Jesus and Nicodemus (Genesis 22:1–10; Romans 5:6–11)
1 CPDV Now there was a man among the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. BSB BSB: Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews.
2 CPDV He went to Jesus at night, and he said to him: “Rabbi, we know that you have arrived as a teacher from God. For no one would be able to accomplish these signs, which you accomplish, unless God were with him.” BSB BSB: 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.”
3 CPDV Jesus responded and said to him, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless one has been reborn anew, he is not able to see the kingdom of God.” BSB BSB: Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”
4 CPDV Nicodemus said to him: “How could a man be born when he is old? Surely, he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be reborn?” BSB BSB: “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?”
5 CPDV Jesus responded: “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless one has been reborn by water and the Holy Spirit, he is not able to enter into the kingdom of God. BSB BSB: Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.
6 CPDV What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. BSB BSB: Flesh is born of flesh, but spirit is born of the Spirit.
7 CPDV You should not be amazed that I said to you: You must be born anew. BSB BSB: Do not be amazed that I said, ‘You must be born again.’
8 CPDV The Spirit inspires where he wills. And you hear his voice, but you do not know where he comes from, or where he is going. So it is with all who are born of the Spirit.” BSB BSB: 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.”
9 CPDV Nicodemus responded and said to him, “How are these things able to be accomplished?” BSB BSB: “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.
10 CPDV Jesus responded and said to him: “You are a teacher in Israel, and you are ignorant of these things? BSB BSB: “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and you do not understand these things?
11 CPDV Amen, amen, I say to you, that we speak about what we know, and we testify about what we have seen. But you do not accept our testimony. BSB BSB: 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.
12 CPDV If I have spoken to you about earthly things, and you have not believed, then how will you believe, if I will speak to you about heavenly things? BSB BSB: If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?
13 CPDV And no one has ascended to heaven, except the one who descended from heaven: the Son of man who is in heaven. BSB BSB: No one has ascended into heaven except the One who descended from heaven—the Son of Man.
14 CPDV And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so also must the Son of man be lifted up, BSB BSB: Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,
15 CPDV so that whoever believes in him may not perish, but may have eternal life. BSB BSB: that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.
17 CPDV For God did not send his Son into the world, in order to judge the world, but in order that the world may be saved through him. BSB BSB: For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.
18 CPDV Whoever believes in him is not judged. But whoever does not believe is already judged, because he does not believe in the name of the only-begotten Son of God. BSB BSB: 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.
19 CPDV And this is the judgment: that the Light has come into the world, and men loved darkness more than light. For their works were evil. BSB BSB: 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.
20 CPDV For everyone who does evil hates the Light and does not go toward the Light, so that his works may not be corrected. BSB BSB: Everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come into the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.
21 CPDV But whoever acts in truth goes toward the Light, so that his works may be manifested, because they have been accomplished in God.” BSB BSB: 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.”
John’s Testimony about Jesus 22 CPDV After these things, Jesus and his disciples went into the land of Judea. And he was living there with them and baptizing. BSB BSB: After this, Jesus and His disciples went into the Judean countryside, where He spent some time with them and baptized.
23 CPDV Now John was also baptizing, at Aenon near Salim, because there was much water in that place. And they were arriving and being baptized. BSB BSB: Now John was also baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because the water was plentiful there, and people kept coming to be baptized.
24 CPDV For John had not yet been cast into prison. BSB BSB: (For John had not yet been thrown into prison.)
25 CPDV Then a dispute occurred between the disciples of John and the Jews, about purification. BSB BSB: Then a dispute arose between John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the issue of ceremonial washing.
26 CPDV And they went to John and said to him: “Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan, about whom you offered testimony: behold, he is baptizing and everyone is going to him.” BSB BSB: 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.”
27 CPDV John responded and said: “A man is not able to receive anything, unless it has been given to him from heaven. BSB BSB: John replied, “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven.
28 CPDV You yourselves offer testimony for me that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but that I have been sent before him. BSB BSB: You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but am sent ahead of Him.’
29 CPDV He who holds the bride is the groom. But the friend of the groom, who stands and listens to Him, rejoices joyfully at the voice of the groom. And so, this, my joy, has been fulfilled. BSB BSB: 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.
30 CPDV He must increase, while I must decrease. BSB BSB: He must increase; I must decrease.
31 CPDV He who comes from above, is above everything. He who is from below, is of the earth, and he speaks about the earth. He who comes from heaven is above everything. BSB BSB: 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.
32 CPDV And what he has seen and heard, about this he testifies. And no one accepts his testimony. BSB BSB: He testifies to what He has seen and heard, yet no one accepts His testimony.
33 CPDV Whoever has accepted his testimony has certified that God is truthful. BSB BSB: Whoever accepts His testimony has certified that God is truthful.
34 CPDV For he whom God has sent speaks the words of God. For God does not give the Spirit by measure. BSB BSB: For the One whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit.
35 CPDV The Father loves the Son, and he has given everything into his hand. BSB BSB: The Father loves the Son and has placed all things in His hands.
36 CPDV Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. But whoever is unbelieving toward the Son shall not see life; instead the wrath of God remains upon him.” BSB BSB: Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Whoever rejects the Son will not see life. Instead, the wrath of God remains on him.”