| NET Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Now a certain man, a Pharisee named Nicodemus, who was a member of the Jewish ruling council, | 1There was a man from the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. |
| 2came to Jesus at night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs that you do unless God is with him." | 2This man came to Him at night and said, "Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher, for no one could perform these signs You do unless God were with him." |
| 3Jesus replied, "I tell you the solemn truth, unless a person is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God." | 3Jesus replied, "I assure you: Unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."" |
| 4Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter his mother's womb and be born a second time, can he?" | 4But 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?" |
| 5Jesus answered, "I tell you the solemn truth, unless a person is born of water and spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. | 5Jesus answered, "I assure you: Unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. |
| 6What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. | 6Whatever is born of the flesh is flesh, and whatever is born of the Spirit is spirit. |
| 7Do not be amazed that I said to you, 'You must all be born from above.' | 7Do not be amazed that I told you that you must be born again. |
| 8The wind blows wherever it will, and you hear the sound it makes, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." | 8The wind blows where it pleases, and you hear its sound, but you don't know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."" |
| 9Nicodemus replied, "How can these things be?" | 9How can these things be?" asked Nicodemus. |
| 10Jesus answered, "Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you don't understand these things? | 10"Are you a teacher of Israel and don't know these things?" Jesus replied. |
| 11I tell you the solemn truth, we speak about what we know and testify about what we have seen, but you people do not accept our testimony. | 11"I assure you: We speak what We know and We testify to what We have seen, but you do not accept Our testimony. |
| 12If I have told you people about earthly things and you don't believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? | 12If 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? |
| 13No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven--the Son of Man. | 13No one has ascended into heaven except the One who descended 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." | 15so that everyone who believes in Him will have eternal life. |
| 16For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. | 16"For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. |
| 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world should be saved through him. | 17For God did not send His Son into the world that He might condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. |
| 18The one who believes in him is not condemned. The one who does not believe has been condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God. | 18Anyone who believes in Him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the One and Only Son of God. |
| 19Now this is the basis for judging: that the light has come into the world and people loved the darkness rather than the light, because their deeds were evil. | 19"This, then, is the judgment: The light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. |
| 20For everyone who does evil deeds hates the light and does not come to the light, so that their deeds will not be exposed. | 20For everyone who practices wicked things hates the light and avoids it, so that his deeds may not be exposed. |
| 21But the one who practices the truth comes to the light, so that it may be plainly evident that his deeds have been done in God. | 21But anyone who lives by the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be shown to be accomplished by God." |
| 22After this, Jesus and his disciples came into Judean territory, and there he spent time with them and was baptizing. | 22After this, Jesus and His disciples went to the Judean countryside, where He spent time with them and baptized. |
| 23John was also baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming to him and being baptized. | 23John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water there. People were coming and being baptized, |
| 24(For John had not yet been thrown into prison.) | 24since John had not yet been thrown into prison. |
| 25Now a dispute came about between some of John's disciples and a certain Jew concerning ceremonial washing. | 25Then a dispute arose between John's disciples and a Jew about purification. |
| 26So they came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, the one who was with you on the other side of the Jordan River, about whom you testified--see, he is baptizing, and everyone is flocking to him!" | 26So they came to John and told him, "Rabbi, the One you testified about, and who was with you across the Jordan, is baptizing--and everyone is flocking to Him." |
| 27John replied, "No one can receive anything unless it has been given to him from heaven. | 27John responded, "No one can receive a single thing unless it's given to him from heaven. |
| 28You yourselves can testify that I said, 'I am not the Christ,' but rather, 'I have been sent before him.' | 28You yourselves can testify that I said, 'I am not the Messiah, but I've been sent ahead of Him.' |
| 29The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands by and listens for him, rejoices greatly when he hears the bridegroom's voice. This then is my joy, and it is complete. | 29He who has the bride is the groom. But the groom's friend, who stands by and listens for him, rejoices greatly at the groom's voice. So this joy of mine is complete. |
| 30He must become more important while I become less important." | 30He must increase, but I must decrease." |
| 31The one who comes from above is superior to all. The one who is from the earth belongs to the earth and speaks about earthly things. The one who comes from heaven is superior to all. | 31The One who comes from above is above all. The one who is from the earth is earthly and speaks in earthly terms. The One who comes from heaven is above all. |
| 32He testifies about what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. | 32He testifies to what He has seen and heard, yet no one accepts His testimony. |
| 33The one who has accepted his testimony has confirmed clearly that God is truthful. | 33The one who has accepted His testimony has affirmed that God is true. |
| 34For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for he does not give the Spirit sparingly. | 34For God sent Him, and He speaks God's words, since He gives the Spirit without measure. |
| 35The Father loves the Son and has placed all things under his authority. | 35The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hands. |
| 36The one who believes in the Son has eternal life. The one who rejects the Son will not see life, but God's wrath remains on him. | 36The 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. |
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