A modern English translation drawn directly from the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. Translated word-for-word where possible, by a committee with scholarly oversight.
Uses the same source texts as the ESV, NASB, and most academic Bibles, including the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia and the Nestle-Aland critical edition.
John 3
John 3 is the third chapter of the fourth gospel and contains one of the most quoted verses in the entire Bible, John 3:16. The 36-verse chapter records Jesus's late-night conversation with a Pharisee named Nicodemus and then turns to a final segment about John the Baptist.
The chapter opens with Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council, coming to Jesus at night. He acknowledges that Jesus must be a teacher come from God because no one could perform the signs Jesus does without God being with him.
Jesus replies that no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again. Nicodemus, taking him literally, asks how a person can be born when they are old. Jesus explains: he means born of water and the Spirit. The wind blows where it pleases, and you hear its sound but cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going; so it is with everyone born of the Spirit. Nicodemus is still puzzled.
The conversation then deepens into Jesus's most famous extended statement. Just as Moses lifted up the bronze serpent in the wilderness, the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. Then comes John 3:16: "For 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."
The chapter then shifts. John the Baptist's disciples come to him concerned that Jesus is also baptizing, drawing crowds. John replies that he is not the Messiah but the one sent ahead of him, and that "He must increase, but I must decrease." The chapter closes with John affirming that the one who comes from above is above all, and that whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, while whoever rejects him will not see life.
Verse 1. Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews.
Verse 2. 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.”
Verse 3. Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”
Verse 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?”
Verse 5. Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.
Verse 6. Flesh is born of flesh, but spirit is born of the Spirit.
Verse 7. Do not be amazed that I said, ‘You must be born again.’
Verse 8. The 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.”
Verse 9. “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.
Verse 10. “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and you do not understand these things?
Verse 11. Truly, 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.
Verse 12. If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?
Verse 13. No one has ascended into heaven except the One who descended from heaven—the Son of Man.
Verse 14. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,
Verse 15. that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.
Verse 16. For 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.
Verse 17. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.
Verse 18. Whoever 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.
Verse 19. 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.
Verse 20. Everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come into the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.
Verse 21. 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.”
Verse 22. After this, Jesus and His disciples went into the Judean countryside, where He spent some time with them and baptized.
Verse 23. Now John was also baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because the water was plentiful there, and people kept coming to be baptized.
Verse 24. (For John had not yet been thrown into prison.)
Verse 25. Then a dispute arose between John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the issue of ceremonial washing.
Verse 26. 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.”
Verse 27. John replied, “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven.
Verse 28. You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but am sent ahead of Him.’
Verse 29. The 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.
Verse 30. He must increase; I must decrease.
Verse 31. 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.
Verse 32. He testifies to what He has seen and heard, yet no one accepts His testimony.
Verse 33. Whoever accepts His testimony has certified that God is truthful.
Verse 34. For the One whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit.
Verse 35. The Father loves the Son and has placed all things in His hands.
Verse 36. Whoever 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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