John 3
Berean Standard Bible · Compare translations · AD 27 – AD 29 · Life of Jesus · Tap a verse to copy, share or highlight ·
36 verses · 732 words · ~4 min read · ~5 min listen
Jesus and Nicodemus
1Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. 2He 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.”
3Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”
4“How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Can he enter his motherʼs womb a second time to be born?”
5Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6Flesh is born of flesh, but spirit is born of the Spirit. 7Do not be amazed that I said, ‘You must be born again.’ 8The 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“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.
10“You are Israelʼs teacher,” said Jesus, “and you do not understand these things? 11Truly, 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.
12If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13No one has ascended into heaven except the One who descended from heaven—the Son of Man. 14Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.
16For 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. 17For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. 18Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of Godʼs one and only Son.
19And 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. 20Everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come into the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21But 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.”
Johnʼs Testimony about Jesus
22After this, Jesus and His disciples went into the Judean countryside, where He spent some time with them and baptized.
23Now John was also baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because the water was plentiful there, and people kept coming to be baptized. 24(For John had not yet been thrown into prison.)
25Then a dispute arose between Johnʼs disciples and a certain Jew over the issue of ceremonial washing. 26So Johnʼs 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.”
27John replied, “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. 28You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but am sent ahead of Him.’ 29The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom stands and listens for him, and is overjoyed to hear the bridegroomʼs voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30He must increase; I must decrease.
31The 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. 32He testifies to what He has seen and heard, yet no one accepts His testimony. 33Whoever accepts His testimony has certified that God is truthful. 34For the One whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit.
35The Father loves the Son and has placed all things in His hands. 36Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Whoever rejects the Son will not see life. Instead, the wrath of God remains on him.”
Footnotes (9)
- a v3 Or born from above; also in verse 7.
- b v7 The Greek word for you is plural; also in verse 12.
- c v13 BYZ and TR include who is in heaven.
- d v15 Or everyone who believes may have eternal life in Him.
- e v16 Or only begotten or unique; also in verse 18
- f v21 Some translators close this quotation after verse 15.
- g v25 TR and the Jews
- h v31 Tischendorf The One comes from heaven.
- i v36 Some translators close this quotation after verse 30.
Study notes on this chapter · 3
The bronze serpent lifted up
In the wilderness, Israelites bitten by snakes were healed by looking at a bronze serpent Moses raised on a pole. In John 3, Jesus compares his own being 'lifted up' to this event.
When: Exodus wilderness period; referenced by Jesus in a conversation with Nicodemus.
Editorial note by BibleWay. Interpretations vary; dates are approximate scholarly estimates.
Clean water and a new spirit
Ezekiel promises that God will sprinkle clean water on his people, give them a new heart and put his Spirit within them. Jesus tells Nicodemus that no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit, and many interpreters see Ezekiel 36 behind his words, since Nicodemus is expected to understand.
When: Ezekiel, c. 590–570 BC; Jesus and Nicodemus, c. AD 27–30.
Ways people read this (3)
- 'Water' refers to baptism (many sacramental traditions).
- 'Water' is cleansing as in Ezekiel 36, and the birth is wholly of the Spirit.
- 'Water' may refer to physical birth, contrasted with birth of the Spirit.
Editorial note by BibleWay. Interpretations vary; dates are approximate scholarly estimates.
The bridegroom and his people
Hosea, Isaiah and Ezekiel describe God as husband and Israel as his bride. Jesus calls himself the bridegroom, John the Baptist describes himself as the bridegroom's friend, Paul compares Christ and the church to husband and wife, and Revelation describes the marriage of the Lamb.
When: Hosea, c. 750 BC; Isaiah, c. 700–540 BC; Ephesians, c. AD 60.
Editorial note by BibleWay. Interpretations vary; dates are approximate scholarly estimates.