The Gospel According to St. John

⭑ Literal Standard Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 3 -

(Genesis 22:1–10; Romans 5:6–11)

And there was a man of the Pharisees, his name Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews;

this one came to Him by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we have known that You have come from God—a teacher, for no one is able to do these signs that You do, if God may not be with him.”

Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone may not be born from above, he is not able to see the Kingdom of God”;

Nicodemus says to Him, “How is a man able to be born, being old? Is he able to enter into the womb of his mother a second time, and to be born?”

Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone may not be born of water and the Spirit, he is not able to enter into the Kingdom of God;

that which has been born of the flesh is flesh, and that which has been born of the Spirit is spirit.

You may not wonder that I said to you, It is required for you to be born from above;

the Spirit blows where [that] One wills, and you hear [that] One’s voice, but you have not known from where [that] One comes, and to where [that] One goes; thus is everyone who has been born of the Spirit.”

Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How are these things able to happen?”

Jesus answered and said to him, “You are the teacher of Israel and you do not know these things?

Truly, truly, I say to you, what We have known We speak, and what We have seen We testify, and you do not receive Our testimony;

if I spoke to you of the earthly things, and you do not believe, how, if I will speak to you of the heavenly things, will you believe?

And no one has gone up to Heaven, except He who came down out of Heaven—the Son of Man who is in Heaven.

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so it is necessary for the Son of Man to be lifted up,

that everyone who is believing in Him may not perish, but may have continuous life,

for God so loved the world that He gave the only begotten Son, that everyone who is believing in Him may not perish, but may have continuous life.

For God did not send His Son into the world that He may judge the world, but that the world may be saved through Him;

he who is believing in Him is not judged, but he who is not believing has been judged already, because he has not believed in the Name of the only begotten Son of God.

And 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 is doing wicked things hates the light, and does not come into the light, that his works may not be detected;

but he who is doing the truth comes into the light, that his works may be revealed, that in God they are having been worked.”

John’s Testimony about Jesus

After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He tarried with them, and was immersing;

and John was also immersing in Aenon, near to Salem, because there were many waters there, and they were coming and were being immersed—

for John was not yet cast into the prison—

there arose then a question from the disciples of John with [some] Jews about purifying,

and they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you testified, behold, this One is immersing, and all are coming to Him.”

John answered and said, “A man is not able to receive anything if it may not have been given him from Heaven;

you yourselves testify to me that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am having been sent before Him;

He who is having the bride is bridegroom, and the friend of the bridegroom, who is standing and hearing Him, rejoices with joy because of the voice of the bridegroom; this, then, my joy has been fulfilled.

It is necessary [for] Him to increase, and me to become less;

He who is coming from above is above all; he who is from the earth, from the earth he is, and from the earth he speaks; He who is coming from Heaven is above all.

And what He has seen and heard—this He testifies, and none receives His testimony;

he who is receiving His testimony sealed that God is true;

for He whom God sent, He speaks the sayings of God; for God does not give the Spirit by measure;

the Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand;

he who is believing in the Son has continuous life; and he who is not believing the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains 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.