John 3
Complete Jewish Bible
3 There was a man among the P’rushim, named Nakdimon, who was a ruler of the Judeans. 2 This man came to Yeshua by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know it is from God that you have come as a teacher; for no one can do these miracles you perform unless God is with him.” 3 “Yes, indeed,” Yeshua answered him, “I tell you that unless a person is born again from above, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
4 Nakdimon said to him, “How can a grown man be ‘born’? Can he go back into his mother’s womb and be born a second time?” 5 Yeshua answered, “Yes, indeed, I tell you that unless a person is born from water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God. 6 What is born from the flesh is flesh, and what is born from the Spirit is spirit. 7 Stop being amazed at my telling you that you must be born again from above! 8 The wind blows where it wants to, and you hear its sound, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it’s going. That’s how it is with everyone who has been born from the Spirit.”
9 Nakdimon replied, “How can this happen?” 10 Yeshua answered him, “You hold the office of teacher in Isra’el, and you don’t know this? 11 Yes, indeed! I tell you that what we speak about, we know; and what we give evidence of, we have seen; but you people don’t accept our evidence! 12 If you people don’t believe me when I tell you about the things of the world, how will you believe me when I tell you about the things of heaven? 13 No one has gone up into heaven; there is only the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man. 14 Just as Moshe lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up; 15 so that everyone who trusts in him may have eternal life.
16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only and unique Son, so that everyone who trusts in him may have eternal life, instead of being utterly destroyed. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but rather so that through him, the world might be saved. 18 Those who trust in him are not judged; those who do not trust have been judged already, in that they have not trusted in the one who is God’s only and unique Son.
19 “Now this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, but people loved the darkness rather than the light. Why? Because their actions were wicked. 20 For everyone who does evil things hates the light and avoids it, so that his actions won’t be exposed. 21 But everyone who does what is true comes to the light, so that all may see that his actions are accomplished through God.”
22 After this, Yeshua and his talmidim went out into the countryside of Y’hudah, where he stayed awhile with them and immersed people. 23 Yochanan too was immersing at Einayim, near Shalem, because there was plenty of water there; and people kept coming to be immersed. 24 (This was before Yochanan’s imprisonment.)
25 A discussion arose between some of Yochanan’s talmidim and a Judean about ceremonial washing; 26 and they came to Yochanan and said to him, “Rabbi, you know the man who was with you on the other side of the Yarden, the one you spoke about? Well, here he is, immersing; and everyone is going to him!” 27 Yochanan answered, “No one can receive anything unless it has been given to him from Heaven. 28 You yourselves can confirm that I did not say I was the Messiah, but that I have been sent ahead of him. 29 The bridegroom is the one who has the bride; but the bridegroom’s friend, who stands and listens to him, is overjoyed at the sound of the bridegroom’s voice. So this joy of mine is now complete. 30 He must become more important, while I become less important.
31 “He who comes from above is above all. He who is from the earth is from the earth and talks from an earthly point of view; he who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He testifies about what he has actually seen and heard, yet no one accepts what he says! 33 Whoever does accept what he says puts his seal on the fact that God is true, 34 because the one whom God sent speaks God’s words. For God does not give him the Spirit in limited degree — 35 the Father loves the Son and has put everything in his hands. 36 Whoever trusts in the Son has eternal life. But whoever disobeys the Son will not see that life but remains subject to God’s wrath.”
Yochanan 3
Orthodox Jewish Bible
3 Now there was a man of the Perushim. His name was Rav Nakdimon, a [Sanhedrist] katzin (leader) of the Yehudim.
2 This one came to Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach under cover of lailah and said to him, Rabbi, we have da’as that you are a moreh from Hashem having come, for no one is able these otot (miraculous signs) to do, which you do, unless Hashem is with him.
3 In reply, he said to him, Omein, omein, I say to you, unless someone is born anew [born again, Yn 1:13; Dt 10:16; 30:6; Jer 4:4; Isa 52:1; Ezek 44:7,9], he is not able to see the Malchut Hashem.
4 Rav Nakdimon says to Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, How is a man, being old, able to be born? Surely he is not able into the womb of immo a second time to enter and to be born?
5 In reply, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said, Omein, omein, I say to you: unless someone is born of mayim (TEHILLIM 36:10 [9]) and Ruach Hakodesh [YECHEZEL 36:25-27; 37:14], he is not able to enter into the Malchut Hashem [Lk 17:21].
6 That which is born of basar is basar, and that which is born of the Ruach is ruach.
7 Do not marvel that I said to you, It is necessary for you to be born again, born anew.
8 The ruach (wind, Spirit) blows where it wishes, and the sound of it you hear, but you do not have da’as of where it comes from and where it goes [KOHELET 11:5]; so it is with everyone having been born of the Ruach Hakodesh. [YECHEZKEL 37:9]
9 In reply, Rav Nakdimon said to Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, How is it possible for these things to happen?
