Jesus and Nicodemus

There was a man from the Pharisees(A) named Nicodemus,(B) a ruler(C) of the Jews. This man came to Him at night and said, “Rabbi,(D) we know that You have come from God(E) as a teacher,(F) for no one could perform these signs You do unless God were with him.”(G)

Jesus replied, “I assure you: Unless someone is born again,[a](H) he cannot see the kingdom of God.”(I)

“But how can anyone be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked Him. “Can he enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born?”

Jesus answered, “I assure you: Unless someone is born(J) of water and the Spirit,[b](K) he cannot enter the kingdom of God. Whatever is born of the flesh(L) is flesh, and whatever is born of the Spirit(M) is spirit. Do not be amazed that I told you that you[c] must be born(N) again. The wind[d] blows where it pleases, and you hear its sound, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going.(O) So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”(P)

“How can these things be?” asked Nicodemus.

10 “Are you a teacher[e] of Israel and don’t know these things?” Jesus replied. 11 “I assure you:(Q) We speak what We know and We testify to what We have seen, but you[f] do not accept Our testimony.[g] 12 If I have told you about things that happen on earth and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you about things of heaven? 13 No one has ascended(R) into heaven(S) except the One who descended from heaven(T)—the Son of Man.[h](U) 14 Just as Moses(V) lifted up the snake in the wilderness,(W) so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 so that everyone who believes in Him will[i] have eternal life.(X)

16 “For God loved(Y) the world in this way:[j] He gave His One and Only(Z) Son,(AA) so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.(AB) 17 For God did not send His Son into the world that He might condemn(AC) the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 18 Anyone who believes in Him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned,(AD) because he has not believed in the name(AE) of the One and Only Son(AF) of God.

19 “This, then, is the judgment: The light(AG) has come into the world,(AH) and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone who practices wicked things hates(AI) the light and avoids it,[k] so that his deeds(AJ) may not be exposed. 21 But anyone who lives by[l] the truth comes to the light, so that his works(AK) may be shown to be accomplished by God.”[m]

Jesus and John the Baptist

22 After this, Jesus and His disciples went to the Judean countryside, where He spent time with them and baptized. 23 John(AL) also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water there. People were coming and being baptized, 24 since John had not yet been thrown into prison.(AM)

25 Then a dispute arose between John’s disciples(AN) and a Jew[n] about purification.(AO) 26 So they came to John and told him, “Rabbi,(AP) the One you testified about, and who was with you across the Jordan,(AQ) is baptizing—and everyone is flocking to Him.”(AR)

27 John responded, “No one can receive a single thing unless it’s given to him from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah,(AS) but I’ve been sent ahead of Him.’(AT) 29 He who has the bride(AU) is the groom. But the groom’s friend, who stands by and listens for him, rejoices greatly[o] at the groom’s voice. So this joy(AV) of mine is complete. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”

The One from Heaven

31 The One who comes from above(AW) is above all. The one who is from the earth is earthly and speaks in earthly terms.[p] The One who comes from heaven is above all.(AX) 32 He testifies(AY) to what He has seen and heard, yet no one accepts His testimony. 33 The one who has accepted His testimony has affirmed that God is true.(AZ) 34 For God sent Him, and He speaks God’s words, since He[q] gives the Spirit(BA) without measure. 35 The Father loves the Son(BB) and has given all things into His hands.(BC) 36 The one who believes in the Son has eternal life, but the one who refuses to believe in the Son will not see life; instead, the wrath of God remains on him.(BD)

Footnotes

  1. John 3:3 The same Gk word can mean again or from above (also in v. 7).
  2. John 3:5 Or spirit, or wind; the Gk word pneuma can mean wind, spirit, or Spirit, each of which occurs in this context.
  3. John 3:7 The pronoun is pl in Gk.
  4. John 3:8 The Gk word pneuma can mean wind, spirit, or Spirit, each of which occurs in this context.
  5. John 3:10 Or the teacher
  6. John 3:11 In Gk, the word you is pl here and throughout v. 12.
  7. John 3:11 The pronouns we and our refer to Jesus and His authority to speak for the Father.
  8. John 3:13 Other mss add who is in heaven
  9. John 3:15 Other mss add not perish, but
  10. John 3:16 The Gk word houtos, commonly translated in Jn 3:16 as “so” or “so much” occurs over 200 times in the NT. Almost without exception it is an adverb of manner, not degree (for example, see Mt 1:18). It only means “so much” when modifying an adjective (see Gl 3:3; Rv 16:18). Manner seems primarily in view in Jn 3:16, which explains the HCSB‘s rendering.
  11. John 3:20 Lit and does not come to the light
  12. John 3:21 Lit who does
  13. John 3:21 It is possible that Jesus’ words end at v. 15. Ancient Gk did not have quotation marks.
  14. John 3:25 Other mss read and the Jews
  15. John 3:29 Lit with joy rejoices
  16. John 3:31 Or of earthly things
  17. John 3:34 Other mss read since God

You Must Be Born Again

Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named (A)Nicodemus, a (B)ruler of the Jews; this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “(C)Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these [a](D)signs that You do unless (E)God is with him.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one (F)is born [b]again he cannot see (G)the kingdom of God.”

Nicodemus *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 (H)water and the Spirit he cannot enter into (I)the kingdom of God. (J)That which has been born of the flesh is flesh, and that which has been born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born [c]again.’ (K)The wind blows where it wishes and you hear its sound, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who has been born of the Spirit.”

Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you (L)the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things? 11 Truly, truly, I say to you, (M)we speak of what we know and (N)bear witness of what we have seen, and (O)you do not accept our witness. 12 If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 (P)And no one has ascended into heaven, but (Q)He who descended from heaven, (R)the Son of Man. 14 And as (S)Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must (T)the Son of Man (U)be lifted up; 15 so that whoever believes will (V)in Him have eternal life.

