Chapter 3
Jesus and Nicodemus
1
Now there was a man of the Pharisees named… Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews.
δὲ Ἦν ἄνθρωπος ἐκ τῶν Φαρισαίων ὄνομα αὐτῷ Νικόδημος ἄρχων τῶν Ἰουδαίων de Ēn anthrōpos ek tōn Pharisaiōn onoma autō Nikodēmos archōn tōn Ioudaiōn — NA/TR · 1
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He 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.
οὗτος ἦλθεν πρὸς αὐτὸν νυκτὸς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Ῥαββί οἴδαμεν ὅτι διδάσκαλος ἐλήλυθας ἀπὸ Θεοῦ γὰρ οὐδεὶς δύναται ποιεῖν ταῦτα τὰ σημεῖα ἃ σὺ ποιεῖς ἐὰν ὁ Θεὸς ᾖ μὴ μετ’ αὐτοῦ houtos ēlthen pros auton nyktos kai eipen autō Rhabbi oidamen hoti didaskalos elēlythas apo Theou gar oudeis dynatai poiein tauta ta sēmeia ha sy poieis ean ho Theos ē mē met’ autou — NA/TR · 2
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Jesus replied…, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless… he is born again.
Ἰησοῦς Ἀπεκρίθη καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω σοι οὐ τις δύναται ἰδεῖν τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐὰν μή γεννηθῇ ἄνωθεν Iēsous Apekrithē kai eipen autō Amēn amēn legō soi ou tis dynatai idein tēn basileian tou Theou ean mē gennēthē anōthen — NA/TR · 3
4
“How can a man be born when he is old? Nicodemus asked -. vvv “Can he enter… - his mother’s womb a second time to be born?
Πῶς δύναται ἄνθρωπος γεννηθῆναι ὤν γέρων ὁ Νικόδημος Λέγει πρὸς αὐτὸν μὴ δύναται εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν τῆς αὐτοῦ μητρὸς κοιλίαν δεύτερον καὶ γεννηθῆναι Pōs dynatai anthrōpos gennēthēnai ōn gerōn ho Nikodēmos Legei pros auton mē dynatai eiselthein eis tēn tēs autou mētros koilian deuteron kai gennēthēnai — NA/TR · 4
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Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can enter… the kingdom of God unless… he is born of water and [the] Spirit.
Ἰησοῦς Ἀπεκρίθη Ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω σοι οὐ τις δύναται εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐὰν μή γεννηθῇ ἐξ ὕδατος καὶ Πνεύματος Iēsous Apekrithē Amēn amēn legō soi ou tis dynatai eiselthein eis tēn basileian tou Theou ean mē gennēthē ex hydatos kai Pneumatos — NA/TR · 5
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Flesh is born of flesh, [but] spirit is born of the Spirit.
σάρξ ἐστιν τὸ γεγεννημένον ἐκ τῆς σαρκὸς καὶ πνεῦμά ἐστιν τὸ γεγεννημένον ἐκ τοῦ Πνεύματος sarx estin to gegennēmenon ek tēs sarkos kai pneuma estin to gegennēmenon ek tou Pneumatos — NA/TR · 6
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vvv Do not be amazed that I said -, ‘You must be born again.
μὴ θαυμάσῃς ὅτι εἶπόν σοι ὑμᾶς Δεῖ γεννηθῆναι ἄνωθεν mē thaumasēs hoti eipon soi hymas Dei gennēthēnai anōthen — NA/TR · 7
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The wind blows where it wishes. You hear its sound, but vvv you do not know where it comes {from} [or] where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.
τὸ πνεῦμα πνεῖ ὅπου θέλει καὶ ἀκούεις τὴν αὐτοῦ φωνὴν ἀλλ’ οὐκ οἶδας πόθεν ἔρχεται καὶ ποῦ ὑπάγει οὕτως ἐστὶν πᾶς ὁ γεγεννημένος ἐκ τοῦ Πνεύματος to pneuma pnei hopou thelei kai akoueis tēn autou phōnēn all’ ouk oidas pothen erchetai kai pou hypagei houtōs estin pas ho gegennēmenos ek tou Pneumatos — NA/TR · 8
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“How can this be? Nicodemus asked…
Πῶς δύναται ταῦτα γενέσθαι Νικόδημος Ἀπεκρίθη καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Pōs dynatai tauta genesthai Nikodēmos Apekrithē kai eipen autō — NA/TR · 9
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“You are Israel’s teacher, said Jesus…, “and vvv you do not understand these things?
