He Shows Goodwill Tells the Good Story 3
3
BORN FROM ABOVE
1-2A man named Conquers the People (Nicodemus) came to Creator Sets Free (Jesus) in secret at night. He was one of the Separated Ones (Pharisees) and a headman of the tribes of Wrestles with Creator (Israel) who sat in the Great Council.
Out of the shadows he whispered, “Wisdomkeeper, we know the Great Spirit sent you to teach us. No one can perform powerful signs like these unless the Maker of Life walks with him.”
3“I speak from my heart,” Creator Sets Free (Jesus) answered, “Only one who has been born from above can see Creator’s good road.”
4Conquers the People (Nicodemus) was surprised by this strange answer, so he asked, “Can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter his mother’s womb to be born a second time?”
5“Listen closely,” Creator Sets Free (Jesus) answered. “One must be born of both water and spirit to walk Creator’s good road. 6The human body only gives birth to natural life, but it takes the Spirit of Creator to give birth to spiritual life.#3:6 Or more literally: Flesh gives birth to flesh, and spirit to spirit 7Do not be surprised that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’ 8Everyone born in this way is like the wind that blows wherever it wants. You can hear its sound, but no one knows where it comes from or where it goes.”
9“How can these things be?” Conquers the People (Nicodemus) asked.
Creator Sets Free (Jesus) looked gently but firmly into his eyes and continued.
10“How can it be that a wisdomkeeper and spiritual leader of the tribes of Wrestles with Creator (Israel) does not understand these things? 11-12Listen closely, for you fail to hear what we are talking about. We are speaking about things we know to be true, but if you do not believe me when I talk about things on earth, how will you believe me when I talk about the things from the spirit-world above? 13For there is only one who has gone up and come down from the world above—the True Human Being.
14-15“Do you not remember when Drawn from the Water (Moses) lifted up a pole with a snake on it in the desert wilderness?#3:14-15 Numbers 21:9 This is what will happen to the True Human Being, so people will put their trust in him and have the life of the world to come that never fades away, full of beauty and harmony.”
Long ago, when the tribes of Wrestles with Creator (Israel) were wandering in the desert, they did not listen to the Great Spirit. Poisonous snakes came and bit them, and many were dying. Drawn from the Water (Moses) prayed for them, so Creator told him to put a snake on a pole and lift it up so the people could see it. When they looked at it, they were healed and did not die.
Conquers the People (Nicodemus) remained silent, listening to the words of Creator Sets Free (Jesus).
16“The Great Spirit loves this world of human beings so deeply he gave us his Son—the only Son who fully represents him. All who trust in him and his way will not come to a bad end, but will have the life of the world to come that never fades away, full of beauty and harmony. 17Creator did not send his Son to decide against the people of this world, but to set them free from the worthless ways of the world.
18“The ones who trust in him are released from their guilt, but, for the ones who turn away from him to follow the ways of this world, their guilt remains. This is because they are turning away from the life of beauty and harmony the Great Spirit offers through his Son.
19“This is what decides for or against them. My light has shined into this dark world, but because of their worthless ways people loved the dark path more than the light. 20When they choose the dark path, they do not want others to see, so they hide in the darkness and hate the light. 21But the ones who are true and do what is right are walking in the daylight so others can clearly see they are walking with Creator.”
GIFT OF GOODWILL STEPS BACK
22Creator Sets Free (Jesus) and the ones who walked the road with him went to the nearby countryside in the Land of Promise (Judea). They stayed there and began to perform the purification ceremony#3:22 Baptism as the people came to the river.
23 About a two-day walk to the north, Gift of Goodwill (John) was also performing the purification ceremony,#3:23, 25, 26 Baptism at Spring of Water (Aenon), near Peaceful Village (Salem), where there was much water. 24This was before Gift of Goodwill (John) had been put in prison.
25Some of the followers of Gift of Goodwill (John) began to argue with a local Tribal Member about the purification ceremony. 26They took their argument to Gift of Goodwill (John).
“Wisdomkeeper,” they said to him, “the one you told us about at the river Flowing Down (Jordan) is performing the purification ceremony. All of the people are going to him now.”
27“No one has anything,” Gift of Goodwill (John) answered, “unless it is gifted from the spirit-world above. 28You heard me say, ‘I am not the Chosen One.’ I was sent to clear the way for him. 29The bride at a wedding belongs to the groom, and like the best man, a friend who stands with the groom, I am glad to hear his voice. 30But it is time for me to step back and for him to come forward into his place of honor. My part is fading away.
31-32“The one who is greater than all speaks from the spirit-world above. The one who is from the earth speaks only about earthly things. The one from above speaks about the things he has seen and heard, but who believes him? 33But I am one who receives his words, and I know for sure that the Great Spirit approves of all he says and does.
34“The one whom Creator sent is the one who has all the fullness of Creator’s Spirit and clearly speaks his words. 35The Father above loves his Son and gives him all things.
36“The ones who trust in his Son have the life of the world that never fades away, but the ones who do not walk in his ways will not have this life. Instead, they will remain under the power of death, which reveals Creator’s great anger.”
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