.^{(A) 25} I will sprinkle^(B) clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse^(C) you from all your impurities^(D) and from all your idols.^{(E) 26} I will give you a new heart^(F) and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone^(G) and give you a heart of flesh.^{(H) 27} And I will put my Spirit^(I) in you and move you to follow my decrees^(J) and be careful to keep my laws.^{(K) 28} Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people,^(L) and I will be your God.^(M)

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.’