International Standard Version

English Standard Version

1Now there was a man from the Pharisees, a leader of the Jews, whose name was Nicodemus.

1Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.

2He came to Jesus at night and told him, "Rabbi, we know that you have come from God as a teacher, because no one can perform these signs that you are doing unless God is with him."

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.”

3Jesus replied to him, "Truly, I tell you emphatically, unless a person is born from above he cannot see the kingdom of God."

3Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

4Nicodemus asked him, "How can a person be born when he is old? He can't go back into his mother's womb a second time and be born, can he?"

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?”

5Jesus answered, "Truly, I tell you emphatically, unless a person is born of water and Spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

5Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

6What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.

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

7Don't be astonished that I told you, 'All of you must be born from above.'

7Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’

8The wind blows where it wants to. You hear its sound, but you don't know where it comes from or where it is going. That's the way it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."

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.”

9Nicodemus asked him, "How can that be?"

9Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?”

10Jesus answered him, "You're the teacher of Israel, and you can't understand this?

10Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things?

11Truly, I tell you emphatically, we know what we're talking about, and we testify about what we've seen. Yet you people do not accept our testimony.

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.

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

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

13"No one has gone up to heaven except the one who came down from heaven, the Son of Man who is in heaven.

13No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.

14Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,

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

15so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.

15that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

16"For this is how God loved the world: He gave his unique Son so that everyone who believes in him might not be lost but have eternal life.

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.

17Because God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

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.

18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of God's unique Son.

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.

19And this is the basis for judgment: The light has come into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light because their actions were evil.

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.

20Everyone who practices wickedness hates the light and does not come to the light, so that his actions may not be exposed.

20For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.

21But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may become evident that his actions have God's approval."

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.”

22After this, Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside. He spent some time there with them and began baptizing.

22After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing.

23John was also baptizing in Aenon, near Salim, because there was plenty of water there. People kept coming and were being baptized,

23John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized

24since John had not yet been thrown into prison.

24(for John had not yet been put in prison).

25Then a controversy about ritual purification sprang up between a certain Jew and John's disciples,

25Now a discussion arose between some of John’s disciples and a Jew over purification.

26so they went to John and told him, "Rabbi, the man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan, the one about whom you testified—look, he's baptizing, and everyone is going to him!"

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.”

27John replied, "No one can receive anything unless it has been given to them from heaven.

27John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven.

28You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, 'I am not the Messiah, but I have been sent ahead of him.'

28You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’

29It is the bridegroom who gets the bride, yet the bridegroom's friend, who merely stands by and listens for him, is overjoyed to hear the bridegroom's voice. That's why this joy of mine is now complete.

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.

30He must become more important, but I must become less important."

30He must increase, but I must decrease.”

31The one who comes from above is superior to everything. The one who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks about earthly things. The one who comes from heaven is superior to everything.

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.

32He testifies about what he has seen and heard, yet no one accepts his testimony.

32He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony.

33The person who has accepted his testimony has acknowledged that God is truthful.

33Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true.

34The one whom God sent speaks the words of God, because God does not give the Spirit in limited measure to him.

34For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure.

35The Father loves the Son and has put everything in his hands.

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

36The one who believes in the Son has eternal life, but the one who disobeys the Son will not see life. Instead, the wrath of God remains on him.

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.

The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.

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.