Σὺ εἶ τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ ὁ διδάσκαλος Ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ καὶ οὐ γινώσκεις ταῦτα Sy ei tou Israēl ho didaskalos Apekrithē Iēsous kai eipen autō kai ou ginōskeis tauta — NA/TR · 10
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Truly, truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, and yet vvv you people do not accept our testimony.
ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω σοι ὅτι λαλοῦμεν ὃ οἴδαμεν καὶ μαρτυροῦμεν ὃ ἑωράκαμεν καὶ οὐ λαμβάνετε ἡμῶν τὴν μαρτυρίαν amēn amēn legō soi hoti laloumen ho oidamen kai martyroumen ho heōrakamen kai ou lambanete hēmōn tēn martyrian — NA/TR · 11
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If I have told you {about} earthly things and vvv you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you {about} heavenly things?
Εἰ εἶπον ὑμῖν ἐπίγεια τὰ καὶ οὐ πιστεύετε πῶς πιστεύσετε ἐὰν εἴπω ὑμῖν ἐπουράνια τὰ Ei eipon hymin epigeia ta kai ou pisteuete pōs pisteusete ean eipō hymin epourania ta — NA/TR · 12
13
- No one has ascended into heaven except… the [One who] descended from heaven— the Son of Man.
καὶ οὐδεὶς ἀναβέβηκεν εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν εἰ μὴ ὁ καταβάς ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου kai oudeis anabebēken eis ton ouranon ei mē ho katabas ek tou ouranou ho Huios tou anthrōpou — NA/TR · 13
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Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,
καὶ καθὼς Μωϋσῆς ὕψωσεν τὸν ὄφιν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ οὕτως τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου δεῖ ὑψωθῆναι kai kathōs Mōusēs hypsōsen ton ophin en tē erēmō houtōs ton Huion tou anthrōpou dei hypsōthēnai — NA/TR · 14
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that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.
ἵνα πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων ἐν αὐτῷ ἔχῃ αἰώνιον ζωὴν hina pas ho pisteuōn en autō echē aiōnion zōēn — NA/TR · 15
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For God so loved the world that He gave [His] one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him vvv shall not perish but have eternal life.
γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς Οὕτως ἠγάπησεν τὸν κόσμον ὥστε ἔδωκεν τὸν τὸν μονογενῆ Υἱὸν ἵνα πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων εἰς αὐτὸν μὴ ἀπόληται ἀλλ’ ἔχῃ αἰώνιον ζωὴν gar ho Theos Houtōs ēgapēsen ton kosmon hōste edōken ton ton monogenē Huion hina pas ho pisteuōn eis auton mē apolētai all’ echē aiōnion zōēn — NA/TR · 16
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For God {did} not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.
γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς οὐ ἀπέστειλεν τὸν Υἱὸν εἰς τὸν κόσμον ἵνα κρίνῃ τὸν κόσμον ἀλλ’ ἵνα σωθῇ ὁ κόσμος δι’ αὐτοῦ gar ho Theos ou apesteilen ton Huion eis ton kosmon hina krinē ton kosmon all’ hina sōthē ho kosmos di’ autou — NA/TR · 17
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Whoever believes in Him vvv is not condemned, but whoever vvv does not believe vvv has already been condemned, because vvv he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
ὁ πιστεύων εἰς αὐτὸν οὐ κρίνεται δὲ ὁ μὴ πιστεύων ἤδη κέκριται ὅτι μὴ πεπίστευκεν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ μονογενοῦς Υἱοῦ ho pisteuōn eis auton ou krinetai de ho mē pisteuōn ēdē kekritai hoti mē pepisteuken eis to onoma tou Theou tou monogenous Huiou — NA/TR · 18
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And 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.
