THE BOOK OF JOHN

 

John Chapter 3

1 ¶ There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

2 This man came to Jesus by night, and said to him, Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God: for no one could do these miracles that you do, unless God is with him.

3 In reply Jesus said to him, Truly, truly, I tell you, Unless a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

4 Nicodemus then asked 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?

5 Jesus answered, Truly, truly, I tell you, Unless a man is born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

7 Do not marvel because I said, You must be born again.

8 The wind blows where it will, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it came from, and where it goes: so it is with every one who is born of the Spirit.

9 Nicodemus then asked him, How can this be?

10 In answer Jesus said, Are you a teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?

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

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

13 No one has ascended up to heaven, but he who came down from heaven, even the Son of man who is in heaven.

14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

15 That whosoever believes on him should not perish, but have eternal life.

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes on him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

18 He who believes on him is not condemned: but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God.

19 And this is the condemnation, that light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

20 For every one who does evil hates the light, and will not come to the light, lest his deeds be condemned.

21 But he who does truth comes to the light, that it may be revealed, that his deeds have been done through God.

22 ¶ After this Jesus and his disciples went out into the countryside of Judea; and there he spent some time with them, and baptized.

23 And John was also baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was plenty of water there: and people were coming, and being baptized.

24 This was before John was thrown into prison.

25 Then a dispute arose between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purifying.

26 And they came to John, and said to him, Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan, to whom you bore witness, behold, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.

27 John answered and said, A man cannot receive anything, unless it is given to him from heaven.

28 You yourselves can testify, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.

29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, who waits and listens for him, rejoices greatly when he hears the bridegroom’s voice: that joy is mine, and it is now fulfilled.

30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

31 He who comes from above is above all: he who is of the earth is earthly, and speaks of the earth: he who comes from heaven is above all.

32 And he bears witness to what he has seen and heard; and no one accepts his testimony.

33 He who has accepted his testimony attests to the fact that God is true.

34 For he whom God has sent speaks the words of God: for God gives him the Spirit without limit.

35 The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand.

36 He who believes on the Son has everlasting life: and he who does not believe the Son will not see life; but God’s wrath remains on him.