Christian Standard Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

1There was a man from the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.

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

2This man came to him at night and said, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one could perform these signs you do unless God were with him."

2this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him."

3Jesus replied, "Truly I tell you, unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

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

4"How can anyone be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked him. "Can he enter his mother's womb a second time and be born?"

4Nicodemus 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?"

5Jesus answered, "Truly I tell you, unless someone is born of water and the 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 into the kingdom of God.

6Whatever is born of the flesh is flesh, and whatever is born of the Spirit is spirit.

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

7Do not be amazed that I told you that you must be born again.

7"Do not be amazed that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'

8The wind blows where it pleases, and you hear its sound, but you don't know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."

8"The 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"How can these things be?" asked Nicodemus.

9Nicodemus said to Him, "How can these things be?"

10"Are you a teacher of Israel and don't know these things?" Jesus replied.

10Jesus answered and said to him, "Are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things?

11"Truly I tell you, we speak what we know and we testify to what we have seen, but you do not accept our testimony.

11"Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you do not accept our testimony.

12If I have told you about earthly things and you don't believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?

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

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

13"No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man.

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

14"As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up;

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

15so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.

16For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

16"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten 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 to save the world through him.

17"For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.

18Anyone who believes in him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.

18"He 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 the only begotten Son of God.

19This is the judgment: The light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil.

19"This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.

20For everyone who does evil hates the light and avoids it, so that his deeds may not be exposed.

20"For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.

21But anyone who lives by the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be shown to be accomplished by God."

21"But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God."

22After this, Jesus and his disciples went to the Judean countryside, where he spent time with them and baptized.

22After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He was spending time with them and baptizing.

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

23John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there; and people were coming and were being baptized--

24since John had not yet been thrown into prison.

24for John had not yet been thrown into prison.

25Then a dispute arose between John's disciples and a Jew about purification.

25Therefore there arose a discussion on the part of John's disciples with a Jew about purification.

26So they came to John and told him, "Rabbi, the one you testified about, and who was with you across the Jordan, is baptizing--and everyone is going to him."

26And they came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, He is baptizing and all are coming to Him."

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

27John answered and said, "A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven.

28You yourselves can testify that I said, 'I am not the Messiah, but I've been sent ahead of him.'

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

29He who has the bride is the groom. But the groom's friend, who stands by and listens for him, rejoices greatly at the groom's voice. So this joy of mine is complete.

29"He 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 has been made full.

30He must increase, but I must decrease."

30"He must increase, but I must decrease.

31The one who comes from above is above all. The one who is from the earth is earthly and speaks in earthly terms. The one who comes from heaven is above all.

31"He who comes from above is above all, he who is of the earth is from the earth and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.

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

32"What He has seen and heard, of that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony.

33The one who has accepted his testimony has affirmed that God is true.

33"He who has received His testimony has set his seal to this, that God is true.

34For the one whom God sent speaks God's words, since he gives the Spirit without measure.

34"For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for He gives the Spirit without measure.

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

35"The 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 rejects the Son will not see life; instead, the wrath of God remains on him.

36"He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org