δέ Αὕτη ἐστιν ἡ κρίσις ὅτι τὸ φῶς ἐλήλυθεν εἰς τὸν κόσμον καὶ οἱ ἄνθρωποι ἠγάπησαν τὸ σκότος μᾶλλον ἢ τὸ φῶς γὰρ αὐτῶν τὰ ἔργα ἦν πονηρὰ de Hautē estin hē krisis hoti to phōs elēlythen eis ton kosmon kai hoi anthrōpoi ēgapēsan to skotos mallon ē to phōs gar autōn ta erga ēn ponēra — NA/TR · 19
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- Everyone who does evil hates the Light, and {does} not come into the Light for fear that… his deeds will be exposed.
γὰρ πᾶς ὁ πράσσων φαῦλα μισεῖ τὸ φῶς καὶ οὐκ ἔρχεται πρὸς τὸ φῶς ἵνα μὴ αὐτοῦ τὰ ἔργα ἐλεγχθῇ gar pas ho prassōn phaula misei to phōs kai ouk erchetai pros to phōs hina mē autou ta erga elenchthē — NA/TR · 20
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But 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.”
δὲ ὁ ποιῶν τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἔρχεται πρὸς τὸ φῶς ἵνα φανερωθῇ ὅτι αὐτοῦ τὰ ἔργα ἐστιν εἰργασμένα ἐν Θεῷ de ho poiōn tēn alētheian erchetai pros to phōs hina phanerōthē hoti autou ta erga estin eirgasmena en Theō — NA/TR · 21
John’s Testimony about Jesus
22
After this, Jesus and His disciples went into the Judean countryside, [where] He spent some time with them and baptized.
Μετὰ ταῦτα ὁ Ἰησοῦς καὶ αὐτοῦ οἱ μαθηταὶ ἦλθεν εἰς τὴν Ἰουδαίαν γῆν καὶ ἐκεῖ διέτριβεν μετ’ αὐτῶν καὶ ἐβάπτιζεν Meta tauta ho Iēsous kai autou hoi mathētai ēlthen eis tēn Ioudaian gēn kai ekei dietriben met’ autōn kai ebaptizen — NA/TR · 22
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Now John was also baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because [the] water was plentiful there, and [people] kept coming to be baptized.
δὲ ὁ Ἰωάννης Ἦν καὶ βαπτίζων ἐν Αἰνὼν ἐγγὺς τοῦ Σαλείμ ὅτι ὕδατα ἦν πολλὰ ἐκεῖ καὶ παρεγίνοντο καὶ ἐβαπτίζοντο de ho Iōannēs Ēn kai baptizōn en Ainōn engys tou Saleim hoti hydata ēn polla ekei kai pareginonto kai ebaptizonto — NA/TR · 23
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(For John {had} not yet been thrown into prison.)
γὰρ ὁ Ἰωάννης οὔπω ἦν βεβλημένος εἰς τὴν φυλακὴν gar ho Iōannēs oupō ēn beblēmenos eis tēn phylakēn — NA/TR · 24
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Then a dispute arose between John’s disciples [and] [a certain] Jew over [the issue of] ceremonial washing.
οὖν ζήτησις Ἐγένετο ἐκ τῶν Ἰωάννου μαθητῶν μετὰ Ἰουδαίου περὶ καθαρισμοῦ oun zētēsis Egeneto ek tōn Iōannou mathētōn meta Ioudaiou peri katharismou — NA/TR · 25
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So [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.
καὶ ἦλθον πρὸς τὸν Ἰωάννην καὶ εἶπαν αὐτῷ ἴδε Ῥαββί ὃς ἦν μετὰ σοῦ πέραν τοῦ Ἰορδάνου ᾧ σὺ μεμαρτύρηκας οὗτος βαπτίζει καὶ πάντες ἔρχονται πρὸς αὐτόν kai ēlthon pros ton Iōannēn kai eipan autō ide Rhabbi hos ēn meta sou peran tou Iordanou hō sy memartyrēkas houtos baptizei kai pantes erchontai pros auton — NA/TR · 26
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John replied…, “A man vvv can receive only what… is given him from heaven.
Ἰωάννης Ἀπεκρίθη καὶ εἶπεν ἄνθρωπος Οὐ δύναται λαμβάνειν οὐδὲ ἓν ἐὰν μὴ ᾖ δεδομένον αὐτῷ ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ Iōannēs Apekrithē kai eipen anthrōpos Ou dynatai lambanein oude hen ean mē ē dedomenon autō ek tou ouranou — NA/TR · 27
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You yourselves can testify that I said -, ‘I am not the Christ, but am sent ahead of Him.
