Jesus
Teaches Nicodemus
Now
there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus,
A member
of the Jewish ruling council.
2
He came to Jesus at night and said,
RABBI, WE
KNOW YOU ARE A TEACHER
WHO HAS
COME FROM GOD.
FOR NO ONE
COULD PERFORM
THE
MIRACULOUS SIGNS YOU ARE DOING
IF GOD
WERE NOT WITH HIM.
3
In reply Jesus declared,
I
TELL YOU THE TRUTH,
UNLESS
A MAN IS BORN AGAIN,
HE
CANNOT SEE THE KINGDOM OF GOD.'
4
How can a man be born when he is old? Nicodemus asked.
Surely he
cannot enter a second time
Into his
mother’s womb to be born!
5
Jesus answered,
'I TELL
YOU THE TRUTH,
UNLESS A
MAN IS BORN OF WATER AND THE SPIRIT,
HE CANNOT
ENTER THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
6
FLESH GIVE BIRTH TO FLESH,
BUT
THE SPIRIT GIVE BIRTH TO SPIRIT.
7
YOU SHOULD NOT BE SURPRISED AT
MY SAYING,
'YOU
SHOULD NOT BE SURPRISED AT MY SAYING,
'YOU
MUST BE BORN AGAIN.'
8
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
How can this be? Nicodemus asked.
10
“You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus,
“And do
you not understand these things?
11
I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know,
And we
testify to what we have seen,
But still
you people do not accept our testimony.
12
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 ever gone into Heaven
Except the
One Who came from Heaven--
The Son of
Man.
14
Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert,
So the Son
of Man must be lifted up,
15
That everyone who believes in Him
MAY HAVE
ETERNAL LIFE.
16
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 SENT 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
STANDS
CONDEMNED ALREADY
BECAUSE
HE HAS NOT BELIEVED IN THE NAME
OF
GOD'S ONE AND ONLY SON.
19
THIS IS THE VERDICT;
LIGHT
HAS COME INTO THE WORLD
BUT
MEN LOVE DARKNESS INSTEAD OF LIGHT
BECAUSE
THEIR DEEDS WERE EVIL.
20
EVERYONE WHO DOES EVIL HATES THE LIGHT,
AND
WILL NOT COME INTO THE LIGHT
FOR
FEAR THAT HIS DEEDS WILL BE EXPOSED.
21
BUT WHOEVER LIVES BY THE TRUTH
COMES
INTO THE LIGHT
SO
THAT IT MAY BE SEEN PLAINLY
THAT
WHAT HE HAS DONE
HAS
BEEN DONE THROUGH GOD.'
John
The Baptist's Testimony About Jesus
22
After this, Jesus and His Disciples
Went
out into the Judean countryside,
Where
He spent some time with them,
And
Baptized.
23
Now John also was Baptizing at Aenon near Salim,
Because
there was plenty of water,
And
people were Constantly Coming to be Baptized.
24
(This was before John was put in Prison.)
25
An Argument developed
Between
some of John's disciples and a certain Jew
Over
the matter of ceremonial Washing.
26
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--
Well,
He is Baptizing,
And
everyone is going to him.'
27
To this John replied,
'A
MAN CAN RECEIVE ONLY
WHAT
IS GIVEN HIM FROM HEAVEN.
28
You yourselves can Testify that I said,
'I
AM NOT THE CHRIST
BUT
I AM SENT AHEAD OF HIM.'
29
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 BECOME GREATER;
I
MUST BECOME LESS.
31
'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
HE TESTIFIES TO WHAT HE HAS SEEN AND HEARD,
BUT
NO ONE ACCEPTS HIS TESTIMONY.
33
THE MAN WHO HAS ACCEPTED IT
HAS
CERTIFIED THAT GOD IS TRUTHFUL.
34
FOR THE ONE WHOM GOD HAS SENT
SPEAKS
THE WORDS OF GOD;
TO
HIM GOD GIVES THE SPIRIT WITHOUT LIMIT.
35
THE FATHER LOVES THE SON
AND
HAS PLACED EVERYTHING IN HIS HANDS.
36
WHOEVER BELIEVES IN THE SON
HAS
ETERNAL LIFE,
BUT
WHOEVER REJECTS THE SON
WILL NOT
SEE LIFE,
FOR
GOD'S WRATH REMAINS ON HIM.'
(John
3)
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