John 3
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
3 Now there was a certain man among the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler (a leader, an authority) among the Jews,
2 Who came to Jesus at night and said to Him, Rabbi, we know and are certain that You have come from God [as] a Teacher; for no one can do these signs (these wonderworks, these miracles—and produce the proofs) that You do unless God is with him.
3 Jesus answered him, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that unless a person is born again (anew, from above), he cannot ever see (know, be acquainted with, and experience) the kingdom of God.
4 Nicodemus said to Him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter his mother’s womb again and be born?
5 Jesus answered, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, unless a man is born of water and [[a]even] the Spirit, he cannot [ever] enter the kingdom of God.(A)
6 What is born of [from] the flesh is flesh [of the physical is physical]; and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Marvel not [do not be surprised, astonished] at My telling you, You must all be born anew (from above).
8 The wind blows (breathes) where it wills; and though you hear its sound, yet you neither know where it comes from nor where it is going. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.
9 Nicodemus answered by asking, How can all this be possible?
10 Jesus replied, Are you the teacher of Israel, and yet do not know nor understand these things? [Are they strange to you?]
11 I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, We speak only of what we know [we know absolutely what we are talking about]; we have actually seen what we are testifying to [we were eyewitnesses of it]. And still you do not receive our testimony [you reject and refuse our evidence—that of Myself and of all those who are born of the Spirit].
12 If I have told you of things that happen right here on the earth and yet none of you believes Me, how can you believe (trust Me, adhere to Me, rely on Me) if I tell you of heavenly things?
13 And yet no one has ever gone up to heaven, but there is One Who has come down from heaven—the Son of Man [Himself], [b]Who is (dwells, has His home) in heaven.
14 And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert [on a pole], so must [so it is necessary that] the Son of Man be lifted up [on the cross],(B)
15 In order that everyone who believes in Him [who cleaves to Him, trusts Him, and relies on Him] may [c]not perish, but have eternal life and [actually] live forever!
16 For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten ([d]unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.
17 For God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge (to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him.
18 He who believes in Him [who clings to, trusts in, relies on Him] is not judged [he who trusts in Him never comes up for judgment; for him there is no rejection, no condemnation—he incurs no damnation]; but he who does not believe (cleave to, rely on, trust in Him) is judged already [he has already been convicted and has already received his sentence] because he has not believed in and trusted in the name of the only begotten Son of God. [He is condemned for refusing to let his trust rest in Christ’s name.]
19 The [basis of the] judgment (indictment, the test by which men are judged, the ground for the sentence) lies in this: the Light has come into the world, and people have loved the darkness rather than and more than the Light, for their works (deeds) were evil.(C)
20 For every wrongdoer hates (loathes, detests) the Light, and will not come out into the Light but shrinks from it, lest his works (his deeds, his activities, his conduct) be exposed and reproved.
21 But he who practices truth [who does what is right] comes out into the Light; so that his works may be plainly shown to be what they are—wrought with God [divinely prompted, done with God’s help, in dependence upon Him].
22 After this, Jesus and His disciples went into the land (the countryside) of Judea, where He remained with them, and baptized.
23 But John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, for there was an abundance of water there, and the people kept coming and being baptized.
24 For John had not yet been thrown into prison.
25 Therefore there arose a controversy between some of John’s disciples and a Jew in regard to purification.
26 So they came to John and reported to him, Rabbi, the Man Who was with you on the other side of the Jordan [[e]at the Jordan crossing]—and to Whom you yourself have borne testimony—notice, here He is baptizing too, and everybody is flocking to Him!
27 John answered, A man can receive nothing [he can claim nothing, he can [f]take unto himself nothing] except as it has been granted to him from heaven. [A man must be content to receive the gift which is given him from heaven; there is no other source.]
28 You yourselves are my witnesses [you personally bear me out] that I stated, I am not the Christ (the Anointed One, the Messiah), but I have [only] been sent before Him [in advance of Him, to be His appointed forerunner, His messenger, His announcer].(D)
29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the groomsman who stands by and listens to him rejoices greatly and heartily on account of the bridegroom’s voice. This then is my pleasure and joy, and it is now complete.(E)
30 He must increase, but I must decrease. [He must grow more prominent; I must grow less so.](F)
31 He Who comes from above (heaven) is [far] above all [others]; he who comes from the earth belongs to the earth, and talks the language of earth [his words are from an earthly standpoint]. He Who comes from heaven is [far] above all others [far superior to all others in prominence and in excellence].
32 It is to what He has [actually] seen and heard that He bears testimony, and yet no one accepts His testimony [no one receives His evidence as true].
33 Whoever receives His testimony has set his seal of approval to this: God is true. [That man has definitely certified, acknowledged, declared once and for all, and is himself assured that it is divine truth that God cannot lie].
34 For since He Whom God has sent speaks the words of God [proclaims God’s own message], God does not give Him His Spirit sparingly or by measure, but boundless is the gift God makes of His Spirit!(G)
35 The Father loves the Son and has given (entrusted, committed) everything into His hand.(H)
36 And he who believes in (has faith in, clings to, relies on) the Son has (now possesses) eternal life. But whoever disobeys (is unbelieving toward, refuses to trust in, disregards, is not subject to) the Son will never see (experience) life, but [instead] the wrath of God abides on him. [God’s displeasure remains on him; His indignation hangs over him continually.](I)
Footnotes
- John 3:5 The Greek “kai” (“and”) may be rendered “even.”
- John 3:13 Some manuscripts add this phrase.
- John 3:15 Some manuscripts add this phrase.
- John 3:16 James Moulton and George Milligan, The Vocabulary.
- John 3:26 George M. Lamsa, The New Testament.
- John 3:27 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament.
