John 3
Living Bible
3 1-2 After dark one night a Jewish religious leader named Nicodemus, a member of the sect of the Pharisees, came for an interview with Jesus. “Sir,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miracles are proof enough of this.”
3 Jesus replied, “With all the earnestness I possess I tell you this: Unless you are born again, you can never get into the Kingdom of God.”
4 “Born again!” exclaimed Nicodemus. “What do you mean? How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”
5 Jesus replied, “What I am telling you so earnestly is this: Unless one is born of water and the Spirit,[a] he cannot enter the Kingdom of God. 6 Men can only reproduce human life, but the Holy Spirit gives new life from heaven; 7 so don’t be surprised at my statement that you must be born again! 8 Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it will go next, so it is with the Spirit. We do not know on whom he will next bestow this life from heaven.”
9 “What do you mean?” Nicodemus asked.
10-11 Jesus replied, “You, a respected Jewish teacher, and yet you don’t understand these things? I am telling you what I know and have seen—and yet you won’t believe me. 12 But if you don’t even believe me when I tell you about such things as these that happen here among men, how can you possibly believe if I tell you what is going on in heaven? 13 For only I, the Messiah,[b] have come to earth and will return to heaven again. 14 And as Moses in the wilderness lifted up the bronze image of a serpent on a pole, even so I must be lifted up upon a pole, 15 so that anyone who believes in me will have eternal life. 16 For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son[c] so that anyone who believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.
18 “There is no eternal doom awaiting those who trust him to save them. But those who don’t trust him have already been tried and condemned for not believing in the only Son of God. 19 Their sentence is based on this fact: that the Light from heaven came into the world, but they loved the darkness more than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 20 They hated the heavenly Light because they wanted to sin in the darkness. They stayed away from that Light for fear their sins would be exposed and they would be punished. 21 But those doing right come gladly to the Light to let everyone see that they are doing what God wants them to.”
22 Afterwards Jesus and his disciples left Jerusalem and stayed for a while in Judea and baptized there.
23-24 At this time John the Baptist was not yet in prison. He was baptizing at Aenon, near Salim, because there was plenty of water there. 25 One day someone began an argument with John’s disciples, telling them that Jesus’ baptism was best.[d] 26 So they came to John and said, “Master, the man you met on the other side of the Jordan River—the one you said was the Messiah—he is baptizing too, and everybody is going over there instead of coming here to us.”
27 John replied, “God in heaven appoints each man’s work. 28 My work is to prepare the way for that man so that everyone will go to him. You yourselves know how plainly I told you that I am not the Messiah. I am here to prepare the way for him—that is all. 29 The crowds will naturally go to the main attraction[e]—the bride will go where the bridegroom is! A bridegroom’s friends rejoice with him. I am the Bridegroom’s friend, and 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 heaven and is greater than anyone else. I am of the earth, and my understanding is limited to the things of earth. 32 He tells what he has seen and heard, but how few believe what he tells them! 33-34 Those who believe him discover that God is a fountain of truth. For this one—sent by God—speaks God’s words, for God’s Spirit is upon him without measure or limit. 35 The Father loves this man because he is his Son, and God has given him everything there is. 36 And all who trust him—God’s Son—to save them have eternal life; those who don’t believe and obey him shall never see heaven, but the wrath of God remains upon them.”
Footnotes
- John 3:5 Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, or “Physical birth is not enough. You must be born spiritually.” This alternate paraphrase interprets “born of water” as meaning the normal process observed during every human birth. Some think this means water baptism.
- John 3:13 the Messiah, literally, “the Son of Man.”
- John 3:16 his only Son, or “the unique Son of God.” So also in v. 18.
- John 3:25 that Jesus’ baptism was best, literally, “about purification.”
- John 3:29 The crowds will naturally go to the main attraction, implied.
John 3
Good News Translation
Jesus and Nicodemus
3 There was a Jewish leader named Nicodemus, who belonged to the party of the Pharisees. 2 One night he went to Jesus and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher sent by God. No one could perform the miracles you are doing unless God were with him.”
3 Jesus answered, “I am telling you the truth: no one can see the Kingdom of God without being born again.”[a]
4 “How can a grown man be born again?” Nicodemus asked. “He certainly cannot enter his mother's womb and be born a second time!”
5 “I am telling you the truth,” replied Jesus, “that no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. 6 A person is born physically of human parents, but is born spiritually of the Spirit. 7 Do not be surprised because I tell you that you must all be born again.[b] 8 The wind blows wherever it wishes; you hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going. It is like that with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
9 “How can this be?” asked Nicodemus.
