3:1  Now there lived a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews;

3:2  this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God works with him."

3:3  Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one becomes born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."

3:4  Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man become born when he has grown old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb and become born, can he?"

3:5  Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one becomes born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

3:6  "That which has become born of the flesh has the composition of flesh, and that which has become born of the Spirit has the composition of spirit.

3:7  "Do not show amazement that I said to you, 'You must become born again.'

3:8  "The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it goes; so does everyone who has the birth of the Spirit."

3:9  Nicodemus said to Him, "How can these things occur?"

3:10  Jesus answered and said to him, "Have you served as the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things?

3:11  "Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you do not accept our testimony.

3:12  "If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?

3:13  "No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man.

3:14  As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man must become lifted up;

3:15  so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.

3:16  "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

3:17  "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might receive salvation through Him.

3:18  "He who believes in Him does not receive judgment; he who does not believe has received judgment already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

3:19  "This we acknowledge as the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds proved evil.

3:20  "For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will receive exposure.

3:21  "But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may manifest as having become wrought in God."

3:22  After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He spent time with them and baptizing.

3:23  John also baptized in Aenon near Salim, because there seemed much water there; and people came and received baptism--

3:24  for the authorities had not yet thrown John into prison.

3:25  Therefore there arose a discussion on the part of John's disciples with a Jew about purification.

3:26  And they came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, He who resided with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, He baptizes and all come to Him."

3:27  John answered and said, "A man can receive nothing unless God gives it to him from heaven.

3:28  "You yourselves witness that I said, Do not mistake me for the Christ; God has sent me before them.'

3:29  "The bridegroom has the bride; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. So this joy of mine has become full.

3:30  "He must increase, but I must decrease.

3:31  "He who comes from above has pre-eminence, he who comes from the earth speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven has pre-eminence above all.

3:32  "What He has seen and heard, of that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony.

3:33  "He who has received His testimony has set his seal to this, that God proves true.

3:34  "For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for He gives the Spirit without measure.

3:35  "The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand.

3:36  "He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."