John 3

1 There was a man of (the separatist sect of the Jewish religion) the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, (who was also) a ruler of the Jews (being a member of the great council of the Sanhedrin). 

 

2 He came to Jesus secretly by night (so that he would not be seen), and said to Him, Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher (of the law and the prophets) who has come from God: because no man can perform the (signs, wonders and) miracles that you do except God be with Him. 

 

3 Jesus answered and said to him, with absolute certainty, I say to you, unless a man be born again (from above, by the Spirit which causes him to cry “Abba Father”), he (remains in darkness, blinded by death and therefore) cannot see (the life the Father has longed to serve him with from the beginning in) the kingdom of God.

 

4 Nicodemus said to Him, how can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter into his mother’s womb again and be born? 

 

5 Jesus answered, with absolute certainty, I say unto you, unless a (flesh and blood) man (born of a woman) be born of (the living) water (from above that is able to satisfy their heart, to turn away from the lust that is in the world) and (seeing that the Father is with him to serve him) from the Spirit (whereby he cries Abba Father, which Spirit is full of power to quicken even his mortal body unto God's life and immortality), he is not able to (rest from the work to preserve his own life and) enter into (God’s rest where he is pampered with all the fruit of the Father’s life in) the kingdom of God.

 

6 That (man) which is born from (and looks to the desire of) the flesh (for life) is (carnal) flesh (that perishes), and that (man) which is born from (and looks to) the Spirit (of the living God) is (fathered by the) spirit (of the word of life which is full of power to raise him up to His life, even unto immortality in the flesh on the last day).

 

7 Wonder not then (with the carnal mind) that I said you must be born again (from above, by the Spirit).

 

8 The wind (like the Spirit) blows where it desires, and you can hear the sound of it, but (with the carnal mind) cannot tell where it comes from, or where it goes (because these things are spiritually discerned from above): so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

 

9 Nicodemus answered Him saying, how can these things be?

 

10 Jesus answered and said to him, you are (looked to as) the (master) teacher over Israel, and you do not know these things?

 

11 With absolute certainty, I say unto you (only that which I see and hear from My Father), We speak that which We know, and testify to that which We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness (from above).

 

12 If I have told you of earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?

 

13 And no man has ascended up to heaven, but (only) He that came down from heaven, even the Son of man who is in heaven (and the Lord from heaven).

 

14 And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness (to save them from the bite of the serpent), for this same reason, must the Son of man be lifted up on a pole (to save men from the bite of the serpent which is death):

 

15 So that whoever believes in Him should not perish (in death) but have eternal life.

 

16 For God so loved the world that (He laid down His own life, unwilling that they should perish in death) He gave (Himself, the lamb) His only begotten Son (who was in the Father from all eternity), so that whoever believes on the One who He sent (to father them unto the same life and immortality, would cry “Abba Father” so that they) should not perish (in death), but share in (His) everlasting life.

 

17 For God did not send His Son into the world to judge the world (and condemn them to death) but rather that He might save them (from the death that was already reigning over them).

 

18 He that believes on Him (the only One who is able to save him from perishing in death and serve him with His life and immortality) is not condemned (but has passed from death unto life): but he that does not believe (in the testimony that the Father has given in the Son) is already condemned (to death, for there is no other name upon which men can be saved from perishing), (and) because he has not believed upon the name of the only begotten Son of God (so that he might be saved, knowing that through Him he has also been surnamed by the Father, His son).

 

19 And this is the judgment (unto life that would condemn a man), that the Light (of His life) has come into the world (to save them from perishing in death), and men (have rejected the light and) loved darkness rather than light, because (like Cain) their deeds (to gather fruit unto themselves) were evil.

 

20 For everyone that does evil (walks in the unfruitful works of darkness, filled with labors to preserve their own lives and) hates (the correction) the light (brings), neither will they come to the light lest their way unto life be corrected (and revealed to be in vain).

 

21 But he that does the truth (calls upon the Father to serve Him with His life and) comes (running) to the light, so that his deeds may be (rewarded and) manifest (the fruit of His life), (proving) that they are all by God (and His strength alone).

 

22 After these things Jesus and His disciples went into the land of Judaea, and He stayed there with them as they baptized all who came.

 

23 And John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water there: and they came to Him and were baptized. 

 

24 For John was not yet thrown into prison.

 

25 Then there arose a debate among some of John's disciples and certain Jews about washing and cleansing. 

 

26 And those who debated came to John, and said to him, Rabbi, He that was with you beyond Jordan, to whom you bore witness, saying, behold the lamb of God (who takes away the sting of death of the world), the same baptizes, and all men now come to Him. 

 

27 John answered the question (of purification) saying, A man can receive nothing (that can purify him from death), except it be given to him from heaven (above). 

 

28 You yourselves heard me bear witness, saying that I am not the Christ but that I am sent before Him (to prepare men’s hearts to turn back toward God). 

 

29 The One who the bride belongs is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears Him, has great joy at the sound of the bridegroom’s voice: in (hearing the sound of) this (His arrival) is my joy and ministry complete.

 

30 It is absolutely necessary that He (and His ministry) increase, but that mine, decrease.

 

31 For He that comes from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth: He that comes from heaven is heavenly (and has preeminence) above all. 

 

32 And the things which He (who has come down from heaven) has seen and heard (from the Father), is that which He also testifies; and no man has (ever seen God but the One who He sent has) received His testimony (of the Father).

 

33 The One that has received God's testimony has the Father set the seal of His promise upon, (validating) that (in Him) God's (judgment and) testimony is true.

 

34 For He whom God has sent (who was in the Father from all eternity) speaks the words of God (and is the only One that could speak as the Father Himself): for God does not give the Spirit unto Him by measure.

 

35 The Father loves the Son and has given (the judgment of) all things into His hand. 

 

36 He that believes on the (testimony that God has given in the) Son has everlasting life (abiding in him): and he that does not believe the (testimony that God has given the) Son (is blind and) cannot see (that) life, but (continues in the way which God judged would only serve him with death and) the wrath of God (revealed from heaven against that way) abides on him (to destroy it so that He might serve him with life).