John 3
Worldwide English (New Testament)
3 There was a man named Nicodemus. He was a Pharisee, a ruler and leader of the Jews.
2 One night Nicodemus came to Jesus. He said, `Master, we know you are a teacher sent by God. We know this because no person could do the big works you are doing if God did not help him.'
3 Jesus said, `I tell you the truth. No person can see God's kingdom if he is not born again.'
4 Nicodemus said, `How can a man be born when he is old? Can he go inside of his mother again and be born?'
5 Jesus said, `I tell you the truth. This new birth is by water and by the Spirit. No person can enter God's kingdom if he has not been born that way.
6 That which is born of a person is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 You must not be surprised when I say, "You must be born again."
8 The wind blows where it wants to blow. You can hear the sound of it. But you do not know where it comes from, and you do not know where it goes. It is the same way with everyone who is born of the Spirit.'
9 Nicodemus asked Jesus, `How can such things be?
10 Jesus answered, `Are you a teacher of the people of Israel and you do not know this?
11 I tell you the truth. We know what we are talking about. We talk about the things we have seen. But you will not believe what we tell you.
12 You do not believe what I have told you about things on earth. So how will you believe if I tell you about things in heaven?
13 No one has ever gone up to heaven - only the One who came down from heaven. That One is the Son of Man who is in heaven.
14 Moses lifted up a snake on a piece of wood in the desert. So the Son of Man must be lifted up.
15 Then everyone who believes in him will not die, but will live for ever.
16 `God loved the world so very, very much that he gave his only Son. Because he did that, everyone who believes in him will not lose his life, but will live for ever.
17 God did not send his Son into the world to judge the world. He sent him to save the world.
18 `Everyone who believes in the Son will not be judged. But everyone who does not believe in him is judged already, because he does not believe in the name of God's only Son.
19 Light came into the world. But people wanted to be in the dark because they did wrong things. They did not want the light. That is why they are judged.
20 Everyone who does wrong things hates light. He does not come to the light because he is afraid people will see what he does and will say it is bad.
21 But everyone who does what is right comes to the light. He wants people to see that God helps him to do what is right.'
22 After this, Jesus and his disciples came into the country of Judea. Jesus stayed there with them and baptized people.
23 John was also baptizing people in the river at Aenon, near the town of Salim. There was much water. People came to him and were baptized.
24 This was before John was put in prison.
25 John's disciples and the leaders of the Jews were talking about how to be clean, the way God wants us to be clean.
26 They came to John and said, `Teacher, there was a man with you on the other side of the Jordan River. You were telling people about him. Now he himself is baptizing and all the people are going to him.'
27 John answered, `A man cannot get anything unless God in heaven gives it to him.
28 You yourselves heard what I said. I am not the Christ but I have been sent ahead of the Christ.
29 The wife belongs to the man who has married her. The man's best friend may stand and listen. And when he hears what that man says, he is very glad for him. So what I hear makes me very glad in the same way.
30 He must become more and more great, but I must become less and less great.
31 `The one who comes from heaven is greater than all other people. The one who is of the earth talks about things on earth. So the one who comes from heaven is greater than all.
32 He tells what he has seen and heard, but no one wants to believe what he says.
33 If a person believes what the one from heaven says, then he also says God is true.
34 The one God sent speaks the words of God. God does not give him the Spirit little by little, but he gives the Spirit in full.
35 The Father loves his Son and has put everything in his hand.
36 He who believes in the Son will live for ever. He who does not believe in the Son will not live. God will be very angry with him for ever.'
John 3
King James Version
3 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into 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 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.
12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?
13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which 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 believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
22 After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized.
23 And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.
24 For John was not yet cast into prison.
25 Then there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying.
26 And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him.
27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.
28 Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.
29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.
30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
31 He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.
32 And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony.
33 He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.
34 For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.
35 The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.
36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
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