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Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born anew,[a] he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicode′mus said to 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, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.[b] Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born anew.’[c] The wind[d] blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know whence it comes or whither it goes; so it is with every one who is born of the Spirit.” Nicode′mus said to him, “How can this be?” 10 Jesus answered him, “Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand this? 11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen; but you do not receive our testimony. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended from heaven, the Son of man.[e] 14 And 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.”[f]

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Footnotes

  1. John 3:3 Or from above
  2. John 3:6 The same Greek word means both wind and spirit
  3. John 3:7 Or from above
  4. John 3:8 The same Greek word means both wind and spirit
  5. John 3:13 Other ancient authorities add who is in heaven
  6. John 3:15 Some interpreters hold that the quotation continues through verse 21

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.[a](A)

“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!”

Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.(B) Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit[b] gives birth to spirit.(C) You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You[c] must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”[d](D)

“How can this be?”(E) Nicodemus asked.

10 “You are Israel’s teacher,”(F) said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know,(G) and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony.(H) 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven(I) except the one who came from heaven(J)—the Son of Man.[e](K) 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness,(L) so the Son of Man must be lifted up,[f](M) 15 that everyone who believes(N) may have eternal life in him.”[g](O)

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Footnotes

  1. John 3:3 The Greek for again also means from above; also in verse 7.
  2. John 3:6 Or but spirit
  3. John 3:7 The Greek is plural.
  4. John 3:8 The Greek for Spirit is the same as that for wind.
  5. John 3:13 Some manuscripts Man, who is in heaven
  6. John 3:14 The Greek for lifted up also means exalted.
  7. John 3:15 Some interpreters end the quotation with verse 21.