John 3

New International Version

Jesus Teaches Nicodemus

3 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus^(A) who was a member of the Jewish ruling council.^(B) ²He 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)

³Jesus 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!”

⁵Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.^(H) ⁶Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit^[b] gives birth to spirit.^(I) ⁷You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You^[c] must be born again.’ ⁸The 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]^(J)

⁹“How can this be?”^(K) Nicodemus asked.

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

¹⁶For God so loved^(V) the world that he gave^(W) his one and only Son,^(X) that whoever believes^(Y) in him shall not perish but have eternal life.^(Z) ¹⁷For God did not send his Son into the world^(AA) to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.^(AB) ¹⁸Whoever believes in him is not condemned,^(AC) but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.^(AD) ¹⁹This is the verdict: Light^(AE) has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.^(AF) ²⁰Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.^(AG) ²¹But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

John Testifies Again About Jesus

²²After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized.^(AH) ²³Now John^(AI) also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were coming and being baptized. ²⁴(This was before John was put in prison.)^(AJ) ²⁵An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing.^(AK) ²⁶They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi,^(AL) that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified^(AM) about—look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.”

²⁷To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. ²⁸You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’^(AN) ²⁹The bride belongs to the bridegroom.^(AO) The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.^(AP) ³⁰He must become greater; I must become less.”^[h]

³¹The one who comes from above^(AQ) is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth.^(AR) The one who comes from heaven is above all. ³²He testifies to what he has seen and heard,^(AS) but no one accepts his testimony.^(AT) ³³Whoever has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. ³⁴For the one whom God has sent^(AU) speaks the words of God, for God^[i] gives the Spirit^(AV) without limit. ³⁵The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands.^(AW) ³⁶Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life,^(AX) but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.

Footnotes

John 3:3 The Greek for again also means from above; also in verse 7.
John 3:6 Or but spirit
John 3:7 The Greek is plural.
John 3:8 The Greek for Spirit is the same as that for wind.
John 3:13 Some manuscripts Man, who is in heaven
John 3:14 The Greek for lifted up also means exalted.
John 3:15 Some interpreters end the quotation with verse 21.
John 3:30 Some interpreters end the quotation with verse 36.
John 3:34 Greek he

Psalm 66

New International Version

Psalm 66

For the director of music. A song. A psalm.

¹Shout for joy to God, all the earth!^(A)
²    Sing the glory of his name;^(B)
    make his praise glorious.^(C)
³Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!^(D)
    So great is your power
    that your enemies cringe^(E) before you.
⁴All the earth bows down^(F) to you;
    they sing praise^(G) to you,
    they sing the praises of your name.”^[a]

⁵Come and see what God has done,
    his awesome deeds^(H) for mankind!
⁶He turned the sea into dry land,^(I)
    they passed through^(J) the waters on foot—
    come, let us rejoice^(K) in him.
⁷He rules forever^(L) by his power,
    his eyes watch^(M) the nations—
    let not the rebellious^(N) rise up against him.

⁸Praise^(O) our God, all peoples,
    let the sound of his praise be heard;
⁹he has preserved our lives^(P)
    and kept our feet from slipping.^(Q)
¹⁰For you, God, tested^(R) us;
    you refined us like silver.^(S)
¹¹You brought us into prison^(T)
    and laid burdens^(U) on our backs.
¹²You let people ride over our heads;^(V)
    we went through fire and water,
    but you brought us to a place of abundance.^(W)

¹³I will come to your temple with burnt offerings^(X)
    and fulfill my vows^(Y) to you—
¹⁴vows my lips promised and my mouth spoke
    when I was in trouble.
¹⁵I will sacrifice fat animals to you
    and an offering of rams;
    I will offer bulls and goats.^(Z)

¹⁶Come and hear,^(AA) all you who fear God;
    let me tell^(AB) you what he has done for me.
¹⁷I cried out to him with my mouth;
    his praise was on my tongue.
¹⁸If I had cherished sin in my heart,
    the Lord would not have listened;^(AC)
¹⁹but God has surely listened
    and has heard^(AD) my prayer.
²⁰Praise be to God,
    who has not rejected^(AE) my prayer
    or withheld his love from me!