1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named AJohn 7:50; 19:39Nicodemus, a BLuke 23:13; John 7:26, 48ruler of the Jews; 2 this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “AMatt 23:7; John 3:26Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these 1Or attesting miraclesBJohn 2:11signs that You do unless CJohn 9:33; 10:38; 14:10f; Acts 2:22; 10:38God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one A2 Cor 5:17; 1 Pet 1:23is born 1Or from aboveagain he cannot see BMatt 19:24; 21:31; Mark 9:47; 10:14f; John 3:5the kingdom of God.”

4 Nicodemus *said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of AEzek 36:25-27; Eph 5:26; Titus 3:5water and the Spirit he cannot enter into BMatt 19:24; 21:31; Mark 9:47; 10:14f; John 3:3the kingdom of God. 6  “AJohn 1:13; 1 Cor 15:50That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7  “Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born 1Or from aboveagain.’ 8  “APs 135:7; Eccl 11:5; Ezek 37:9The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

9 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you ALuke 2:46; 5:17; Acts 5:34the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things? 11  “Truly, truly, I say to you, AJohn 1:18; 7:16f; 8:26, 28; 12:49; 14:24we speak of what we know and BJohn 3:32testify of what we have seen, and BJohn 3:32you do not accept our testimony. 12  “If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13  “ADeut 30:12; Prov 30:4; Acts 2:34; Rom 10:6; Eph 4:9No one has ascended into heaven, but BJohn 3:31; 6:38, 42He who descended from heaven: CMatt 8:20the Son of Man. 14  “As ANum 21:9Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must BMatt 8:20the Son of Man CJohn 8:28; 12:34be lifted up; 15 so that whoever 1Or believes in Him will have eternal lifebelieves will AJohn 20:31; 1 John 5:11-13in Him have eternal life.

16 “For God so ARom 5:8; Eph 2:4; 2 Thess 2:16; 1 John 4:10; Rev 1:5loved the world, that He BRom 8:32; 1 John 4:9gave His 1Or unique, only one of His kindCJohn 1:18; 3:18; 1 John 4:9only begotten Son, that whoever DJohn 3:36; 6:40; 11:25fbelieves in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17  “For God AJohn 3:34; 5:36, 38; 6:29, 38, 57; 7:29; 8:42; 10:36; 11:42; 17:3, 8, 18, 21, 23, 25; 20:21did not send the Son into the world BLuke 19:10; John 8:15; 12:47; 1 John 4:14to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 18  “AMark 16:16; John 5:24He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of BJohn 1:18; 1 John 4:9the 1Or unique, only one of His kindonly begotten Son of God. 19  “This is the judgment, that AJohn 1:4; 8:12; 9:5; 12:46the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for BJohn 7:7their deeds were evil. 20  “AJohn 3:20, 21; Eph 5:11, 13For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21  “But he who A1 John 1:6practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”

22 After these things Jesus and His AJohn 2:2disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He was spending time with them and BJohn 4:1, 2baptizing. 23 John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there; and people were coming and were being baptized— 24 for AMatt 4:12; 14:3; Mark 6:17; Luke 3:20John had not yet been thrown into prison.

25 Therefore there arose a discussion on the part of John’s disciples with a Jew about AJohn 2:6purification. 26 And they came to John and said to him, “AMatt 23:7; John 3:2Rabbi, He who was with you BJohn 1:28beyond the Jordan, to whom you CJohn 1:7have testified, behold, He is baptizing and all are coming to Him.” 27 John answered and said, “A1 Cor 4:7; Heb 5:4A man can receive nothing unless it BJames 1:17has been given him from heaven. 28  “You yourselves 1Lit testify for meare my witnesses that I said, ‘AJohn 1:20, 23I am not the 2I.e. MessiahChrist,’ but, ‘I have been sent ahead of Him.’ 29  “He who has the bride is AMatt 9:15; 25:1the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. So this BJohn 15:11; 16:24; 17:13; Phil 2:2; 1 John 1:4; 2 John 12joy of mine has been made full. 30  “He must increase, but I must decrease.

31 “AMatt 28:18; John 3:13; 8:23He who comes from above is above all, B1 Cor 15:47; 1 John 4:5he who is of the earth is from the earth and speaks of the earth. AMatt 28:18; John 3:13; 8:23He who comes from heaven is above all. 32  “What He has seen and heard, of that He AJohn 3:11testifies; and AJohn 3:11no one receives His testimony. 33  “He who has received His testimony AJohn 6:27; Rom 4:11; 15:28; 1 Cor 9:2; 2 Cor 1:22; Eph 1:13; 4:30; 2 Tim 2:19; Rev 7:3-8has set his seal to this, that God is true. 34  “For He whom God has AJohn 3:17sent speaks the words of God; 1Lit because He does not give the Spirit by measureBMatt 12:18; Luke 4:18; Acts 1:2; 10:38for He gives the Spirit without measure. 35  “AMatt 28:18; John 5:20; 17:2The Father loves the Son and BMatt 11:27; Luke 10:22has given all things into His hand. 36  “He who AJohn 3:16believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who BActs 14:2; Heb 3:18does not 1Or believeobey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”