The Gospel According to St. John

⭑ Geneva Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 3 -

(Genesis 22:1–10; Romans 5:6–11)

There was nowe a man of the Pharises, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Iewes.

This man came to Iesus by night, and sayd vnto him, Rabbi, we knowe ye thou art a teacher come from God: for no man could do these miracles that thou doest, except God were with him.

Iesus answered, and said vnto him, Verely, verely I say vnto thee, except a man be borne againe, he can not see the kingdome of God.

Nicodemus sayde vnto him, Howe can a man be borne which is olde? can he enter into his mothers wombe againe, and be borne?

Iesus answered, Verely, verely I say vnto thee, except that a man be borne of water and of the Spirite, hee can not enter into the kingdome of God.

That which is borne of the flesh, is flesh: and that that is borne of the Spirit, is spirit.

Marueile not that I said to thee, Yee must be borne againe.

The winde bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it commeth, and whither it goeth: so is euery man that is borne of the Spirit.

Nicodemus answered, and said vnto him, Howe can these things be?

Iesus answered, and saide vnto him, Art thou a teacher of Israel, and knowest not these things?

Verely, verely I say vnto thee, wee speake that we know, and testifie that we haue seene: but yee receiue not our witnesse.

If when I tel you earthly things, ye beleeue not, howe should yee beleeue, if I shall tel you of heauenly things?

For no man ascendeth vp to heauen, but he that hath descended from heauen, that Sonne of man which is in heauen.

And as Moses lift vp the serpent in the wildernesse, so must that Sonne of man be lift vp,

That whosoeuer beleeueth in him, shoulde not perish, but haue eternall life.

For God so loued the worlde, that hee hath giuen his onely begotten Sonne, that whosoeuer beleeueth in him, should not perish, but haue euerlasting life.

For God sent not his Sonne into the world, that he should condemne the world, but that the world through him might be saued.

Hee that beleeueth in him, is not condemned: but hee that beleeueth not, is condemned already, because he hath not beleeued in the Name of that onely begotten Sonne of God.

And this is the condemnation, that that light came into the worlde, and men loued darknesse rather then that light, because their deedes were euill.

For euery man that euill doeth, hateth the light, neither commeth to light, least his deedes should be reprooued.

But he that doeth trueth, commeth to the light, that his deedes might bee made manifest, that they are wrought according to God.

John’s Testimony about Jesus

After these things, came Iesus and his disciples into the lande of Iudea, and there taried with them, and baptized.

And Iohn also baptized in Enon besides Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.

For Iohn was not yet cast into prison.

Then there arose a question betweene Iohns disciples and the Iewes, about purifying.

And they came vnto Iohn, and saide vnto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Iorden, to whom thou barest witnesse, behold, he baptizeth, and all men come to him.

Iohn answered, and saide, A man can receiue nothing, except it be giuen him from heauen.

Yee your selues are my witnesses, that I sayde, I am not that Christ, but that I am sent before him.

He that hath the bride, is the bridegrome: but the friend of the bridegrome which standeth and heareth him, reioyceth greatly, because of the bridegromes voyce. This my ioy therefore is fulfilled.

He must increase, but I must decrease.

Hee that is come from an hie, is aboue all: he that is of the earth, is of the earth, and speaketh of the earth: hee that is come from heauen, is aboue all.

And what hee hath seene and heard, that he testifieth: but no man receiueth his testimonie.

He that hath receiued his testimonie, hath sealed that God is true.

For hee whome God hath sent, speaketh the woordes of God: for God giueth him not the Spirit by measure.

The Father loueth the Sonne, and hath giuen all things into his hande.

Hee that beleeueth in the Sonne, hath euerlasting life, and hee that obeyeth not the Sonne, shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.

(Genesis 22:1–10; Romans 5:6–11)

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

He 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.”

Jesus answered him, “Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born anew, (a) he can’t see God’s Kingdom.”

Nicodemus 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?”

Jesus answered, “Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born of water and Spirit, he can’t enter into God’s Kingdom.

That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Don’t marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born anew.’

The wind (b) blows where it wants to, and you hear its sound, but don’t know where it comes from and where it is going. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Nicodemus answered him, “How can these things be?”

Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and don’t understand these things?

Most certainly I tell you, we speak that which we know and testify of that which we have seen, and you don’t receive our witness.

If I told you earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?

No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended out of heaven, the Son of Man, who is in heaven.

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

that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only born (c) Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him.

He who believes in him is not judged. He who doesn’t believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only born Son of God.

This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light, for their works were evil.

For everyone who does evil hates the light and doesn’t come to the light, lest his works would be exposed.

But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his works may be revealed, that they have been done in God.”

John’s Testimony about Jesus

After these things, Jesus came with his disciples into the land of Judea. He stayed there with them and baptized.

John also was baptizing in Enon near Salim, because there was much water there. They came and were baptized;

for John was not yet thrown into prison.

Therefore a dispute arose on the part of John’s disciples with some Jews about purification.

They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, he baptizes, and everyone is coming to him.”

John answered, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven.

You yourselves testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before him.’

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. Therefore my joy is made full.

He must increase, but I must decrease.

“He who comes from above is above all. He who is from the earth belongs to the earth and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.

What he has seen and heard, of that he testifies; and no one receives his witness.

He who has received his witness has set his seal to this, that God is true.

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

The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand.

One who believes in the Son has eternal life, but one who disobeys(d) the Son won’t see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”

Footnotes

(a)3:3 The word translated “anew” here and in John 3:7 (ἄνωθεν) also means “again” and “from above”.

(b)3:8 The same Greek word (πνεῦμα) means wind, breath, and spirit.

(c)3:16 The phrase “only born” is from the Greek word “μονογενη”, which is sometimes translated “only begotten” or “one and only”.

(d)3:36 The same word can be translated “disobeys” or “disbelieves” in this context.