John 3 Parallel Bible Translations

John 3 ▼
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1 Now there was a certain man among the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler (member of the Sanhedrin) among the Jews, Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council.
2 who came to Jesus at night and said to Him, “Rabbi (Teacher), we know [without any doubt] that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs [these wonders, these attesting miracles] that You do unless God is with him.” This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” He 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.”
3 Jesus answered him, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless a person is born again [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified], he cannot [ever] see and experience the kingdom of God.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”
4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born, can he?” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” “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!”
5 Jesus answered, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot [ever] enter the kingdom of God. Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh [the physical is merely physical], and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.
7 Do not be surprised that I have told you, ‘You must be born again [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified].’ Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’
8 The wind blows where it wishes and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it is coming from and where it is going; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” The 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.”
9 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can these things be possible?” Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.
10 Jesus replied, “You are the [great and well-known] teacher of Israel, and yet you do not know nor understand these things [from Scripture]? Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things?
11 I assure you and most solemnly say to you, we speak only of what we [absolutely] know and testify about what we have [actually] seen [as eyewitnesses]; and [still] you [reject our evidence and] do not accept our testimony. Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. Very 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.
12 If I told you earthly things [that is, things that happen right here on earth] and you do not believe, how will you believe and trust Me if I tell you heavenly things? If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? I 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 into heaven, but there is One who came down from heaven, the Son of Man [Himself—whose home is in heaven]. No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.
14 Just as Moses lifted up the [bronze] serpent in the desert [on a pole], so must the Son of Man be lifted up [on the cross], And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,
15 so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life [after physical death, and will actually live forever]. that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”
16 “For God so [greatly] loved and dearly prized the world, that He [even] gave His [One and] only begotten Son, so that whoever believes and trusts in Him [as Savior] shall not perish, but have eternal life. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For 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.
17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge and condemn the world [that is, to initiate the final judgment of the world], but that the world might be saved through Him. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
18 Whoever believes and has decided to trust in Him [as personal Savior and Lord] is not judged [for this one, there is no judgment, no rejection, no condemnation]; but the one who does not believe [and has decided to reject Him as personal Savior and Lord] is judged already [that one has been convicted and sentenced], because he has not believed and trusted in the name of the [One and] only begotten Son of God [the One who is truly unique, the only One of His kind, the One who alone can save him]. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. Whoever 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.
19 This is the judgment [that is, the cause for indictment, the test by which people are judged, the basis for the sentence]: the Light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.
20 For every wrongdoer hates the Light, and does not come to the Light [but shrinks from it] for fear that his [sinful, worthless] activities will be exposed and condemned. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.
21 But whoever practices truth [and does what is right—morally, ethically, spiritually] comes to the Light, so that his works may be plainly shown to be what they are—accomplished in God [divinely prompted, done with God’s help, in dependence on Him].” But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.” But 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.
22 After these things Jesus and His disciples went into the land of Judea, and there He spent time with them and baptized. After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing. After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized.
23 Now John was also baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was an abundance of water there; and people were coming and were being baptized— John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were coming and being baptized.
24 for John had not yet been thrown into prison. (for John had not yet been put in prison). (This was before John was put in prison.)
25 Therefore there arose a controversy between John’s disciples and a Jew in regard to purification (ceremonial washing). Now a discussion arose between some of John’s disciples and a Jew over purification. An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing.
26 So they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi (Teacher), the Man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan [at the Jordan River crossing]—and to whom you have testified—look, He is baptizing too, and everyone is going to Him!” And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.” They 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.”
27 John replied, “A man can receive nothing [he can claim nothing at all] unless it has been granted to him from heaven [for there is no other source than the sovereign will of God]. John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven.
28 You yourselves are my witnesses that I stated, ‘I am not the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed),’ but, ‘I have [only] been sent ahead of Him [as His appointed forerunner and messenger to announce and proclaim His coming].’ You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’
29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands by and listens to him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. So this pleasure and joy of mine is now complete. The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. The 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.
30 He must increase [in prominence], but I must decrease. He must increase, but I must decrease.” He must become greater; I must become less.”
31 “He who comes from [heaven] above is above all others; he who is of the earth is from the earth and speaks [about things] of the earth [his viewpoint and experience are earthly]. He who comes from heaven is above all. He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. The 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.
32 What He has [actually] seen and heard, of that He testifies; and yet no one accepts His testimony [as true]. He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony.
33 Whoever receives His testimony has set his seal [of approval] to this: God is true [and he knows that God cannot lie]. Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. Whoever has accepted it has certified that God is truthful.
34 For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God [proclaiming the Father’s own message]; for God gives the [gift of the] Spirit without measure [generously and boundlessly]! For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit.
35 The Father loves the Son and has given and entrusted all things into His hand. The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands.
36 He who believes and trusts in the Son and accepts Him [as Savior] has eternal life [that is, already possesses it]; but he who does not believe the Son and chooses to reject Him, [disobeying Him and denying Him as Savior] will not see [eternal] life, but [instead] the wrath of God hangs over him continually.” Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. Whoever 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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