16 “For God [d]so (W)loved the world, that He (X)gave His [e](Y)only begotten Son, that whoever (Z)believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God (AA)did not send the Son into the world (AB)to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 18 (AC)He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of (AD)the [f]only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment, that (AE)the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for (AF)their deeds were evil. 20 (AG)For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light lest his deeds be exposed. 21 But he who (AH)practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been done by God.”

John the Baptist’s Last Witness

22 After these things Jesus and His (AI)disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He was spending time with them and (AJ)baptizing. 23 And John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there; and people were coming and were being baptized— 24 for (AK)John had not yet been thrown into prison.

25 Therefore there arose a debate between John’s disciples and a Jew about (AL)purification. 26 And they came to John and said to him, “(AM)Rabbi, He who was with you (AN)beyond the Jordan, to whom you (AO)have borne witness, behold, He is baptizing and all are coming to Him.” 27 John answered and said, “(AP)A man can receive nothing unless it (AQ)has been given him from heaven. 28 You yourselves [g]are my witnesses that I said, ‘(AR)I am not the [h]Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent ahead of Him.’ 29 He who has the bride is (AS)the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. So this (AT)joy of mine has been made full. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

31 (AU)He who comes from above is above all, (AV)he who is of the earth is from the earth and speaks of the earth. (AW)He who comes from heaven is above all. 32 What He has seen and heard, of that He (AX)bears witness; and (AY)no one receives His witness. 33 He who has received His witness (AZ)has set his seal to this, that God is true. 34 For He whom God has (BA)sent speaks the words of God; [i](BB)for He gives the Spirit without measure. 35 (BC)The Father loves the Son and (BD)has given all things into His hand. 36 He who (BE)believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who (BF)does not [j]obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

Footnotes

  1. John 3:2 Or attesting miracles
  2. John 3:3 Or from above
  3. John 3:7 Or from above
  4. John 3:16 Or in this way
  5. John 3:16 Or unique, only one of His kind
  6. John 3:18 Or unique, only one of His kind
  7. John 3:28 Lit testify for me
  8. John 3:28 Messiah
  9. John 3:34 Lit because He does not give the Spirit by measure
  10. John 3:36 Or believe

人必须重生

有一个法利赛人,名叫尼哥德慕,是犹太人的官长。 他夜间来到耶稣那里,对他说:“拉比,我们知道你是从 神那里来的教师,因为如果没有 神同在,你所行的这些神迹,就没有人能行。” 耶稣回答:“我实实在在告诉你,人若不重生,就不能见 神的国。” 尼哥德慕说:“人老了,怎能重生呢?难道他能再进母腹生出来吗?” 耶稣回答:“我实实在在告诉你,人若不是从水和圣灵生的,就不能进 神的国。 从肉身生的就是肉身,从灵生的就是灵。 你不要因为我对你说‘你们必须重生’而感到希奇。 风随意而吹,你听见它的响声,却不知道它从哪里来,往哪里去;凡从圣灵生的,也是这样。” 尼哥德慕说:“怎能有这事呢?” 10 耶稣说:“你是以色列人的教师,还不明白这事吗? 11 我实实在在告诉你,我们知道的,才讲论;见过的,就作证,然而你们却不接受我们的见证。 12 我对你们讲地上的事,你们尚且不信,如果讲天上的事,怎能相信呢? 13 除了那从天上降下来的人子(有些抄本作“除了那从天上降下来仍旧在天上的人子”),没有人升过天。 14 摩西在旷野怎样把铜蛇举起,人子也必照样被举起来, 15 使所有信他的人都得永生。

16 “ 神爱世人,甚至把他的独生子赐给他们,叫一切信他的,不至灭亡,反得永生。 17 因为 神差他的儿子到世上来,不是要定世人的罪,而是要使世人借着他得救。 18 信他的,不被定罪;不信的,罪已经定了,因为他不信 神独生子的名。 19 光来到世上,世人因为自己的行为邪恶,不爱光倒爱黑暗,定他们罪的原因,就在这里。 20 凡作恶的都恨光,不来接近光,免得他的恶行暴露出来。 21 凡行真理的,就来接近光,好显明他所作的都是靠着 神而作的。”

他必兴旺,我必衰微

22 这事以后,耶稣和门徒来到犹太地,他和他们住在那里,并且施洗。 23 约翰也在靠近撒冷的艾嫩施洗,因为那里水多;众人都去受洗。 24 那时约翰还没有入狱。 25 约翰的门徒和一个犹太人为洁净礼发生辩论。 26 他们来到约翰那里,对他说:“拉比,你看,从前和你在约旦河东,你为他作见证的那一位,他也在施洗,众人都到他那里去了。” 27 约翰回答:“除了从天上赐下来给他的,人就不能得到甚么。 28 你们自己可以为我作证:我曾说,我不是基督,不过是奉差遣作他的先锋的。 29 娶新娘的是新郎。新郎的好友站在那里听着,听见新郎的声音就非常喜乐。因此,我这喜乐满溢了! 30 他必兴旺,我必衰微。

从天上来的

31 “那从天上来的,是在万有之上;从地上来的,是属于地,所讲的也是属于地。那从天上来的,是超越万有之上。 32 他把所见所闻的见证出来,可是没有人接受他的见证。 33 那接受他的见证的,就确认 神是真的。 34  神所差来的那一位讲 神的话,因为 神把圣灵无限地赐给他。 35 父爱子,已经把万有交在他手里。 36 信子的,有永生;不信从子的,必不得见永生, 神的震怒却常在他身上。”