Jesus and Nicodemus (Genesis 22:1–10; Romans 5:6–11)
1 ULT Now there was a man from the Pharisees, Nicodemus{ was} his name, a ruler of the Jews. BSB BSB: Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews.
2 ULT This one came to him at night and said to him,“Rabbi, we know that you have come from God as a teacher, for no one is able to do these signs that you do unless God is 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 ULT Jesus replied and said to him,“Truly, truly I say to you, unless someone would be born again, 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 ULT Nicodemus says to him,“How is a man able to be born, being an old man? He is not able to enter a second time into the womb of his mother and to be born, is he?” 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 ULT Jesus answered,“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone would be born from water and 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 ULT { What} has been born from the flesh is flesh, and{ what} has been born from the Spirit is spirit. BSB BSB: Flesh is born of flesh, but spirit is born of the Spirit.
7 ULT Do not be amazed that I said to you,‘It is necessary for you to be born again.’ BSB BSB: Do not be amazed that I said, ‘You must be born again.’
8 ULT The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So is everyone having been born from 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 ULT Nicodemus replied and said to him,“How are these things able to happen?” BSB BSB: “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.
10 ULT Jesus answered and said to him,“Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? BSB BSB: “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and you do not understand these things?
11 ULT Truly, truly, I say to you that we speak{ what} we know, and we testify about{ what} we have seen, and you do not receive 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 ULT If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you 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 ULT And no one has ascended into heaven except the one having descended from heaven— the Son of Man. BSB BSB: No one has ascended into heaven except the One who descended from heaven—the Son of Man.
14 ULT And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, thus it is necessary for the Son of Man to 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 ULT so that everyone believing in him may have eternal life. BSB BSB: that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.
17 ULT For God did not send the Son into the world so that he might condemn the world, but so that the world might 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 ULT The one believing in him is not condemned, but the one not believing has already been condemned because he has not believed in the name of the One and Only 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 ULT Now this is the judgment: that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light, for their deeds 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 ULT For everyone is doing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, so that his deeds might not be exposed. 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 ULT But the one doing the truth comes to the light, so that his deeds might be revealed, that they have been worked 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 ULT After these things, Jesus and his disciples went into the land of Judea, and he tarried there with them and was baptizing. BSB BSB: After this, Jesus and His disciples went into the Judean countryside, where He spent some time with them and baptized.
23 ULT Now John was also baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because much water was there, and they were coming and were 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 ULT for John had not yet been thrown into prison. BSB BSB: (For John had not yet been thrown into prison.)
25 ULT Then a dispute came about from the disciples of John with a Jew concerning ceremonial washing. BSB BSB: Then a dispute arose between John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the issue of ceremonial washing.
26 ULT And they went to John and said to him,“Rabbi, the one who was with you beyond the Jordan, about whom you had testified, behold, he is baptizing, and they are all 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 ULT John replied 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 ULT You yourselves testify to me that I said,‘I am not the Christ,’ but,‘I have been sent before that one.’ BSB BSB: You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but am sent ahead of Him.’
29 ULT The one having the bride is the bridegroom. But the friend of the bridegroom, the one having stood and hearing him, rejoices with joy because of the voice of the bridegroom. Therefore, this my joy has been made complete. 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 ULT It is necessary for that one to increase, but for me to decrease. BSB BSB: He must increase; I must decrease.
31 ULT The one coming from above is above all things. The one being from the earth is from the earth and speaks from the earth. The one coming from heaven is above all things. 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 ULT He testifies about that which he has seen and heard, but no one receives his testimony. BSB BSB: He testifies to what He has seen and heard, yet no one accepts His testimony.
33 ULT The one having received his testimony has set his seal that God is true. BSB BSB: Whoever accepts His testimony has certified that God is truthful.
34 ULT For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God. For he 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 ULT The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. BSB BSB: The Father loves the Son and has placed all things in His hands.
36 ULT The one believing in the Son has eternal life, but the one disobeying the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains on 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.”