1Now there was a man of the Pharisees , named Nicodemus , a ruler of the Jews : 2the same came unto him by night , and said to him , Rabbi , we know that thou art a teacher come from God ; for no one can do these signs that thou doest , except God be with him . 3Jesus answered and said unto him , Verily , verily , I say unto thee , Except one be born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God . 4Nicodemus saith unto 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 , Verily , verily , I say unto thee , Except one be born of water and the Spirit , he cannot enter into the kingdom of God . 6That which is born of the flesh is flesh ; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit . 7Marvel not that I said unto thee , Ye must be born anew. 8The wind bloweth where it will , and thou hearest the voice thereof, but knowest not whence it cometh , and whither it goeth : so is every one that is born of the Spirit .
The Necessity of Faith in Christ
9Nicodemus answered and said unto him , How can these things be ? 10Jesus answered and said unto him , Art thou the teacher of Israel , and understandest not these things ? 11Verily , verily , I say unto thee , We speak that which we know , and bear witness of that which we have seen ; and ye receive not our witness . 12If I told you earthly things and ye believe not , how shall ye believe if I tell you heavenly things ? 13And no one hath ascended into heaven , but he that descended out of heaven , even the Son of man , who is in heaven . 14And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness , even so must the Son of man be lifted up ; 15that whosoever believeth may in him have eternal life .
God's Love and the Gift of Salvation
16For God so loved the world , that he gave his only begotten Son , that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life . 17For God sent not the Son into the world to judge the world ; but that the world should be saved through him . 18He that believeth on him is not judged : he that believeth not hath been judged already , because he hath not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God . 19And this is the judgment , that the light is come into the world , and men loved the darkness rather than the light ; for their works were evil . 20For every one that doeth evil hateth the light , and cometh not to the light , lest his works should be reproved . 21But he that doeth the truth cometh to the light , that his works may be made manifest , that they have been wrought in God .
The Response to the Light
22After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judæa ; and there he tarried with them , and baptized. 23And John also was baptizing in Ænon near to Salim , because there was much water there : and they came , and were baptized. 24For John was not yet cast into prison . 25There arose therefore a questioning on the part of John ’s disciples with a Jew about purifying . 26And they came unto John , and said to him , Rabbi , he that was with thee beyond the Jordan , to whom thou hast borne witness , behold , the same baptizeth, and all men come to him . 27John answered and said , A man can receive nothing , except it have been given him from heaven . 28Ye yourselves bear me witness , that I said , I am not the Christ , but , that I am sent before him . 29He that hath the bride is the bridegroom : but the friend of the bridegroom , that standeth and heareth him , rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom ’ s voice : this my joy therefore is made full . 30He must increase, but I must decrease .
The Testimony of John the Baptist
31He that cometh from above is above all : he that is of the earth is of the earth , and of the earth he speaketh : he that cometh from heaven is above all . 32What he hath seen and heard, of that he beareth witness ; and no man receiveth his witness . 33He that hath received his witness hath set his seal to this , that God is true . 34For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God : for he giveth not the Spirit by measure . 35The Father loveth the Son , and hath given all things into his hand . 36He that believeth on the Son hath eternal life ; but he that obeyeth not the Son shall not see life , but the wrath of God abideth on him .