John 3
Disciples’ Literal New Testament
Nicodemus, a Ruler of The Jews, Comes To Jesus, And Is Told He Must Be Born Again
3 Now there was a man from the Pharisees— the name for him was Nicodemus— a ruler of the Jews. 2 This one came to Him by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher. For no one is able to be doing these signs which You are doing unless God is with him”. 3 Jesus responded and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you— unless one is born again[a], he is not able to see the kingdom of God”. 4 Nicodemus says to Him, “How is a person able to be born while being an old-man? He is not able to enter a second time into the womb of his mother and be born, is he?” 5 Jesus responded, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water[b] and the Spirit, he is not able to enter into the kingdom of God. 6 The thing having been born of the flesh is flesh, and the thing having been born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You[c] all must be born again’— 8 the wind blows where it wants, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know from where it comes, and where it is going. So[d] is everyone having been born of the Spirit”. 9 Nicodemus responded and said to Him, “How are these[e] things able to happen?” 10 Jesus responded and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and you do not understand these things? 11 Truly, truly, I say to you that we are speaking what we know, and we are testifying what we have seen, and you[f] people are not receiving our testimony. 12 If I told you people earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 And no one has gone up into heaven except the One having come down from heaven— the Son of Man. 14 And just as Moses lifted-up the serpent in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up 15 in order that everyone putting-faith in Him may have[g] eternal life.
God Sent His Son Into The World That All Believing In Him May Have Eternal Life
16 “For[h] God so[i] loved the world that He gave His only-born Son, in order that everyone believing in Him may not perish, but may have eternal life. 17 For God did not send-forth the Son into the world in order that He might judge[j] the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him. 18 The one believing in Him is not judged. But the one not believing has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only-born Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment[k]: that the Light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their works were evil. 20 For everyone practicing bad things hates the Light, and does not come to the Light in order that his works may not be exposed. 21 But the one doing the truth comes to the Light in order that his works may become-visible— that[l] they have been worked in[m] God”.
Jesus Goes To Judea. John The Baptist Declares Himself The Friend of The Bridegroom
22 After these things Jesus and His disciples went into the Judean land, and there He was spending-time with them and baptizing. 23 Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there were many waters[n] there. And they were coming and being baptized. 24 For John had not yet been thrown into prison. 25 Then a debate[o] arose from the disciples of John with a Jew about purification. 26 And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, concerning Whom you have testified, look— this One is baptizing, and all are going to Him!” 27 John responded and said “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it has been given to him from heaven. 28 You yourselves are testifying concerning me that I said that ‘I am not the Christ’, but that ‘I am one having been sent-forth ahead of that One’. 29 The one having the bride is the bridegroom. And the friend of the bridegroom, the one standing there and hearing him, rejoices with joy[p] because of the voice of the bridegroom. So this[q], my joy, has been made-full. 30 It-is-necessary for that One to grow, and for me to diminish.
Jesus Has Come From Heaven With The Words of God. He Is Above All
31 “The[r] One coming from-above is above[s] all. The one being from the earth is from the earth and is speaking from the earth. The One coming from heaven is above all. 32 What He has seen and did hear— this He is testifying. And no one is receiving His testimony. 33 The one having received His testimony certified[t] that God is truthful, 34 for He Whom God sent forth is speaking the words of God. For He does not give Him the Spirit from a measure[u]. 35 The Father loves the Son, and has given all things in His hand. 36 The one believing in the Son has eternal life. But the one disobeying[v] the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him”.
Footnotes
- John 3:3 Or, from-above.
- John 3:5 Jesus may be detailing the idea of being born again in v 3, in which case the water refers to the visible aspect of it, that is, baptism; or, Jesus may explain His meaning by the illustration in v 6, water referring to ‘of the flesh’, that is, human birth.
- John 3:7 This word is plural.
- John 3:8 We do not understand the ‘how’ (v 4) of wind; we only see its effects. So it is with the spiritual wind of birth from God (spirit and wind are the same word in Greek).
- John 3:9 That is, this being born again from God.
- John 3:11 This word is plural.
- John 3:15 After the chastisement of v 10-12, and stating the authority for His answer in v 13, Jesus here answers the question of v 9, and then explains it in what follows.
- John 3:16 Jesus may continue speaking in v 16-21; or, these may be John’s words of explanation for us.
- John 3:16 That is, in this manner; or, to such an extent.
- John 3:17 That is, pass judgment upon, execute judgment upon.
- John 3:19 That is, this is God’s present judgment with regard to unbelievers.
- John 3:21 Or, because.
- John 3:21 That is, in union with.
- John 3:23 That is, many streams or springs of water.
- John 3:25 Or, controversy.
- John 3:29 That is, rejoices greatly.
- John 3:29 That is, this friend-of-the-bridegroom kind of joy.
- John 3:31 Verses 31-36 may continue to be the Baptist’s words; or, they may be the apostle John’s comment.
- John 3:31 Or, over.
- John 3:33 Or, attested, set his seal.
- John 3:34 God does not give Jesus a measured manifestation of the Spirit, as He does with all other prophets.
- John 3:36 Or, refusing-to-believe.
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.
Disciples' Literal New Testament: Serving Modern Disciples by More Fully Reflecting the Writing Style of the Ancient Disciples, Copyright © 2011 Michael J. Magill. All Rights Reserved. Published by Reyma Publishing
