Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

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.”