International Standard Version

King James Bible

1Now there was a man from the Pharisees, a leader of the Jews, whose name was Nicodemus.

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

2He came to Jesus at night and told him, "Rabbi, we know that you have come from God as a teacher, because no one can perform these signs that you are doing unless God is with him."

2The 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.

3Jesus replied to him, "Truly, I tell you emphatically, unless a person is born from above he cannot see the kingdom of God."

3Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

4Nicodemus asked him, "How can a person be born when he is old? He can't go back into his mother's womb a second time and be born, can he?"

4Nicodemus 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?

5Jesus answered, "Truly, I tell you emphatically, unless a person is born of water and Spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

5Jesus 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.

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

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

7Don't be astonished that I told you, 'All of you must be born from above.'

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

8The wind blows where it wants to. You hear its sound, but you don't know where it comes from or where it is going. That's the way it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."

8The 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.

9Nicodemus asked him, "How can that be?"

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

10Jesus answered him, "You're the teacher of Israel, and you can't understand this?

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

11Truly, I tell you emphatically, we know what we're talking about, and we testify about what we've seen. Yet you people do not accept our testimony.

11Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.

12If I have told you people about earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?

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

13"No one has gone up to heaven except the one who came down from heaven, the Son of Man who is in heaven.

13And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

14Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,

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

15so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.

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

16"For this is how God loved the world: He gave his unique Son so that everyone who believes in him might not be lost but have eternal life.

16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

17Because God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

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

18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of God's unique Son.

18He 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.

19And this is the basis for judgment: The light has come into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light because their actions were evil.

19And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

20Everyone who practices wickedness hates the light and does not come to the light, so that his actions may not be exposed.

20For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

21But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may become evident that his actions have God's approval."

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

22After this, Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside. He spent some time there with them and began baptizing.

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

23John was also baptizing in Aenon, near Salim, because there was plenty of water there. People kept coming and were being baptized,

23And John also was baptizing in AEnon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.

24since John had not yet been thrown into prison.

24For John was not yet cast into prison.

25Then a controversy about ritual purification sprang up between a certain Jew and John's disciples,

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

26so they went to John and told him, "Rabbi, the man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan, the one about whom you testified—look, he's baptizing, and everyone is going to him!"

26And 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.

27John replied, "No one can receive anything unless it has been given to them from heaven.

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

28You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, 'I am not the Messiah, but I have been sent ahead of him.'

28Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.

29It is the bridegroom who gets the bride, yet the bridegroom's friend, who merely stands by and listens for him, is overjoyed to hear the bridegroom's voice. That's why this joy of mine is now complete.

29He 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.

30He must become more important, but I must become less important."

30He must increase, but I must decrease.

31The one who comes from above is superior to everything. The one who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks about earthly things. The one who comes from heaven is superior to everything.

31He 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.

32He testifies about what he has seen and heard, yet no one accepts his testimony.

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

33The person who has accepted his testimony has acknowledged that God is truthful.

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

34The one whom God sent speaks the words of God, because God does not give the Spirit in limited measure to him.

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

35The Father loves the Son and has put everything in his hands.

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

36The one who believes in the Son has eternal life, but the one who disobeys the Son will not see life. Instead, the wrath of God remains on him.

36He 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.

The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.

King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.