CHAPTER 3
1 And there was a man of the Pharisees, Nicodemus by name, a prince of the Jews (or a leader of the Jews).
2 And he came to Jesus by night, and said to him, Rabbi, we know, that thou art come from God a master, [or Rabbi, we know, for of God thou hast come a master]; for no man may do these signs, that thou doest, [no] but God be with him. (And he came to Jesus by night, and said to him, Teacher, we know, that thou art a teacher sent from God; for no man can do these miracles, that thou doest, unless God be with him.)
3 Jesus answered, and said to him, Truly, truly, I say to thee, [no] but a man be born again, he may not see the kingdom of God, (or Truly, I tell thee the truth, unless a man is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God).
4 Nicodemus said to him, How may a man be born, when he is old? whether he may enter again into his mother’s womb, and be born again?
5 Jesus answered, Truly, truly, I say to thee, [no] but a man be born again of water, and of the Holy Ghost, he may not enter into the kingdom of God. (Jesus answered, Truly, I tell thee the truth, unless a man be born again from water, and from the Holy Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God.)
6 That that is born of the flesh, is flesh; and that that is born of the Spirit, is spirit. (That which is born from the flesh, is flesh; and that which is born from the Spirit, is spirit.)
7 Wonder thou not, for I said to thee, It behooveth you to be born again.
8 The Spirit breatheth where he will, and thou hearest his voice, but thou knowest not, from whence he cometh, nor whither he goeth; so is each man that is born of the Spirit. (The Spirit breatheth where he wanteth, and thou hearest his voice, but thou knowest not, where he cometh from, nor where he goeth; so is each man who is born from the Spirit.)
9 Nicodemus answered, and said to him, How may these things be done? (or How can these things be done?)
10 Jesus answered, and said to him, Thou art a master in Israel (or Thou art a teacher in Israel), and knowest not these things?
11 Truly, truly, I say to thee, for we speak that that we know, and we witness that that we have seen, and ye take not our witnessing. (Truly, I tell thee the truth, for we speak of that which we know, and we testify about that which we have seen, but ye do not receive or accept our testimony.)
12 If I have said to you earthly things, and ye believe not, how if I say to you heavenly things, shall ye believe?
13 And no man ascendeth [up] into heaven, [no] but he that came down from heaven, man’s Son that is in heaven, [or the Son of man which is in heaven], (or the Son of man who was in heaven).
14 And as Moses areared [or reared up] a serpent in (the) desert, so it behooveth man’s Son to be raised [up],
15 that each man that believeth in him, perish not, but have everlasting life. (so that everyone who believeth in him, perish not, but have eternal life.)
16 For God loved so the world [or Forsooth God so loved the world], that he gave his one begotten Son, that each man that believeth in him perish not, but have everlasting life (or but have eternal life).
17 For God sent not his Son into the world, that he judge the world, but that the world be saved by him.
18 He that believeth in him, is not deemed; but he that believeth not, is now deemed, for he believeth not in the name of the one begotten Son of God. [He that believeth in him, is not deemed, or condemned; forsooth he that believeth not, is now condemned, for he believeth not in the name of the only begotten son of God.]
19 And this is the doom, for light came into the world, and men loved more (the) darknesses than (the) light; for their works were evil. (And this is the judgement, yea, the light came into the world, but men loved the darkness more than the light; because their works were evil.)
20 For each man that doeth evil, hateth the light; and he cometh not to the light, (so) that his works be not reproved.
21 But he that doeth (the) truth, cometh to the light, (so) that his works be showed, that they be done in God.
22 After these things Jesus came, and his disciples, into the land of Judea, and there he dwelled with them, and baptized.
23 And John was baptizing in Aenon, beside Salim, for many waters were there; and they came, and were baptized [or were christened].
24 And John was not yet sent into prison.
25 Therefore a question was made of John’s disciples with the Jews, of the purification, (or about the purification), [or (the) cleansing].
26 And they came to John, and said to him, Master [or Rabbi], he that was with thee beyond [or over](the) Jordan, to whom thou hast borne witnessing, lo! he baptizeth, and all men come to him. (And they came to John, and said to him, Teacher, he who was with thee on the other side of the Jordan River, about whom thou hast witnessed, or thou hast testified, behold! he baptizeth, and all come to him.)
27 John answered, and said, A man may not take anything, [no] but it be given to him from heaven. (John answered, and said, No one can receive anything, unless it be given to him from heaven, yea, from God.)
28 Ye yourselves bear witnessing to me, that I said, I am not Christ, but that I am sent before him. (Ye yourselves can bear witness to me, or can testify about me, that I said, I am not the Messiah, but that I am sent before him.)
29 He that hath a wife, is the husband [or the spouse]; but the friend of the spouse that standeth, and heareth him, joyeth with joy, for the voice of the spouse. Therefore in this thing my joy is fulfilled.
30 It behooveth him to wax, (or It is necessary for him to grow, or to increase), but me to be made less [or to be diminished].
31 He that came from above, is above all; he that is of the earth, speaketh of the earth; he that cometh from heaven, is above all.
32 And he witnesseth that thing that he hath seen, and heard, and no man taketh (or receiveth) his witnessing. (And he testifieth about that thing that he hath seen, and heard, but no man accepteth his testimony.)
33 But he that taketh (or receiveth) his witnessing, hath confirmed that God is soothfast. (But he who accepteth his testimony, hath confirmed that God is truthful.)
34 But he whom God hath sent, speaketh the words of God; for not to measure God giveth the Spirit.
35 The Father loveth the Son, and he hath given all things into his hand.
36 He that believeth in the Son, hath everlasting life; but he that is unbelieveful to the Son, shall not see everlasting life, but the wrath of God dwelleth on him. (He who believeth in the Son, hath eternal life; but he who believeth not in the Son, shall not see eternal life, but the wrath of God shall come upon him.)