Jesus and Nicodemus
1 There was a man named Nicodemus who was a Pharisee and a Jewish leader. 2 One night he went to Jesus and said, “Rabbi, we know that God has sent you to teach us. You could not work these miracles, unless God were with you.”
3 Jesus replied, “I tell you for certain that you must be born from above before you can see God's kingdom!”
4 Nicodemus asked, “How can a grown man ever be born a second time?”
5 Jesus answered:
I tell you for certain that before you can get into God's kingdom, you must be born not only by water, but by the Spirit. 6 Humans give life to their children. Yet only God's Spirit can change you into a child of God. 7 Don't be surprised when I say that you must be born from above. 8 Only God's Spirit gives new life. The Spirit is like the wind that blows wherever it wants to. You can hear the wind, but you don't know where it comes from or where it is going.
9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.
10 Jesus replied:
How can you be a teacher of Israel and not know these things? 11 I tell you for certain we know what we are talking about because we have seen it ourselves. But none of you will accept what we say. 12 If you don't believe when I talk to you about things on earth, how can you possibly believe if I talk to you about things in heaven?
13 No one has gone up to heaven except the Son of Man, who came down from there. 14 And the Son of Man must be lifted up, just as the metal snake was lifted up by Moses in the desert. 15 Then everyone who has faith in the Son of Man will have eternal life.
16 God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die. 17 God did not send his Son into the world to condemn its people. He sent him to save them! 18 No one who has faith in God's Son will be condemned. But everyone who doesn't have faith in him has already been condemned for not having faith in God's only Son.
19 The light has come into the world, and people who do evil things are judged guilty because they love the dark more than the light. 20 People who do evil hate the light and won't come to the light, because it clearly shows what they have done. 21 But everyone who lives by the truth will come to the light, because they want others to know that God is really the one doing what they do.
Jesus and John the Baptist
22 Later, Jesus and his disciples went to Judea, where he stayed with them for a while and was baptizing people.
23-24 John had not yet been put in jail. He was at Aenon near Salim, where there was a lot of water, and people were coming there for John to baptize them.
25 John's followers got into an argument with a Jewish man about a ceremony of washing. 26 They went to John and said, “Rabbi, you spoke about a man when you were with him east of the Jordan. He is now baptizing people, and everyone is going to him.”
27 John replied:
No one can do anything unless God in heaven allows it. 28 You surely remember how I told you that I am not the Messiah. I am only the one sent ahead of him.
29 At a wedding the groom is the one who gets married. The best man is glad just to be there and to hear the groom's voice. That's why I am so glad. 30 Jesus must become more important, while I become less important.
The One Who Comes from Heaven
31 God's Son comes from heaven and is above all others. Everyone who comes from the earth belongs to the earth and speaks about earthly things. The one who comes from heaven is above all others. 32 He speaks about what he has seen and heard, and yet no one believes him. 33 But everyone who does believe him has shown that God is truthful. 34 The Son was sent to speak God's message, and he has been given the full power of God's Spirit.
35 The Father loves the Son and has given him everything. 36 Everyone who has faith in the Son has eternal life. But no one who rejects him will ever share in that life, and God will be angry with them forever.
