John 3:1-21
World English Bible
3 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 The same came to him 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, “Most certainly, I tell you, unless one is born anew, [a] he can’t see God’s Kingdom.”
4 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?”
5 Jesus answered, “Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born of water and spirit, he can’t enter into God’s Kingdom. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Don’t marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born anew.’ 8 The wind[b] blows where it wants to, and you hear its sound, but don’t know where it comes from and where it is going. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
9 Nicodemus answered him, “How can these things be?”
10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and don’t understand these things? 11 Most certainly I tell you, we speak that which we know, and testify of that which we have seen, and you don’t receive our witness. 12 If I told you earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended out of heaven, the Son of Man, who is in heaven. 14 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him. 18 He who believes in him is not judged. He who doesn’t believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God. 19 This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does evil hates the light, and doesn’t come to the light, lest his works would be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his works may be revealed, that they have been done in God.”
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John 3:1-21
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Nicodemus Visits Jesus
3 Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. 2 He came to Jesus[a] by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with that person.”(A) 3 Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.”[b](B) 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.(C) 6 What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You[c] must be born from above.’[d] 8 The wind[e] blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”(D) 9 Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?”(E) 10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?
11 “Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen, yet you[f] do not receive our testimony.(F) 12 If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.[g](G) 14 And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,(H) 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.[h](I)
16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.(J)
17 “Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world but in order that the world might be saved through him.(K) 18 Those who believe in him are not condemned, but those who do not believe are condemned already because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God.(L) 19 And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.(M) 20 For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed.(N) 21 But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.”[i](O)
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- 3.2 Gk him
- 3.3 Or born anew
- 3.7 The Greek word for you here is plural
- 3.7 Or born anew
- 3.8 The same Greek word means both wind and spirit
- 3.11 The Greek word for you here and in 3.12 is plural
- 3.13 Other ancient authorities add who is in heaven
- 3.15 Some interpreters hold that the quotation concludes with 3.15
- 3.21 Some interpreters hold that the quotation concludes with 3.15
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