New Heart English Bible 1Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jewish people.
2This man came to him at 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."
3Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I tell you, unless one is born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God." 4Nicodemus said to him, "How can anyone be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb, and be born?" 5Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I tell you, unless one is born of water and Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. 6That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7Do not be surprised that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' 8The wind blows where it wants to, and you hear its sound, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit." 9Nicodemus answered and said to him, "How can these things be?" 10Jesus answered him, "Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not understand these things? 11Truly, truly, I tell you, we speak that which we know, and testify of that which we have seen, but you do not accept our testimony. 12If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13And no one has ascended into heaven, but he who descended out of heaven, the Son of Man, who is in heaven. 14And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15so that everyone believes in him may have life without end. 16For this is how God loved the world: he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have life without end. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him. 18The one who believes in him is not judged, but the one who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light, because their works were evil. 20For everyone who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, so that his works will not be exposed. 21But the one who does the truth comes to the light, that his works may be revealed, that they have been done in God." 22After these things, Jesus came with his disciples into the land of Judea. He stayed there with them, and was baptizing. 23Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. They came, and were baptized. 24For John was not yet thrown into prison. 25Now a dispute arose between John's disciples with a Jew about purification. 26And they came to John, and said to him, "Rabbi, he who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, look, he is baptizing, and everyone is coming to him." 27John answered, "No one can receive anything, unless it has been given to him from heaven. 28You yourselves bear me witness that I said, 'I am not the Christ,' but, 'I have been sent before him.' 29He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. So this joy of mine is now complete. 30He must increase, but I must decrease. 31He who comes from above is above all. He who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all. 32What he has seen and heard, of that he testifies; and no one receives his witness. 33He who has received his witness has set his seal to this, that God is true. 34For he whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for he does not give the Spirit by measure. 35The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand. 36Whoever believes in the Son has everlasting life, but whoever refuses to believe in the Son won't see life, but the wrath of God remains on him." |