John 3:1-21 ▼

1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus (victory of the people), a leader of the Jews (people of praise).

2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher {didaskalos} who has come from God {Theou}. For no one could perform the signs You are doing if God {Theos} were not with him.

3 Jesus (YHWH saves) replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God {Theou} unless he is born again (born from above).

4 “How can a man be born when he is old? Nicodemus (victory of the people) asked. “Can he enter his mother’s womb a second time to be born?

5 Jesus (YHWH saves) answered, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God {Theou} unless he is born of water and the Spirit {Pneumatos}.

6 Flesh is born of flesh, but spirit {pneuma} is born of the Spirit {Pneumatos}.

7 Do not be amazed that I said, ‘You⁺ must be born again.

8 The wind {pneuma} blows where it wishes. You hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit {Pneumatos}.

9 “How can this be? Nicodemus (victory of the people) asked.

10 “You are Israel’s teacher {didaskalos}, said Jesus (YHWH saves), “and you do not understand these things?

11 Truly, truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, and yet you⁺ people do not accept our testimony.

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

13 No one has ascended into heaven except the One who descended from heaven—the Son of Man [who is in heaven.].

14 Just as Moses (drawn out) lifted up the snake in the wilderness (solitary place), so the Son of Man must be lifted up,

15 that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.

16 For God {Theos} so loved {ēgapēsen} the world that He gave His one and only (only begotten) Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

17 For God {Theos} did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.

18 Whoever 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 {Theou} one and only Son.

19 And this is the verdict: The Light has come into the world, but men loved {ēgapēsan} the darkness rather than the Light because their deeds (acts) were evil.

20 Everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come into the Light for fear that his deeds (acts) will be exposed.

21 But whoever practices the truth comes into the Light, so that it may be seen clearly that what he has done has been accomplished in God {Theō}.”