ὑμεῖς αὐτοὶ μαρτυρεῖτε μοι ὅτι εἶπον ὅτι ἐγὼ εἰμὶ Οὐκ ὁ Χριστός ἀλλ’ ὅτι εἰμὶ Ἀπεσταλμένος ἔμπροσθεν ἐκείνου hymeis autoi martyreite moi hoti eipon hoti egō eimi Ouk ho Christos all’ hoti eimi Apestalmenos emprosthen ekeinou — NA/TR · 28
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The bride belongs to… [the] bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom stands and listens for him, [and] is overjoyed… [to hear] the vvv bridegroom’s voice. That… joy [is] mine, [and] it is now complete.
τὴν νύμφην Ὁ ἔχων ἐστίν νυμφίος δὲ ὁ φίλος τοῦ νυμφίου ὁ ἑστηκὼς καὶ ἀκούων αὐτοῦ χαίρει χαρᾷ διὰ τὴν τοῦ νυμφίου φωνὴν οὖν αὕτη ἡ χαρὰ ἡ ἐμὴ πεπλήρωται tēn nymphēn HO echōn estin nymphios de ho philos tou nymphiou ho hestēkōs kai akouōn autou chairei chara dia tēn tou nymphiou phōnēn oun hautē hē chara hē emē peplērōtai — NA/TR · 29
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He must increase; I [must] decrease.
ἐκεῖνον δεῖ αὐξάνειν δὲ ἐμὲ ἐλαττοῦσθαι ekeinon dei auxanein de eme elattousthai — NA/TR · 30
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The [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.
Ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἄνωθεν ἐστίν ἐπάνω πάντων ὁ ὢν ἐκ τῆς γῆς ἐστιν ἐκ τῆς γῆς καὶ λαλεῖ ἐκ τῆς γῆς ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἐστίν ἐπάνω πάντων Ho erchomenos anōthen estin epanō pantōn ho ōn ek tēs gēs estin ek tēs gēs kai lalei ek tēs gēs ho erchomenos ek tou ouranou estin epanō pantōn — NA/TR · 31
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He testifies to what He has seen and heard, yet no one accepts His testimony.
μαρτυρεῖ τοῦτο ὃ ἑώρακεν καὶ ἤκουσεν καὶ οὐδεὶς λαμβάνει αὐτοῦ τὴν μαρτυρίαν martyrei touto ho heōraken kai ēkousen kai oudeis lambanei autou tēn martyrian — NA/TR · 32
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Whoever accepts His testimony has certified that God is truthful.
ὁ λαβὼν αὐτοῦ τὴν μαρτυρίαν ἐσφράγισεν ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς ἐστιν ἀληθής ho labōn autou tēn martyrian esphragisen hoti ho Theos estin alēthēs — NA/TR · 33
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For the [One] whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for [God] gives the Spirit without… limit.
γὰρ ὃν ὁ Θεὸς ἀπέστειλεν λαλεῖ τὰ ῥήματα τοῦ Θεοῦ γὰρ δίδωσιν τὸ Πνεῦμα οὐ ἐκ μέτρου gar hon ho Theos apesteilen lalei ta rhēmata tou Theou gar didōsin to Pneuma ou ek metrou — NA/TR · 34
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The Father loves the Son and has placed all things in His hands.
Ὁ Πατὴρ ἀγαπᾷ τὸν Υἱόν καὶ δέδωκεν πάντα ἐν αὐτοῦ τῇ χειρὶ Ho Patēr agapa ton Huion kai dedōken panta en autou tē cheiri — NA/TR · 35
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Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Whoever rejects the Son vvv will not see life. Instead, the wrath of God remains on him.”
ὁ πιστεύων εἰς τὸν Υἱὸν ἔχει αἰώνιον ζωὴν δὲ ὁ ἀπειθῶν τῷ Υἱῷ οὐκ ὄψεται ζωήν ἀλλ’ ἡ ὀργὴ τοῦ Θεοῦ μένει ἐπ’ αὐτόν ho pisteuōn eis ton Huion echei aiōnion zōēn de ho apeithōn tō Huiō ouk opsetai zōēn all’ hē orgē tou Theou menei ep’ auton — NA/TR · 36