| English Standard Version | New International Version |
| 1Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. | 1Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. |
| 2This man came to Jesus by 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.” | 2He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him." |
| 3Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” | 3Jesus replied, "Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again." |
| 4Nicodemus said to 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?” | 4"How can someone be born when they are old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother's womb to be born!" |
| 5Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. | 5Jesus answered, "Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. |
| 6That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. | 6Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. |
| 7Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ | 7You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' |
| 8The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” | 8The 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." |
| 9Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” | 9"How can this be?" Nicodemus asked. |
| 10Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? | 10"You are Israel's teacher," said Jesus, "and do you not understand these things? |
| 11Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. | 11Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. |
| 12If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? | 12I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? |
| 13No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. | 13No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven--the Son of Man. |
| 14And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, | 14Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, |
| 15that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. | 15that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him." |
| 16“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. | 16For 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. |
| 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. | 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. |
| 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. | 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. |
| 19And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. | 19This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. |
| 20For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. | 20Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. |
| 21But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.” | 21But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. |
| 22After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing. | 22After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized. |
| 23John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized | 23Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were coming and being baptized. |
| 24(for John had not yet been put in prison). | 24(This was before John was put in prison.) |
| 25Now a discussion arose between some of John’s disciples and a Jew over purification. | 25An argument developed between some of John's disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. |
| 26And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.” | 26They 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--look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him." |
| 27John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. | 27To this John replied, "A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. |
| 28You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ | 28You yourselves can testify that I said, 'I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.' |
| 29The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. | 29The 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. |
| 30He must increase, but I must decrease.” | 30He must become greater; I must become less." |
| 31He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. | 31The 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. |
| 32He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. | 32He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. |
| 33Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. | 33Whoever has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. |
| 34For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. | 34For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. |
| 35The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. | 35The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. |
| 36Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. | 36Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on them. |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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