Jesus and Nicodemus
1 There was a Jewish leader named Nicodemus, who belonged to the party of the Pharisees. 2 One night he went to Jesus and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher sent by God. No one could perform the miracles you are doing unless God were with him.”
3 Jesus answered, “I am telling you the truth: no one can see the Kingdom of God without being born again.”
4 “How can a grown man be born again?” Nicodemus asked. “He certainly cannot enter his mother's womb and be born a second time!”
5 “I am telling you the truth,” replied Jesus, “that no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. 6 A person is born physically of human parents, but is born spiritually of the Spirit. 7 Do not be surprised because I tell you that you must all be born again. 8 The wind blows wherever it wishes; you hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going. It is like that with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
9 “How can this be?” asked Nicodemus.
10 Jesus answered, “You are a great teacher in Israel, and you don't know this? 11 I am telling you the truth: we speak of what we know and report what we have seen, yet none of you is willing to accept our message. 12 You do not believe me when I tell you about the things of this world; how will you ever believe me, then, when I tell you about the things of heaven? 13 And no one has ever gone up to heaven except the Son of Man, who came down from heaven.”
14 As Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the desert, in the same way the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. 16 For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to be its judge, but to be its savior.
18 Those who believe in the Son are not judged; but those who do not believe have already been judged, because they have not believed in God's only Son. 19 This is how the judgment works: the light has come into the world, but people love the darkness rather than the light, because their deeds are evil. 20 Those who do evil things hate the light and will not come to the light, because they do not want their evil deeds to be shown up. 21 But those who do what is true come to the light in order that the light may show that what they did was in obedience to God.
Jesus and John
22 After this, Jesus and his disciples went to the province of Judea, where he spent some time with them and baptized. 23 John also was baptizing in Aenon, not far from Salim, because there was plenty of water in that place. People were going to him, and he was baptizing them. ( 24 This was before John had been put in prison.)
25 Some of John's disciples began arguing with a Jew about the matter of ritual washing. 26 So they went to John and told him, “Teacher, you remember the man who was with you on the east side of the Jordan, the one you spoke about? Well, he is baptizing now, and everyone is going to him!”
27 John answered, “No one can have anything unless God gives it. 28 You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah, but I have been sent ahead of him.’ 29 The bridegroom is the one to whom the bride belongs; but the bridegroom's friend, who stands by and listens, is glad when he hears the bridegroom's voice. This is how my own happiness is made complete. 30 He must become more important while I become less important.”
He Who Comes from Heaven
31 He who comes from above is greater than all. He who is from the earth belongs to the earth and speaks about earthly matters, but he who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He tells what he has seen and heard, yet no one accepts his message. 33 But whoever accepts his message confirms by this that God is truthful. 34 The one whom God has sent speaks God's words, because God gives him the fullness of his Spirit. 35 The Father loves his Son and has put everything in his power. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever disobeys the Son will not have life, but will remain under God's punishment.