10 Jesus answered, “You are a great teacher in Israel, and you don't know this? 11 I am telling you the truth: we speak of what we know and report what we have seen, yet none of you is willing to accept our message. 12 (A)You do not believe me when I tell you about the things of this world; how will you ever believe me, then, when I tell you about the things of heaven? 13 (B)And no one has ever gone up to heaven except the Son of Man, who came down from heaven.”[c]
14 (C)As Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the desert, in the same way the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. 16 For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to be its judge, but to be its savior.
18 Those who believe in the Son are not judged; but those who do not believe have already been judged, because they have not believed in God's only Son. 19 This is how the judgment works: the light has come into the world, but people love the darkness rather than the light, because their deeds are evil. 20 Those who do evil things hate the light and will not come to the light, because they do not want their evil deeds to be shown up. 21 But those who do what is true come to the light in order that the light may show that what they did was in obedience to God.
Jesus and John
22 After this, Jesus and his disciples went to the province of Judea, where he spent some time with them and baptized. 23 John also was baptizing in Aenon, not far from Salim, because there was plenty of water in that place. People were going to him, and he was baptizing them. (24 (D)This was before John had been put in prison.)
25 Some of John's disciples began arguing with a Jew[d] about the matter of ritual washing. 26 So they went to John and told him, “Teacher, you remember the man who was with you on the east side of the Jordan, the one you spoke about? Well, he is baptizing now, and everyone is going to him!”
27 John answered, “No one can have anything unless God gives it. 28 (E)You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah, but I have been sent ahead of him.’ 29 The bridegroom is the one to whom the bride belongs; but the bridegroom's friend, who stands by and listens, is glad when he hears the bridegroom's voice. This is how my own happiness is made complete. 30 He must become more important while I become less important.”
He Who Comes from Heaven
31 He who comes from above is greater than all. He who is from the earth belongs to the earth and speaks about earthly matters, but he who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He tells what he has seen and heard, yet no one accepts his message. 33 But whoever accepts his message confirms by this that God is truthful. 34 The one whom God has sent speaks God's words, because God gives him the fullness of his Spirit. 35 (F)The Father loves his Son and has put everything in his power. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever disobeys the Son will not have life, but will remain under God's punishment.
Jan 3
Nouvo Testaman: Vèsyon Kreyòl Fasil
Jezi ak Nikodèm
3 Te gen yon nonm yo te rele Nikodèm, youn nan Farizyen yo. Se te yon lidè Jwif. 2 Yon lè, nan lannuit, li vin kote Jezi epi li di li: “Mèt, nou konnen ou se yon pwofesè Bondye voye. Paske pèsonn pa kapab fè mirak sa yo ou ap fè a, si Bondye pa avèk li.”
3 Jezi reponn li: “Mwen di w verite a, si yon moun pa fèt yon lòt fwa,[a] li p ap kapab antre nan wayòm Bondye a.”
4 Nikodèm reponn: “Kòman yon nonm ki fin granmoun kapab fèt yon lòt fwa? Èske l ta kapab retounen nan vant manman l pou l ta fèt yon lòt fwa?”
5 Jezi reponn: “Mwen di w verite a, si yon moun pa fèt nan dlo ak nan Sentespri a, li p ap kapab antre nan wayòm Bondye a. 6 Sèl lavi paran yon moun kapab ba li se lavi fizik. Men, lavi Sentespri bay la se nan Lespri li soti. 7 Pa sezi poutèt mwen di w fòk ou fèt yon lòt fwa. 8 Van soufle nan direksyon l vle. Ou tande l, men ou pa konnen ni kote l soti ni kote l prale. Se menm bagay pou nenpòt moun ki fèt nan Sentespri a.”
9 Nikodèm mande Jezi: “Kòman sa kapab fè fèt?”
10 Jezi di Nikodèm: “Ou se yon gwo pwofesè nan peyi Izrayèl, epi ou pa konnen bagay sa yo? 11 Mwen di w sa franchman, nou pale sa nou konnen, nou temwanye sa nou wè, men nou menm pèp Izrayèl, nou pa resevwa temwanyaj nou. 12 Mwen pale avèk ou sou bagay latè, men ou pa kwè mwen. Alò kijan ou ka fè kwè si m ta pale w sou bagay ki nan syèl la? 13 Pèsonn pa janm monte nan syèl, eksepte moun ki te desann soti nan syèl la, Pitit Lòm nan.
