| NET Bible | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Now a certain man, a Pharisee named Nicodemus, who was a member of the Jewish ruling council, | 1Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. |
| 2came to Jesus at night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs that you do unless God is with him." | 2He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs You are doing if God were not with him.” |
| 3Jesus replied, "I tell you the solemn truth, unless a person is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God." | 3Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” |
| 4Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter his mother's womb and be born a second time, can he?" | 4“How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Can he enter his mother’s womb a second time to be born?” |
| 5Jesus answered, "I tell you the solemn truth, unless a person is born of water and spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. | 5Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. |
| 6What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. | 6Flesh is born of flesh, but spirit is born of the Spirit. |
| 7Do not be amazed that I said to you, 'You must all be born from above.' | 7Do not be amazed that I said, ‘You must be born again.’ |
| 8The wind blows wherever it will, and you hear the sound it makes, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." | 8The wind blows where it wishes. You hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” |
| 9Nicodemus replied, "How can these things be?" | 9“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked. |
| 10Jesus answered, "Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you don't understand these things? | 10“You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and you do not understand these things? |
| 11I tell you the solemn truth, we speak about what we know and testify about what we have seen, but you people do not accept our testimony. | 11Truly, truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, and yet you people do not accept our testimony. |
| 12If I have told you people about earthly things and you don't believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? | 12If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? |
| 13No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven--the Son of Man. | 13No one has ascended into heaven except the One 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, | 14Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, |
| 15so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life." | 15that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life. |
| 16For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. | 16For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who 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 that the world should be saved through him. | 17For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. |
| 18The one who believes in him is not condemned. The one who does not believe has been condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God. | 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 one and only Son. |
| 19Now this is the basis for judging: that the light has come into the world and people loved the darkness rather than the light, because their deeds were evil. | 19And this is the verdict: The Light has come into the world, but men loved the darkness rather than the Light because their deeds were evil. |
| 20For everyone who does evil deeds hates the light and does not come to the light, so that their deeds will not be exposed. | 20Everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come into the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. |
| 21But the one who practices the truth comes to the light, so that it may be plainly evident that his deeds have been done in God. | 21But whoever practices the truth comes into the Light, so that it may be seen clearly that what he has done has been accomplished in God.” |
| 22After this, Jesus and his disciples came into Judean territory, and there he spent time with them and was baptizing. | 22After this, Jesus and His disciples went into the Judean countryside, where He spent some time with them and baptized. |
| 23John was also baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming to him and being baptized. | 23Now John was also baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because the water was plentiful there, and people kept coming to be baptized. |
| 24(For John had not yet been thrown into prison.) | 24(For John had not yet been thrown into prison.) |
| 25Now a dispute came about between some of John's disciples and a certain Jew concerning ceremonial washing. | 25Then a dispute arose between John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the issue of ceremonial washing. |
| 26So they came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, the one who was with you on the other side of the Jordan River, about whom you testified--see, he is baptizing, and everyone is flocking to him!" | 26So John’s disciples came to him and said, “Look, Rabbi, the One who was with you beyond the Jordan, the One you testified about—He is baptizing, and everyone is going to Him.” |
| 27John replied, "No one can receive anything unless it has been given to him from heaven. | 27John replied, “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. |
| 28You yourselves can testify that I said, 'I am not the Christ,' but rather, 'I have been sent before him.' | 28You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but am sent ahead of Him.’ |
| 29The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands by and listens for him, rejoices greatly when he hears the bridegroom's voice. This then is my joy, and it is complete. | 29The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom stands and listens for him, and is overjoyed to hear the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. |
| 30He must become more important while I become less important." | 30He must increase; I must decrease. |
| 31The one who comes from above is superior to all. The one who is from the earth belongs to the earth and speaks about earthly things. The one who comes from heaven is superior to all. | 31The One who comes from above is above all. The one who is from the earth belongs to the earth and speaks as one from the earth. The One who comes from heaven is above all. |
| 32He testifies about what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. | 32He testifies to what He has seen and heard, yet no one accepts His testimony. |
| 33The one who has accepted his testimony has confirmed clearly that God is truthful. | 33Whoever accepts His testimony has certified that God is truthful. |
| 34For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for he does not give the Spirit sparingly. | 34For the One whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. |
| 35The Father loves the Son and has placed all things under his authority. | 35The Father loves the Son and has placed all things in His hands. |
| 36The one who believes in the Son has eternal life. The one who rejects the Son will not see life, but God's wrath remains on him. | 36Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Whoever rejects the Son will not see life. Instead, the wrath of God remains on him.” |
|
