John 3
Intro: The new birth of water and spirit -- Love of God declared -- John baptizeth -- Christ baptizeth.
1 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews;
2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God; for no man can do these miracles which thou doest, except God be with him.
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4 Nicodemus said unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb and be born?
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water, and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh, is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit, is spirit.
7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth; so is every one who is born of the Spirit.
9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
10 Jesus answered and said, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.
12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe if I tell you heavenly things?
13 I tell you, No man hath ascended up to heaven, but he who came down from heaven, the Son of Man who is in heaven.
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up;
15 That whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his Only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish; but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18 He who believeth on him is not condemned; but he who believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed on the name of the Only Begotten Son of God, which before was preached by the mouth of the holy prophets; for they testified of me.
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil.
20 For every one who doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
21 But he who loveth truth, cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest.
22 And he who obeyeth the truth, the works which he doeth they are of God.
23 After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized;
24 And John also was baptizing in Aenon, near to Salim, because there was much water there; and they came and were baptized;
25 For John was not yet cast into prison.
26 Then there arose a question between some of John's disciples, and the Jews, about purifying.
27 And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he who was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou bearest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and he receiveth of all people who come unto him.
28 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.
29 Ye yourselves bear me witness that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.
30 He who hath the bride, is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice; this my joy therefore is fulfilled.
31 He must increase, but I must decrease.
32 He who cometh from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth; he who cometh from heaven is above all. And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and but few men receive his testimony.
33 He who hath received his testimony, hath set to his seal that God is true.
34 For he whom God hath sent, speaketh the words of God; for God giveth him not the Spirit by measure, for he dwelleth in him, even the fullness.
35 The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hands.
36 And he who believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; and shall receive of his fullness. But he who believeth not the Son, shall not receive of his fullness; for the wrath of God is upon him.