14 Menm jan Moyiz te leve sèpan[b] an nan dezè a, se kon sa yo dwe leve Pitit Lòm nan tou. 15 Konsa nenpòt moun ki kwè nan li va gen lavi etènèl.”[c]
16 Paske Bondye tèlman renmen lemonn, li bay sèl Pitit li a, kon sa nenpòt moun ki kwè nan li, p ap peri, men li gen lavi etènèl. 17 Bondye voye Piti li a nan lemonn, Li pa t voye l pou l jije lemonn, men pou l sove lemonn. 18 Moun ki kwè nan Pitit Bondye a, yo p ap kondane. Men moun ki pa kwè, yo deja kondane, paske yo pa kwè nan sèl Pitit Bondye a. 19 Men sa k fè yo kondane: Limyè a te vini nan lemonn. Men, yo pa vle limyè[d] a. Yo pito fènwa, paske y ap fè sa ki mal. 20 Nenpòt moun k ap fè sa ki mal rayi limyè a. Yo p ap vin jwenn limyè a, paske limyè a ap devwale tout move zèv y ap fè. 21 Men, moun k ap pratike verite a yo vini nan limyè a. Alò limyè a ap devwale tout sa yo te fè nan obeyi Bondye.
Jezi ak Janbatis
22 Apre sa, Jezi te ale nan rejyon Jide ak disip li yo. Li rete la avèk disip li yo epi li t ap batize moun. 23 Janbatis t ap batize moun tou nan zòn Enon, yon kote toupre Salim, paske te gen anpil dlo la. Anpil moun te ale la pou yo te ka batize. 24 Se te anvan yo te mete Janbatis nan prizon.
25 Kèk nan disip Janbatis yo te nan yon diskisyon ak yon Jwif sou abitid[e] pirifikasyon Jwif yo. 26 Alò, yo te vin jwenn Janbatis epi yo di li: “Mèt, ou sonje nonm nan ki te avèk ou lòtbò rivyè Jouden an? Se de li ou t ap pale tout moun nan. Li menm l ap batize moun tou, epi tout moun fin al jwenn li.”
27 Janbatis reponn: “Pa gen pèsonn ki ka resevwa anyen, si Bondye pa ba li l. 28 Nou menm, nou ka sèvi m temwen, m te di se pa mwen ki Kris la. Men, Bondye voye m prepare chemen pou Kris la. 29 Lamarye se pou lemarye. Zanmi k ap ede lemarye a, li sèlman kanpe ap tann epi l ap tande. Li kontan jis pou li tande lemarye k ap pale. Se sa ki fè kè m kontan kon sa a. 30 Li gen pou li vin pi enpòtan chak jou, epi mwen menm mwen gen pou m vin mwen enpòtan.[f]
Moun ki vini soti nan syèl la
31 Moun ki vini soti anwo a pi gran pase tout moun. Moun ki soti anba se moun latè li ye. Li pale sou bagay latè. Men moun ki soti nan syèl la pi gran pase tout moun. 32 Li rann temwanyaj konsènan sa l wè ak sa l tande. Men, pèsonn pa resevwa temwanyaj li. 33 Nenpòt moun ki aksepte temwanyaj li a, li rekonèt sa Bondye di se verite a. 34 Bondye voye Kris la epi li fè konnen sa Bondye di. Bondye ba li tout pouvwa Sentespri a. 35 Papa a renmen Pitit la, li ba li pouvwa sou tout bagay. 36 Nenpòt moun ki kwè nan Pitit la gen lavi etènèl. Men moun ki pa obeyi Pitit la p ap janm gen lavi sa a. Pa gen chape pou yo anba kòlè Bondye.”
Footnotes
- 3:3 fèt yon lòt fwa Nan vèsè sa a ak nan vèsè 7, nou ta kapab tradui fraz sa a “Yon nesans ki soti anwo”.
- 3:14 Menm jan … sèpan Lè pèp Bondye a t ap mouri nan dezè a, lè sèpan t ap mòde yo, Bondye te di Moyiz poul mete yon sèpan an bwonz sou yon poto, si yo te leve tèt yo gade l, yo t ap geri.
- 3:15 Kèk espesyalis panse repons Jezi bay Nikodèm nan rive jis nan vèsè 21.
- 3:19 limyè Limyè a vle di: Kris la. Kèk espesyalis panse se grenmesi Pawòl la lemonn vin gen konesans sou Bondye.
- 3:25 abitid Jwif yo te gen plizyè prensip nan relijyon yo sou kijan yo ta dwe pwòpte yo anvan yo manje, anvan yo adore Bondye nan tanp lan, epi tou nan kèk moman espesyal.
- 3:30 Li pa toutafè klè ki kote sitasyon Janbatis la dwe fin i. Gen moun ki kwè se nan vèsè 30, gen lòt ki kwè se nan vèsè 36.
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