John, 3

1. There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

1. Among the Pharisees there was a ruler of the Jews named Nicodemus.

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.

2. He came to Jesus by night and said, "Rabbi, we know that you have come from God to teach us, for no one can perform miraculous signs like yours unless God is 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.

3. Jesus replied, "Truly, I say to you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again from above."

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?

4. Nicodemus said, "How can there be rebirth for a grown man? Who could go back to his mother's womb and be born again?"

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.

5. Jesus replied, "Truly, I say to you: No one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.

6. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

6. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.

7. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

7. Because of this, don't be surprised when I say: 'You must be born again from above.'

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.

8. The wind blows where it pleases and you hear its sound, but you don't know where it comes from or where it is going. It is like that with everyone who is born of the Spirit."

9. Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?

9. Nicodemus asked again, "How can this be?"

10. Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?

10. And Jesus answered, "You are a teacher in Israel, and you don't know 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.

11. Truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and we witness to the things we have seen, but you don't accept our testimony.

12. If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you [of] heavenly things?

12. If you don't believe when I speak of earthly things, what then, when I speak to 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.

13. No one has ever gone up to heaven except the one who came from heaven, the Son of Man.

14. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

14. As Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,

15. That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

15. so that whoever believes in him may 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.

16. Yes, God so loved the world that he gave his only Son that whoever believes in him may not be lost, but may have eternal life.

17. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

17. God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world; instead, through him the world is to 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.

18. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned. He who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the Name of the only 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.

19. This is how the Judgment is made: Light has come into the world and people 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.

20. For whoever does wrong hates the light and doesn't come to the light for fear that his deeds will be shown as evil.

21. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

21. But whoever lives according to the truth comes into the light so that it can be clearly seen that his works have been done in God."

22. After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized.

22. After this, Jesus went into the territory of Judea with his disciples. He stayed there 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.

23. John was also baptizing in Aenon near Salim where water was plentiful; people came to him and were baptized.

24. For John was not yet cast into prison.

24. This happened before John was put in prison.

25. Then there arose a question between [some] of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying.

25. Now John's disciples had been questioned by a Jew about spiritual cleansing,

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.

26. so they came to him and said, "Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan, and about whom you spoke favorably, is now baptizing and all are going to him."

27. John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.

27. John answered, "No one can take on anything except what has been 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.

28. You yourselves are my witnesses that I said: 'I am not the Christ but I have been 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.

29. Only the bridegroom has the bride; but the friend of the bridegroom stands by and listens, and rejoices to hear the bridegroom's voice. My joy is now full.

30. He must increase, but I [must] decrease.

30. It is necessary that he increase but that I 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.

31. He who comes from above is above all; he who comes from the earth belongs to the earth and his words, too, are earthly. The One who comes from heaven

32. And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony.

32. speaks of the things he has seen and heard; he bears witness to this but no one accepts his testimony.

33. He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.

33. Whoever does receive his testimony acknowledges the truthfulness of God.

34. For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure [unto him].

34. The one sent by God speaks God's words and gives the Spirit without measure.

35. The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.

35. For the Father loves the Son and has entrusted everything into his hands.

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.

36. Whoever believes in the Son lives with eternal life, but he who will not believe in the Son will never know life and always faces the justice of God."