Jēzus saruna ar Nikodēmu
1 Bija kāds cilvēks starp farizejiem, vārdā Nikodēms, viens no jūdu varasvīriem. 2 Tas atnāca naktī pie Jēzus un viņam sacīja: “Rabi, mēs zinām, ka tu esi Skolotājs, no Dieva nācis. Jo tādas zīmes, kā tu dari, nevar darīt neviens, ja vien Dievs nav ar to.” 3 Jēzus atbildēja un viņam sacīja: “Patiesi, patiesi es tev saku: ja kas nepiedzimst no jauna , tas nespēj redzēt Dieva valstību.” 4 Nikodēms viņam sacīja: “Kā var cilvēks piedzimt, vecs būdams? Vai tad var otrreiz ieiet savas mātes miesās un piedzimt?” 5 Jēzus atbildēja: “Patiesi, patiesi es tev saku: tas, kurš nepiedzimst no ūdens un Gara, nevar ieiet Dieva valstībā! 6 Kas piedzimis no miesas, ir miesa, un, kas piedzimis no Gara, ir gars. 7 Nebrīnies, ka es tev sacīju: “Jums jāpiedzimst no jauna!” 8 Vējš pūš, kur grib, un tu dzirdi tā skaņu, bet tu nezini, no kurienes tas nāk un kurp iet. Tā ir ar katru, kas piedzimis no Gara.” 9 Nikodēms viņam jautāja: “Kā tas var notikt?” 10 Jēzus viņam atbildēja: “Tu esi Israēla skolotājs, un tu to nezini? 11 Patiesi, patiesi es tev saku: mēs runājam to, ko zinām, un liecinām to, ko esam redzējuši, bet jūs mūsu liecību nepieņemat. 12 Ja es jums runāju par zemes lietām un jūs neticat – kā jūs ticēsiet tad, kad es runāšu par debess lietām? 13 Jo neviens nav uzkāpis debesīs kā vienīgi tas, kas no debesīm nokāpis – Cilvēka Dēls. 14 Un, kā Mozus čūsku ir paaugstinājis tuksnesī, tāpat jātop paaugstinātam Cilvēka Dēlam, 15 lai ikvienam, kas viņam tic, būtu mūžīgā dzīvība. 16 Jo Dievs tā pasauli mīlēja, ka deva savu vienpiedzimušo Dēlu, lai ikviens, kas viņam tic, nepazustu, bet tam būtu mūžīgā dzīvība. 17 Jo Dievs sūtīja savu Dēlu pasaulē, nevis lai tas pasauli tiesātu, bet lai pasaule caur viņu tiktu glābta. 18 Kas tic viņam, tas netiek tiesāts, bet, kas netic, tas jau ir notiesāts, jo tas nav ticējis Dieva vienpiedzimušā Dēla vārdam. 19 Tiesas spriedums ir tāds, ka gaisma ir nākusi pasaulē. Bet cilvēki bija iemīlējuši tumsu vairāk nekā gaismu, tādēļ ka viņu darbi bija ļauni. 20 Ikviens, kurš dara ļaunu, nīst gaismu un nenāk gaismā, lai viņa darbi netiktu nosodīti. 21 Bet, kas patiesību dara, tas nāk pie gaismas, lai viņa darbi kļūtu atklāti, ka tie darīti Dievā.”
Jānis Kristītājs par Jēzu
22 Pēc tam Jēzus un viņa mācekļi nāca jūdu zemē, un tur viņš pavadīja laiku ar tiem un kristīja. 23 Bet arī Jānis kristīja Ainonā netālu no Salīmas; ūdens tur bija daudz, un ļaudis nāca un tika kristīti. 24 Tad Jānis vēl nebija iemests cietumā. 25 Starp Jāņa mācekļiem un kādu jūdu notika strīds par šķīstīšanos. 26 Tie nāca pie Jāņa un sacīja: “Rabi, tas, kurš bija ar tevi viņpus Jardānas, par kuru tu esi liecinājis, redzi, viņš kristī, un visi nāk pie viņa.” 27 Jānis atbildēja: “Cilvēks pats nespēj ņemt neko, ja vien tas viņam nav dots no debesīm. 28 Jūs paši esat mani liecinieki, ka es esmu sacījis: es neesmu Kristus, bet esmu sūtīts viņa priekšā. 29 Tas, kam ir līgava, ir līgavainis, bet līgavaiņa draugs, stāvēdams klāt un viņu dzirdēdams, ar lielu prieku priecājas par līgavaiņa balsi. Nu šis mans prieks ir piepildījies. 30 Viņam vajag augt, bet man iet mazumā.”
Kas nāk no debesīm, tas ir augstāks par visiem
31 Kas nāk no augšienes, tas ir augstāks par visiem. Kas ir no zemes, tas ir no zemes, un viņa runa ir no zemes. Kas nāk no debesīm, tas liecina, 32 ko ir redzējis un dzirdējis, bet neviens nepieņem viņa liecību. 33 Kas šo viņa liecību ir pieņēmis, tas ir apstiprinājis, ka Dievs ir patiess. 34 Ko Dievs ir sūtījis, tas runā Dieva vārdus, jo Dievs savu Garu dod bez mēra. 35 Tēvs mīl Dēlu un visu ir nodevis viņa rokā. 36 Tam, kas tic Dēlam, ir mūžīgā dzīvība, bet, kas Dēlu neklausa, tas dzīvību neredzēs, un Dieva dusmas paliek uz viņa.
