John 3
3
The New Birth
1There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2#John 7:50; 19:39This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for #John 9:16, 33; Acts 2:22no one can do these signs that You do unless #(Acts 10:38)God is with him.”
3Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, #(John 1:13; Gal. 6:15; Titus 3:5; James 1:18; 1 Pet. 1:23; 1 John 3:9)unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
4Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
5Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, #Mark 16:16; (Acts 2:38)unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6That which is born of the flesh is #John 1:13; 1 Cor. 15:50flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8#Ps. 135:7; Eccl. 11:5; Ezek. 37:9; 1 Cor. 2:11The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
9Nicodemus answered and said to Him, #John 6:52, 60“How can these things be?”
10Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? 11#(Matt. 11:27)Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and #John 3:32; 8:14you do not receive Our witness. 12If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13#Deut. 30:12; Prov. 30:4; Acts 2:34; Rom. 10:6; 1 Cor. 15:47; Eph. 4:9No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. 14#Num. 21:9And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so #Matt. 27:35; Mark 15:24; Luke 23:33; John 8:28; 12:34; 19:18must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15that whoever #John 6:47believes in Him should not perish but #John 3:36have eternal life. 16#Rom. 5:8; Eph. 2:4; 2 Thess. 2:16; (1 John 4:9, 10; Rev. 1:5)For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten #(Is. 9:6)Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17#Matt. 1:21; Luke 9:56; 1 John 4:14For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
18#John 5:24; 6:40, 47; 20:31; Rom. 8:1“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19And this is the condemnation, #(John 1:4, 9–11)that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20For #Job 24:13; Eph. 5:11, 13everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been #(John 15:4, 5); 1 Cor. 15:10done in God.”
John the Baptist Exalts Christ
22After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He remained with them #John 4:1, 2and baptized. 23Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near #1 Sam. 9:4Salim, because there was much water there. #Matt. 3:5, 6And they came and were baptized. 24For #Matt. 4:12; 14:3; Mark 6:17; Luke 3:20John had not yet been thrown into prison.
25Then there arose a dispute between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purification. 26And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, #John 1:7, 15, 27, 34to whom you have testified—behold, He is baptizing, and all #Mark 2:2; 3:10; 5:24; Luke 8:19are coming to Him!”
27John answered and said, #(Rom. 12:5–8); 1 Cor. 3:5, 6; 4:7; Heb. 5:4; (James 1:17; 1 Pet. 4:10, 11)“A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. 28You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, #John 1:19–27‘I am not the Christ,’ but, #Mal. 3:1; Mark 1:2; (Luke 1:17)‘I have been sent before Him.’ 29#Matt. 22:2; (2 Cor. 11:2; Eph. 5:25, 27); Rev. 21:9He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but #Song 5:1the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. 30#(Is. 9:7)He must increase, but I must decrease. 31#John 3:13; 8:23He who comes from above #Matt. 28:18; John 1:15, 27; 13:13; Rom. 9:5; (Col. 1:17, 18)is above all; #1 Cor. 15:47he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. #John 6:33; 1 Cor. 15:47; Eph. 1:21; Phil. 2:9He who comes from heaven is above all. 32And #Is. 53:1, 3; John 3:11; 15:15what He has seen and heard, that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony. 33He who has received His testimony #Rom. 3:4; 1 John 5:10has certified that God is true. 34#Deut. 18:18; John 7:16For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit #John 1:16by measure. 35#Matt. 11:27; Luke 10:22; John 5:20; (Heb. 2:8)The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand. 36#John 3:16, 17; 6:47; Rom. 1:17; 1 John 5:10He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the #Rom. 1:18; Eph. 5:6; 1 Thess. 1:10wrath of God abides on him.”
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.