Jesus and Nicodemus

3 There was a man from the * Pharisees x named Nicodemus, y a ruler z of the * Jews. 2 This man came to Him at night and said, “* Rabbi, a we know that You have come from God b as a teacher, c for no one could perform these signs You do unless God were with him.” d

3 Jesus replied, “* I assure you: Unless someone is born again, e f he cannot see the kingdom of God.” g

4 “But 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, “I assure you: Unless someone is born h of water and the Spirit, i j he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 Whatever is born of the flesh k is flesh, and whatever is born of the Spirit l is spirit. 7 Do not be amazed that I told you that you m must be born n again. 8 The wind o blows where it pleases, and you hear its sound, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going. p So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” q

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

10 “Are you a teacher r of Israel and don’t know these things?” Jesus replied. 11 “I assure you: s We speak what We know and We testify to what We have seen, but you t do not accept Our testimony. u 12 If I have told you about things that happen on earth and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you about things of heaven? 13 No one has ascended v into heaven w except the One who descended from heaven x—the * Son of Man. y z 14 Just as Moses a lifted up the snake in the wilderness, b so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 so that everyone who believes in Him will c have eternal life. d

16 “For God loved e the world * in this way: f He gave His * One and Only g Son, h so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. i 17 For God did not send His Son into the world that He might condemn j the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 18 Anyone who believes in Him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, k because he has not believed in the name l of the One and Only Son m of God.

19 “This, then, is the judgment: The light n has come into the world, o and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone who practices wicked things hates p the light and avoids it, q so that his deeds r may not be exposed. 21 But anyone who lives by s the truth comes to the light, so that his works t may be shown to be accomplished by God.” u

Jesus and John the Baptist

22 After this, Jesus and His disciples went to the Judean countryside, where He spent time with them and baptized. 23 John v also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water there. People were coming and being baptized, 24 since John had not yet been thrown into prison. w

25 Then a dispute arose between John’s disciples x and a Jew y about purification. z 26 So they came to John and told him, “Rabbi, a the One you testified about, and who was with you across the Jordan, b is baptizing—and everyone is flocking to Him.” c

27 John responded, “No one can receive a single thing unless it’s given to him from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the * Messiah, d but I’ve been sent ahead of Him.’ e 29 He who has the bride f is the groom. But the groom’s friend, who stands by and listens for him, rejoices greatly g at the groom’s voice. So this joy h of mine is complete. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”

The One from Heaven

31 The One who comes from above i is above all. The one who is from the earth is earthly and speaks in earthly terms. j The One who comes from heaven is above all. k 32 He testifies l to what He has seen and heard, yet no one accepts His testimony. 33 The one who has accepted His testimony has affirmed that God is true. m 34 For God sent Him, and He speaks God’s words, since He n gives the Spirit o without measure. 35 The Father loves the Son p and has given all things into His hands. q 36 The one who believes in the Son has eternal life, but the one who refuses to believe in the Son will not see life; instead, the wrath of God remains on him. r