1There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council;
2Who came to Jesus at night, and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher Who has come from God; for no man could perform these miracles that You do, if God were not with him”.
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 someone be born when they are old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?”
5Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, unless one is born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
6That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7You should not be surprised that I said to you, ‘You must be born again’.
8The wind blows wherever it wants; and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from, and where it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
9Nicodemus asked Him, “How can this be?”
10Jesus answered him, “Are you a teacher of Israel, and not know these things?
11Very truly, I tell you, we speak that what we know, and we testify to what we have seen; but still you do not accept our testimony.
12If I have told you earthly and natural things, and you do not believe, how then will you believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?
13No one has ever ascended into heaven except He Who came down from heaven: the Son of man.
14And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up,
15That whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.
16For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world might be saved through Him.
18Whoever believes in Him is not condemned; but whoever does not believe is already condemned, because he has rejected the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19And this is their condemnation: that light has come into the world, and some men loved darkness more than light, because their deeds were evil.
20For everyone that does evil hates the light, and will not come to the light, because then their deeds would be revealed.
21But whoever lives by truth comes to the light, and allows his deeds to be plainly seen, that they are done in God.”
22After these things Jesus and His disciples went into the Judaean countryside; where He spent time with, and baptized, people.
23At this time, John was also baptizing in Aenon, near Salim, because there was abundant water there; and people came to be baptized.
24For this was before John put in prison.
25And there arose a dispute between some of John's disciples and the Jews about the matter of ceremonial washing (purifying).
26And they came to John and said, “Rabbi, He that was with you beyond Jordan, the One you testified about, look, He is baptizing, and everyone is going to Him.”
27To this, John replied, “A person can only receive what is given to them from heaven.
28You yourselves can testify that I said, “I am not the Christ (Messiah), but that I am sent ahead of Him”.
29The bride belongs to the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears his words, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice; therefore, my joy is fulfilled.
30He must increase, but I must decrease.
31He that comes from above is above all; he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaks of the earth; but He that comes from heaven is above all.
32And He testifies to what He has seen and heard, but how few accept His testimony!
33Whoever has accepted His testimony has affirmed and set his seal that God is true.
34For the One Whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for God gives Him the Spirit without limit.
35The Father loves the Son, and has placed all things into His hands.
36Whoever believes in the Son had everlasting (eternal) life; and whoever does not believe the Son shall not see life; but rather the wrath of God abides upon him.” Easy Reader Bible: Purple Letter Edition © 2023 by Jim Musser. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved. Bible Hub |
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