John 3
New Revised Standard Version Updated 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 unless God is with that person.”(A) 3 Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.”[b](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.(C) 6 What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You[c] must be born from above.’[d] 8 The wind[e] 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.”(D) 9 Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?”(E) 10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the 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[f] do not receive our testimony.(F) 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.[g](G) 14 And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,(H) 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.[h](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.(J)
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.(K) 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.(L) 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.(M) 20 For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed.(N) 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.”[i](O)
Jesus and John the Baptist
22 After this Jesus and his disciples went into the region of Judea, 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.)(P)
25 Now a discussion about purification arose between John’s disciples and a Jew.[j] 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.”(Q) 27 John answered, “No one can receive anything except what has been given from heaven.(R) 28 You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah,[k] but I have been sent ahead of him.’(S) 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.(T) 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”[l]
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.(U) 32 He testifies to what he has seen and heard, yet no one accepts his testimony.(V) 33 Whoever has accepted his testimony has certified[m] this, that God is true.(W) 34 He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure.(X) 35 The Father loves the Son and has placed all things in his hands.(Y) 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever disobeys the Son will not see life but must endure God’s wrath.(Z)
Footnotes
- 3.2 Gk him
- 3.3 Or born anew
- 3.7 The Greek word for you here is plural
- 3.7 Or born anew
- 3.8 The same Greek word means both wind and spirit
- 3.11 The Greek word for you here and in 3.12 is plural
- 3.13 Other ancient authorities add who is in heaven
- 3.15 Some interpreters hold that the quotation concludes with 3.15
- 3.21 Some interpreters hold that the quotation concludes with 3.15
- 3.25 Other ancient authorities read the Jews
- 3.28 Or the Christ
- 3.30 Some interpreters hold that the quotation continues through 3.36
- 3.33 Gk set a seal to
John 3
New Living Translation
3 There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. 2 After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.”
3 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again,[a] you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
4 “What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”
5 Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.[b] 6 Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life.[c] 7 So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You[d] must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”
9 “How are these things possible?” Nicodemus asked.
10 Jesus replied, “You are a respected Jewish teacher, and yet you don’t understand these things? 11 I assure you, we tell you what we know and have seen, and yet you won’t believe our testimony. 12 But if you don’t believe me when I tell you about earthly things, how can you possibly believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone to heaven and returned. But the Son of Man[e] has come down from heaven. 14 And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.[f]
16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave[g] his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.
18 “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. 19 And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. 20 All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. 21 But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.[h]”
John the Baptist Exalts Jesus
22 Then Jesus and his disciples left Jerusalem and went into the Judean countryside. Jesus spent some time with them there, baptizing people.
23 At this time John the Baptist was baptizing at Aenon, near Salim, because there was plenty of water there; and people kept coming to him for baptism. 24 (This was before John was thrown into prison.) 25 A debate broke out between John’s disciples and a certain Jew[i] over ceremonial cleansing. 26 So John’s disciples came to him and said, “Rabbi, the man you met on the other side of the Jordan River, the one you identified as the Messiah, is also baptizing people. And everybody is going to him instead of coming to us.”
27 John replied, “No one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven. 28 You yourselves know how plainly I told you, ‘I am not the Messiah. I am only here to prepare the way for him.’ 29 It is the bridegroom who marries the bride, and the bridegroom’s friend is simply glad to stand with him and hear his vows. Therefore, I am filled with joy at his success. 30 He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.
31 “He has come from above and is greater than anyone else. We are of the earth, and we speak of earthly things, but he has come from heaven and is greater than anyone else.[j] 32 He testifies about what he has seen and heard, but how few believe what he tells them! 33 Anyone who accepts his testimony can affirm that God is true. 34 For he is sent by God. He speaks God’s words, for God gives him the Spirit without limit. 35 The Father loves his Son and has put everything into his hands. 36 And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.”
Footnotes
- 3:3 Or born from above; also in 3:7.
- 3:5 Or and spirit. The Greek word for Spirit can also be translated wind; see 3:8.
- 3:6 Greek what is born of the Spirit is spirit.
- 3:7 The Greek word for you is plural; also in 3:12.
- 3:13 Some manuscripts add who lives in heaven. “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.
- 3:15 Or everyone who believes will have eternal life in him.
- 3:16 Or For God loved the world so much that he gave.
- 3:21 Or can see God at work in what he is doing.
- 3:25 Some manuscripts read some Jews.
- 3:31 Some manuscripts do not include and is greater than anyone else.
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