10 In reply, he said to him, You hold the teaching office of rabbi, of moreh b’Yisroel and of these things you do not have da’as?
11 Omein, omein, I say to you, that of which we have da’as we speak, and of that which we have seen, we give solemn edut (testimony), and the solemn edut of us you [pl.] do not receive.
12 If I told you [pl.] about things of the Olam Hazeh and you have no emunah, how will you have emunah if I tell you about the things of the Olam Haba?
13 And no one has ascended into Shomayim except the one having descended out of Shomayim, the Ben HaAdam [Dan 7:13-14; Prov 30:4; Dt 30:12].
14 And as Moshe lifted up the nachash in the wilderness [Num 21:8-9], so it is necessary for there to be a hagbah (lifting up) of the Ben HaAdam [Ps 22; Isa 53].
15 That everyone having emunah {Gn 15:l-6; Num 14:11; Ex 14:31] in him may have Chayyei Olam [Dan 12:2; Isa 52:13].
16 For Hashem so had ahavah (agape) for the Olam Hazeh that Hashem gave the matanah (gift) [Isa 9:5 (6)] of Hashem’s Ben Yechid [Gn 22:12; Prov 30:4; 8:30} so that whosoever has emunah in him may not be ne’evad (lost, perish, be ruined with destruction), but find Chayyei Olam [Daniel 12:2].
17 For Hashem did not send the Ben HaElohim into the Olam Hazeh that he might judge the Olam Hazeh, but that the Olam Hazeh might be brought to the Geulah (Redemption) of the Olam Haba through him (Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach). [YESHAYAH 53:11]
18 The one of emunah who is mekabel Moshiach (accepting the person of the Ben HaAdam, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach) is not judged; but the one without emunah who is not mekabel Moshiach, already has been judged and given the psak din (verdict) of "condemned," because he has no emunah in the Shem of the Ben Yachid of Hashem.
19 And this is the psak din, that the Ohr has come into the Olam Hazeh, and Bnei Adam had ahavah for the choshech rather than for the Ohr, for their ma’asim were ra’im (evil). [TEHILLIM 52:3]
20 For everyone walking in the derech resha’im has sin’as chinom (baseless hatred) for the Ohr and does not come to the Ohr, lest his ma’asim be exposed. [Ps l:6; Job 24:13-17]
21 But the one doing HaEmes comes to the Ohr that his ma’asim hamitzot may be manifested, that they have been wrought in Hashem.
22 After these things Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach and his talmidim came into the land of Yehudah, and there he was staying with them and was giving the mikveh mayim’s tevilah.
23 And Yochanan was also giving the tevilah near Shalem at Einayim, because there was plenty of water there for a mikveh, and the Yehudim were coming and submitting to the tevilah.
24 Yochanan had not yet been incarcerated in the beit hasohar (prison).
25 There was then a discussion of Yochanan’s talmidim with one of the Yehudim about the subject of tohorah (purification).
26 And they came to Yochanan and said to him, Rabbi, he who was with you beyond the Yarden, the one to whom you have given solemn edut, hinei, this one gives the mikveh mayim’s tevilah and kol Bnei Adam come to him.
27 In reply, Yochanan said, A man is not able to receive anything, unless it has been given to him from Shomayim.
28 You yourselves stand as eidus (witness) to me, that I said I am not the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, but I have been sent as his foroisgeier (forerunner) [MALACHI 3:1].
29 The one having the Kallah (bride) is the Choson (Bridegroom, i.e., Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach) but the Shoshvin (the Choson’s best man), the one having stood and hearing him with simcha, rejoices because of the kol (voice) of the Choson (Bridegroom). Therefore, this simcha of mine has been made sheleimah (complete).
30 It is necessary for that one [Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach] to increase, but for me to decrease.
31 The one coming from above (Moshiach) is over all; the one being from Olam Hazeh is of Olam Hazeh and of the Olam Hazeh he speaks; Hu Habah (He who comes, i.e., Moshiach) from Shomayim is over all.
32 Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach gives solemn edut (testimony) to that which he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his eidus.
33 The one who is mekabel Moshiach’s eidus has thereby set his chotam of attestation that Hashem is Emes.
34 For he whom Hashem sent speaks the Divrei Hashem, for He gives the Ruach Hakodesh without measure. [YESHAYAH 42:1]
35 Elohim HaAv (the Father) has ahavah (love) for HaBen [MISHLE 30:4; 8:30] and has given all things into his hand.
36 The one with emunah in the Ben [HaElohim] has Chayyei Olam; but the one disobeying the Ben [HaElohim] will not see Chayyim, but the Charon Af Hashem remains on him.
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.
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