JESUS AND NICODEMUS

3 There was a man from the Phariseesl named Nicodemus,m a rulern of the Jews. 2 This man came to him at night and said, “Rabbi,o we know that you are a teacherp who has come from God,q for no one could perform these signs you do unless God were with him.”r

3 Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born again,* s he cannot see the kingdom of God.”t

4 “How can anyone be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked him. “Can he enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born?”

5 Jesus answered, “Truly I tell you, unless someone is bornu of water and the Spirit,v he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 Whatever is born of the fleshw is flesh, and whatever is born of the Spiritx is spirit. 7 Do not be amazed that I told you that you must be borny again. 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.z So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”aa

9 “How can these things be?” asked Nicodemus.

10 “Are you a teacherD of Israel and don’t know these things?” Jesus replied. 11 “Truly I tell you,ab we speak what we know and we testify to what we have seen, but you do not accept our testimony. 12  If I have told you about earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13 No one has ascendedac into heavenad except the one who descended from heavenae—the Son of Man.E,af

14 “Just as Mosesag lifted up the snake in the wilderness,ah so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 so that everyone who believes in him mayF have eternal life.ai 16 For God lovedaj the world in this way:G He gaveH his one and onlyak Son,al so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.am