| New King James Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. | 1Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. |
| 2This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these 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 answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, 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? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” | 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, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the 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. |
| 6That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. | 6Flesh is born of flesh, but spirit is born of the Spirit. |
| 7Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ | 7Do not be amazed that I said, ‘You must be born again.’ |
| 8The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is 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 answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?” | 9“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked. |
| 10Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? | 10“You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and you do not understand these things? |
| 11Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. | 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 earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you 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 to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. | 13No one has ascended into heaven except the One who descended from heaven—the Son of Man. |
| 14And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even 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, |
| 15that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. | 15that everyone who believes in Him may 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. | 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 through Him might be saved. | 17For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. |
| 18“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten 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. |
| 19And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than 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 practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should 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 he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they 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 these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He remained with them and baptized. | 22After this, Jesus and His disciples went into the Judean countryside, where He spent some time with them and baptized. |
| 23Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. And they came and were baptized. | 23Now John was also baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because the water was plentiful there, and people kept coming to be baptized. |
| 24For John had not yet been thrown into prison. | 24(For John had not yet been thrown into prison.) |
| 25Then there arose a dispute between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purification. | 25Then a dispute arose between John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the issue of ceremonial washing. |
| 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!” | 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 answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. | 27John replied, “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. |
| 28You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before Him.’ | 28You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but am sent ahead of Him.’ |
| 29He 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. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. | 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 increase, but I must decrease. | 30He must increase; I must decrease. |
| 31He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above 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. |
| 32And what He has seen and heard, that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony. | 32He testifies to what He has seen and heard, yet no one accepts His testimony. |
| 33He who has received His testimony has certified that God is true. | 33Whoever accepts His testimony has certified that God is truthful. |
| 34For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure. | 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 given all things into His hand. | 35The Father loves the Son and has placed all things in His hands. |
| 36He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides 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.” |
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