John Three

   THERE was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews; He came at night to Jesus and said to him, Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher sent from God; for no man can do these miracles that you are doing, except God is with him. Jesus answered and said to him, Truly, truly, I say to you, If a man is not born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus said to him, How can an old man be born again? can he enter again a second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered and said to him, Truly, truly, I say to you, If a man is not born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. What is born of flesh is flesh; and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be surprised because I have told you that you all must be born again. The wind blows where it pleases, and you hear its sound; but you do not know whence it comes and whither it goes; such is every man who is born of the Spirit. Nicodemus answered and said to him, How can these things be? Jesus answered and said to, You are a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, We speak only what we know, and we testify only to what we have seen; and yet you do not accept our testimony. If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how then will you believe me, if I tell you about heavenly things? No man has ascended to heaven, except he who came down from heaven, even the Son of man who is in heaven. Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so the Son of man is ready to be lifted up; So that every man who believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he even gave his only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world, to condemn the world; but that the world should be saved by him. He who believes in him will not be condemned; and he who does not believe has already been condemned, for not believing in the name of the only begotten Son of God.And this is the judgment, that light has come into the world, and yet men have loved darkness more than light, because their works were evil. For every one who does detested things hates the light, and he does not come to the light, because his works cannot be covered. But he who does truthful things comes to the light, so that his works may be known, that they are done through God.

   ¶ After these things, Jesus and his disciples came to the land of Judaea, and he remained there with them, and baptized. John also was baptizing at the spring of Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there; and they came, and were baptized. For John was not yet cast into prison.

   ¶ Now it happened that a dispute arose between one of John’s disciples and a Jew about the ceremony of purifying. So they came to John and told him, Teacher, he who was with you at the Jordan crossing, concerning whom you testified, behold, he also is baptizing and a great many are coming to him. John answered and said to them, No man can receive anything of his own will, except it is given to him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness that I said, I am not the Christ, but only a messenger to go before him. He who has a bride is the bridegroom; and the best man of the bridegroom is he who stands up and listens to him, and rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice; this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must become greater and I lesser. For he who has come from above is above all; and he who is of the earth is of the earth, and he speaks of earthly things; but he who has come from heaven is above all. And he testifies of what he has seen and heard, and yet no man accepts his testimony. He who accepts his testimony, has set his seal that God is true. For he whom God has sent, speaks the words of God; for God did not give the Spirit by measure. The Father loves the Son, and has placed everything under his hand. He who believes in the Son has eternal life; and he who does not obey the Son, shall not see life, but the wrath of God shall remain on him.