| King James Bible | New International Version |
| 1There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: | 1Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. |
| 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. | 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 answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, 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 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"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, 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. | 5Jesus answered, "Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. |
| 6That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. | 6Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. |
| 7Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. | 7You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' |
| 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. | 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 answered and said unto him, How can these things be? | 9"How can this be?" Nicodemus asked. |
| 10Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? | 10"You are Israel's teacher," said Jesus, "and do you not understand these things? |
| 11Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. | 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 earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of 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? |
| 13And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. | 13No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven--the Son of Man. |
| 14And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even 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, |
| 15That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. | 15that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him." |
| 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. | 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. |
| 17For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. | 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. |
| 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. | 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 condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. | 19This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. |
| 20For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. | 20Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. |
| 21But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. | 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 these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized. | 22After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized. |
| 23And John also was baptizing in AEnon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized. | 23Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were coming and being baptized. |
| 24For John was not yet cast into prison. | 24(This was before John was put in prison.) |
| 25Then there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying. | 25An argument developed between some of John's disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. |
| 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. | 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 answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. | 27To this John replied, "A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. |
| 28Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. | 28You yourselves can testify that I said, 'I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.' |
| 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. | 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 increase, but I must decrease. | 30He must become greater; I must become less." |
| 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. | 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. |
| 32And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony. | 32He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. |
| 33He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true. | 33Whoever has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. |
| 34For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. | 34For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. |
| 35The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. | 35The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. |
| 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. | 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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