John

Among the Pharisees, there was a Jewish ruler named Nicodemus.

He came to Jesus at night and said:

“Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one can perform these signs that you are doing unless God is with him.”

Jesus replied:

“Truly, I say to you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.”

Nicodemus said to him:

“How can there be a rebirth for a grown man? Who could go back to his mother’s womb and be born again?”

Jesus answered:

“Truly, I tell you: No one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.

What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Therefore, do not be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again from above.’

The wind blows wherever it pleases, and you hear its sound, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going. It is like that with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Nicodemus asked again:

“How can this be?”

Jesus answered:

“You are a teacher in Israel, and you don’t know these things!

Truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen, but you do not accept our testimony.

If you don’t believe when I talk about earthly things, how will you believe when I talk about heavenly things?

No one has ever gone up to heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.

Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,

so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

Whoever believes in him will not be condemned. The one who does not believe is already condemned because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

This is how judgment is made: the light has entered the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.

For anyone who does wrong, hates the light and does not come to the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.

But whoever lives according to the truth comes into the light so that it can be clearly seen that his works have been done in God.

After this, Jesus traveled into the territory of Judea with his disciples. He stayed there with them and baptized.

John was also baptizing in Aenon, near Salim, where water was plentiful; people came to him and were baptized.

This happened before John was incarcerated.

Now John’s disciples had been questioned by a Jew about ceremonial washings,

so they came to John and said:

“Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan and about whom you spoke favorably, is now baptizing and all are going to him.”

John answered:

“No one can receive anything except what has been given him from heaven.

You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah, but I was sent before him.’

Only the bridegroom has the bride, but the friend of the bridegroom stands by, listening and rejoicing to hear the bridegroom’s voice. For this reason, my joy is now complete.

He must increase, but I must decrease.

The one who comes from above is above all; the one who comes from the earth belongs to the earth, and his words belong to the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.

He speaks of the things he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony.

Whoever does receive his testimony acknowledges the truthfulness of God.

The one sent by God speaks God’s words and gives the Spirit without measure.

The Father loves the Son and has entrusted everything into his hands.

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever disobeys the Son will not see life and will face God’s justice.