Giovanni 3
Nuova Riveduta 1994
Gesú e Nicodemo: la nuova nascita
3 (A)C'era tra i *farisei un uomo chiamato *Nicodemo, uno dei capi dei Giudei. 2 Egli venne di notte da Gesú, e gli disse: «*Rabbí, noi sappiamo che tu sei un *dottore venuto da Dio; perché nessuno può fare questi miracoli[a] che tu fai, se Dio non è con lui». 3 Gesú gli rispose: «In verità, in verità ti dico che se uno non è nato di nuovo[b] non può vedere il regno di Dio». 4 Nicodemo gli disse: «Come può un uomo nascere quando è già vecchio? Può egli entrare una seconda volta nel grembo di sua madre e nascere?» 5 Gesú rispose: «In verità, in verità ti dico che se uno non è nato d'acqua e di Spirito, non può entrare nel regno di Dio. 6 Quello che è nato dalla carne, è carne; e quello che è nato dallo Spirito, è spirito. 7 Non ti meravigliare se ti ho detto: “Bisogna che nasciate di nuovo[c]”. 8 Il vento soffia dove vuole, e tu ne odi il rumore, ma non sai né da dove viene né dove va; cosí è di chiunque è nato dallo Spirito». 9 Nicodemo replicò e gli disse: «Come possono avvenire queste cose?» 10 Gesú gli rispose: «Tu sei maestro d'*Israele e non sai queste cose? 11 In verità, in verità ti dico che noi parliamo di ciò che sappiamo e testimoniamo di ciò che abbiamo visto; ma voi non ricevete la nostra testimonianza. 12 Se vi ho parlato delle cose terrene e non credete, come crederete se vi parlerò delle cose celesti? 13 Nessuno è salito in cielo, se non colui che è disceso dal cielo: il *Figlio dell'uomo [che è nel cielo].
14 (B)«E, come *Mosè innalzò il serpente nel deserto, cosí bisogna che il Figlio dell'uomo sia innalzato, 15 affinché chiunque crede in lui abbia vita eterna. 16 Perché Dio ha tanto amato il mondo, che ha dato il suo unigenito Figlio[d], affinché chiunque crede in lui non perisca, ma abbia vita eterna. 17 Infatti Dio non ha mandato suo Figlio nel mondo per giudicare il mondo, ma perché il mondo sia salvato per mezzo di lui. 18 Chi crede in lui non è giudicato; chi non crede è già giudicato, perché non ha creduto nel nome dell'unigenito *Figlio di Dio. 19 Il giudizio è questo: la luce è venuta nel mondo e gli uomini hanno preferito le tenebre alla luce, perché le loro opere erano malvagie. 20 Perché chiunque fa cose malvagie odia la luce e non viene alla luce, affinché le sue opere non siano scoperte; 21 ma chi mette in pratica la verità viene alla luce, affinché le sue opere siano manifestate, perché sono fatte in Dio».
Nuova testimonianza di Giovanni il battista
22 (C)Dopo queste cose, Gesú andò con i suoi discepoli nelle campagne della *Giudea; là si trattenne con loro e battezzava. 23 Anche *Giovanni stava battezzando a Enon, presso Salim[e], perché là c'era molta acqua; e la gente veniva a farsi battezzare. 24 Giovanni, infatti, non era ancora stato messo in prigione.
25 Nacque dunque una discussione sulla purificazione, tra i discepoli di Giovanni e un Giudeo. 26 E andarono da Giovanni e gli dissero: «Rabbí, colui che era con te di là dal *Giordano, e al quale rendesti testimonianza, eccolo che battezza, e tutti vanno da lui». 27 Giovanni rispose: «L'uomo non può ricevere nulla se non gli è dato dal cielo. 28 Voi stessi mi siete testimoni che ho detto: “Io non sono il Cristo, ma sono mandato davanti a lui”. 29 Colui che ha la *sposa è lo sposo; ma l'amico dello sposo, che è presente e l'ascolta, si rallegra vivamente alla voce dello sposo; questa gioia, che è la mia, è ora completa. 30 Bisogna che egli cresca, e che io diminuisca. 31 Colui che viene dall'alto è sopra tutti; colui che viene dalla terra è della terra e parla come uno che è della terra; colui che vien dal cielo è sopra tutti. 32 Egli rende testimonianza di quello che ha visto e udito, ma nessuno riceve la sua testimonianza. 33 Chi ha ricevuto la sua testimonianza ha confermato[f] che Dio è veritiero. 34 Perché colui che Dio ha mandato dice le parole di Dio; Dio infatti non dà lo Spirito con misura. 35 Il Padre ama il Figlio, e gli ha dato ogni cosa in mano. 36 Chi crede nel Figlio ha vita eterna, chi invece rifiuta di credere al Figlio non vedrà la vita, ma l'ira di Dio rimane su di lui».
Footnotes
- Giovanni 3:2 Miracoli, lett. segni.
- Giovanni 3:3 Se uno non è nato di nuovo, altri traducono: se uno non è nato da alto (vd. Gv 3:31); e cfr. Gv1:13 ono nati da Dio.
- Giovanni 3:7 Che nasciate di nuovo, altri traducono: che nasciate da alto.
- Giovanni 3:16 Unigenito Figlio, può anche essere tradotto Figlio di un solo genere, cioè unico nel suo genere.
- Giovanni 3:23 Enon… Salim, sono due località di cui non si conosce la posizione geografica.
- Giovanni 3:33 Ha confermato, lett. ha sigillato.
John 3
King James Version
3 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.
12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?
13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
22 After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized.
23 And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.
24 For John was not yet cast into prison.
25 Then there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying.
26 And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him.
27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.
28 Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.
29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.
30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
31 He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.
32 And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony.
33 He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.
34 For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.
35 The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.
36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
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Copyright © 1994 by Geneva Bible Society