John 3
New Testament for Everyone
Jesus and Nicodemus
3 There was a man of the Pharisees called Nicodemus, a ruler of the Judaeans. 2 He came to Jesus by night.
“Rabbi,” he said to him. “We know that you’re a teacher who’s come from God. Nobody can do these signs that you’re doing, unless God is with him.”
3 “Let me tell you the solemn truth,” replied Jesus. “Unless someone has been born from above, they won’t be able to see God’s kingdom.”
4 “How can someone possibly be born,” asked Nicodemus, “when they’re old? You’re not telling me they can go back a second time into the mother’s womb and be born, are you?”
5 “I’m telling you the solemn truth,” replied Jesus. “Unless someone is born from water and spirit, they can’t enter God’s kingdom. 6 Flesh is born from flesh, but spirit is born from spirit. 7 Don’t be surprised that I said to you, You must be born from above. 8 The wind blows where it wants to, and you hear the sound it makes; but you don’t know where it’s coming from or where it’s going to. That’s what it’s like with someone who is born from the spirit.”
9 “How can this be so?” asked Nicodemus.
10 “Well, well!” replied Jesus. “You’re a teacher of Israel, and yet you don’t know about all this? 11 I’m telling you the solemn truth: we’re talking about things we know about. We’re giving evidence about things we’ve seen. But you won’t admit our evidence. 12 If I told you earthly things and you don’t believe, how will it be if I tell you heavenly things? Are you going to believe then? 13 And nobody has gone up into heaven except the one who came down from heaven, the son of man.”
The snake and the love of God
14 “So, just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, in the same way the son of man must be lifted up, 15 so that everyone who believes in him may share in the life of God’s new age. 16 This, you see, is how much God loved the world: enough to give his only, special son, so that everyone who believes in him should not be lost but should share in the life of God’s new age. 17 After all, God didn’t send the son into the world to condemn the world, but so that the world could be saved by him.
18 “Anyone who believes in him is not condemned. But anyone who doesn’t believe is condemned already, because they didn’t believe in the name of God’s only, special son. 19 And this is the condemnation: that light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light, because what they were doing was evil. 20 For everyone who does evil hates the light; people like that don’t come to the light, in case their deeds get shown up and reproved. 21 But people who do the truth come to the light, so that it can become clear that what they have done has been done in God.”
The bridegroom and his friend
22 After this, Jesus and his disciples went into the countryside of Judaea, and he stayed there with them and baptized. 23 John, too, was baptizing at Aenon, close to Salim. There was plenty of water there, and people came to him and were baptized. 24 This, of course, was before John had been put into prison.
25 There was, perhaps inevitably, a dispute between the disciples of John and a Judaean, on the subject of purification. 26 They came to John.
“Rabbi,” they said. “Remember the man who was with you beyond the Jordan, the one you gave evidence about? Well, look! He’s baptizing, and everyone’s going to him!”
27 “Nobody can receive anything unless heaven first gives it,” replied John. 28 “You yourselves can bear me out that I said I wasn’t the Messiah, but that I was sent ahead of him. 29 It’s the bridegroom who gets the bride. The bridegroom’s friend, who stands nearby and hears him, is very happy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. So, you see, my joy is now complete. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”
31 The one who comes from above is over everything. The one who is from the earth has an earthly character, and what he says has “earth” written all over it. The one who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He gives evidence about what he has heard and seen, and nobody accepts his evidence. 33 The one who does accept his evidence has put his signature to the fact that God is true. 34 The one God sent, you see, speaks God’s words, because he gives the spirit lavishly. 35 The father loves the son and has given everything into his hand. 36 Anyone who believes in the son shares in the life of God’s new age. Anyone who doesn’t believe in the son won’t see life, but God’s wrath rests on him.
John 3
Revised Standard Version
Nicodemus Visits Jesus
3 Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicode′mus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus[a] by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do, unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born anew,[b] he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 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?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.[c] 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born anew.’[d] 8 The wind[e] 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.” 9 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.[f] 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.”[g]
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. 18 He who believes in him is not condemned; he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does what is true comes to the light, that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been wrought in God.
Jesus and John the Baptist
22 After this Jesus and his disciples went into the land of Judea; there he remained with them and baptized. 23 John also was baptizing at Ae′non near Salim, because there was much water there; and people came and were baptized. 24 For John had not yet been put in prison.
25 Now a discussion arose between John’s disciples and a Jew over purifying. 26 And they came to John, and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you bore witness, here he is, baptizing, and all are going to him.” 27 John answered, “No one can receive anything except what is given him from heaven. 28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him. 29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom; the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice; therefore this joy of mine is now full. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”[h]
The One Who Comes from Heaven
31 He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth belongs to the earth, and of the earth he speaks; he who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony; 33 he who receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. 34 For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for it is not by measure that he gives the Spirit; 35 the Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand. 36 He who believes in the Son has eternal life; he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God rests upon him.
Footnotes
- John 3:2 Greek him
- John 3:3 Or from above
- John 3:6 The same Greek word means both wind and spirit
- John 3:7 Or from above
- John 3:8 The same Greek word means both wind and spirit
- John 3:13 Other ancient authorities add who is in heaven
- John 3:15 Some interpreters hold that the quotation continues through verse 21
- John 3:30 Some interpreters hold that the quotation continues through verse 36
Scripture quotations from The New Testament for Everyone are copyright © Nicholas Thomas Wright 2011, 2018, 2019.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.