1 Bet tur bija kāds cilvēks no farizejiem, vārdā Nikodēms, jūdu valdības vīrs. 2 Tas nāca pie Jēzus naktī un sacīja Viņam: "Rabi, mēs zinām, ka Tu esi Mācītājs, no Dieva nācis. Jo neviens nevar tādas zīmes darīt, kā Tu dari, ja Dievs nav ar to." 3 Jēzus atbildēja: "Patiesi, patiesi Es tev saku: ja cilvēks nepiedzimst no augšienes, neredzēt tam Dieva valstības." 4 Nikodēms saka Viņam: "Kā cilvēks var piedzimt, vecs būdams? Vai tad viņš var atgriezties savas mātes miesās un atkal piedzimt?" 5 Jēzus atbildēja: "Patiesi, patiesi Es tev saku: ja kāds neatdzimst ūdenī un Garā, netikt tam Dieva valstībā! 6 Kas no miesas dzimis, ir miesa, un, kas no Gara dzimis, ir gars. 7 Nebrīnies, ka Es tev esmu sacījis: tev jāpiedzimst no augšienes. 8 Vējš pūš kur gribēdams, un tu dzirdi viņu pūšam, bet nezini, no kurienes viņš nāk un kurp viņš iet. Tāpat ir ar ikvienu, kas piedzimis no Gara." 9 Nikodēms atbildēja un Viņam sacīja: "Kā tas var notikt?" 10 Jēzus atbildēja un viņam sacīja: "Tu esi Israēla mācītājs un to nezini? 11 Patiesi, patiesi Es tev saku: mēs runājam, ko zinām un liecinām, ko esam redzējuši, bet jūs mūsu liecību nepieņemat. 12 Ja jūs neticat, kad Es jums stāstu par zemes lietām, kā jūs ticēsit, kad Es jums stāstīšu par debess lietām? 13 Jo neviens nav uzkāpis debesīs kā vienīgi Tas, kas no debesīm nācis, Cilvēka Dēls. 14 Un, kā Mozus paaugstinājis čūsku tuksnesī, tāpat jātop paaugstinātam Cilvēka Dēlam, 15 lai ikviens, kas tic, Viņā iegūtu mūžīgo dzīvību. 16 Jo tik ļoti Dievs pasauli mīlējis, ka Viņš devis Savu vienpiedzimušo Dēlu, lai neviens, kas Viņam tic, nepazustu, bet dabūtu mūžīgo dzīvību, 17 jo Dievs Savu Dēlu nav sūtījis pasaulē, lai Tas pasauli tiesātu, bet lai pasaule caur Viņu tiktu glābta. 18 Kas tic Viņam, netiek tiesāts, bet, kas netic, ir jau spriedumu dabūjis, tāpēc ka nav ticējis Dieva vienpiedzimušā Dēla Vārdam. 19 Bet šī ir tā tiesa, ka gaisma ir nākusi pasaulē, bet cilvēkiem tumsība ir bijusi mīļāka par gaismu, tāpēc ka viņu darbi bija ļauni. 20 Jo ikviens, kas dara ļaunu, ienīst gaismu un nenāk pie gaismas, lai viņa darbi netiktu atklāti. 21 Bet, kas dara patiesību, nāk pie gaismas, lai būtu redzami viņa darbi, ka tie Dievā darīti." 22 Pēc tam Jēzus un Viņa mācekļi nogāja Jūdejas zemē. Tur Viņš ar tiem kādu laiku uzkavējās un kristīja. 23 Bet arī Jānis kristīja Ainonā netālu no Salimas, jo tur bija daudz ūdens; un ļaudis gāja un likās kristīties. 24 Jo Jānis vēl nebija iemests cietumā. 25 Tad izcēlās vārdu maiņa starp Jāņa mācekļiem un kādu jūdu par šķīstīšanos. 26 Tie griezās pie Jāņa un sacīja viņam: "Rabi, kas bija pie tevis viņpus Jordānas, par ko tu esi nodevis liecību, Tas, lūk, kristī, un visi iet pie Viņa." 27 Jānis atbildēja: "Cilvēks nekā nevar ņemt, ja 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 Kam pieder līgava, tas ir līgavainis; bet līgavaiņa draugs, kas stāv un klausās viņa vārdos, no sirds priecājas par līgavaiņa balsi. Šis mans prieks nu ir piepildījies. 30 Viņam vajag augt, bet man iet mazumā. 31 Kas nāk no augšienes, tas ir pār visiem; kas ir no zemes, ir no zemes, un viņa runa ir no zemes. Kas nāk no debesīm, tas ir pār visiem. 32 Ko Viņš skatījis un dzirdējis, par to Viņš dod liecību, bet Viņa liecību neviens nepieņem. 33 Bet, kas Viņa liecību pieņēmis, tas ir apliecinājis, ka Dievs ir patiesīgs. 34 Jo, ko Dievs ir sūtījis, Tas runā Dieva vārdus, jo bez mēra Viņš dod Savu Garu. 35 Tēvs mīl Dēlu un visu ir nodevis Viņa rokā. 36 Kas tic Dēlam, tam ir mūžīgā dzīvība. Bet, kas Dēlam neklausa, tas dzīvības neredzēs, bet Dieva dusmība paliek uz viņa."
