John 3
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1Now there was a man from the Pharisees, a leader of the Jews, whose name was Nicodemus. 1Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council.
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."2He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not 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 replied, "Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again."
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?"4"How can someone be born when they are old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother's womb to 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, "Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.
6What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. 6Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.
7Don't be astonished that I told you, 'All of you must be born from above.'7You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You 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 blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."
9Nicodemus asked him, "How can that be?"9"How can this be?" Nicodemus asked.
10Jesus answered him, "You're the teacher of Israel, and you can't understand this? 10"You are Israel's teacher," said Jesus, "and do you not understand 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. 11Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony.
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?12I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak 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.13No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven--the Son of Man.
14Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 14Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,
15so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. 15that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him."
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 one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal 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 did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
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. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.
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. 19This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of 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.20Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.
21But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may become evident that his actions have God's approval." 21But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.
22After this, Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside. He spent some time there with them and began baptizing. 22After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time 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, 23Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were coming and being baptized.
24since John had not yet been thrown into prison.24(This was before John was put in prison.)
25Then a controversy about ritual purification sprang up between a certain Jew and John's disciples, 25An argument developed between some of John's disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing.
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!"26They came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan--the one you testified about--look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him."
27John replied, "No one can receive anything unless it has been given to them from heaven. 27To this John replied, "A person can receive only what is given them from heaven.
28You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, 'I am not the Messiah, but I have been sent ahead of him.' 28You yourselves can testify that I said, 'I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of 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. 29The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.
30He must become more important, but I must become less important."30He must become greater; I must become less."
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. 31The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all.
32He testifies about what he has seen and heard, yet no one accepts his testimony. 32He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony.
33The person who has accepted his testimony has acknowledged that God is truthful.33Whoever has accepted it has certified that God is truthful.
34The one whom God sent speaks the words of God, because God does not give the Spirit in limited measure to him.34For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit.
35The Father loves the Son and has put everything in his hands. 35The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands.
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.36Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on them.
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John 2
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