Book of Common Prayer

¹² The apostles did many signs and wonderful things for the people who met together in the place called Solomon's porch.

¹³ Other people feared to join them, but they spoke well of them.

¹⁴ Many more men and women believed and came to the Lord.

¹⁵ They brought sick people out into the streets and laid them on beds and mats. They hoped that at least Peter's shadow would touch them as he passed by.

¹⁶ Many people also came from the cities around Jerusalem. They brought others who were sick and those who were controlled by bad spirits. Every one of them was healed.

¹⁷ Some Sadducees were with the high priest. They all became very jealous.

¹⁸ They caught the apostles and put them in prison.

¹⁹ But that night the angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out.

²⁰ `Go,' said the angel. `Stand in the temple and tell the people all about this new life.'

²¹ When the apostles heard that, they went into the temple early in the morning and taught the people there. The high priest and his men came. They called a meeting of the court and all the leaders of the Jews. Then they sent men to the prison to bring the apostles out.

²² When the men came to the prison, they did not find the apostles there. Then they went back and told the high priest and those with him.

²³ They said, `The prison was locked very well. And the police were guarding the doors. But when we opened the doors, no one was inside.'

²⁴ When the high priest, the captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard this, they did not know what to think. `We wonder what will come from all this,' they thought.

²⁵ Just then someone came and told them, `The men you put in prison are standing in the temple teaching the people.'

²⁶ Then the captain went with the men and brought the apostles quietly. They did not bring them by force because they were afraid the people would kill them with stones.

3 There was a man named Nicodemus. He was a Pharisee, a ruler and leader of the Jews.

² One night Nicodemus came to Jesus. He said, `Master, we know you are a teacher sent by God. We know this because no person could do the big works you are doing if God did not help him.'

³ Jesus said, `I tell you the truth. No person can see God's kingdom if he is not born again.'

⁴ Nicodemus said, `How can a man be born when he is old? Can he go inside of his mother again and be born?'

⁵ Jesus said, `I tell you the truth. This new birth is by water and by the Spirit. No person can enter God's kingdom if he has not been born that way.

⁶ That which is born of a person is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

⁷ You must not be surprised when I say, "You must be born again."

⁸ The wind blows where it wants to blow. You can hear the sound of it. But you do not know where it comes from, and you do not know where it goes. It is the same way with everyone who is born of the Spirit.'

⁹ Nicodemus asked Jesus, `How can such things be?

¹⁰ Jesus answered, `Are you a teacher of the people of Israel and you do not know this?

¹¹ I tell you the truth. We know what we are talking about. We talk about the things we have seen. But you will not believe what we tell you.

¹² You do not believe what I have told you about things on earth. So how will you believe if I tell you about things in heaven?

¹³ No one has ever gone up to heaven - only the One who came down from heaven. That One is the Son of Man who is in heaven.

¹⁴ Moses lifted up a snake on a piece of wood in the desert. So the Son of Man must be lifted up.

¹⁵ Then everyone who believes in him will not die, but will live for ever.

¹⁶ `God loved the world so very, very much that he gave his only Son. Because he did that, everyone who believes in him will not lose his life, but will live for ever.

¹⁷ God did not send his Son into the world to judge the world. He sent him to save the world.

¹⁸ `Everyone who believes in the Son will not be judged. But everyone who does not believe in him is judged already, because he does not believe in the name of God's only Son.

¹⁹ Light came into the world. But people wanted to be in the dark because they did wrong things. They did not want the light. That is why they are judged.

²⁰ Everyone who does wrong things hates light. He does not come to the light because he is afraid people will see what he does and will say it is bad.

²¹ But everyone who does what is right comes to the light. He wants people to see that God helps him to do what is right.'