English Standard Version ESV
The Darby Translation DBY
1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
1
But there was a man from among the Pharisees, his name Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews;
2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him. ”
2
he came to him by night, and said to him, Rabbi, we know that thou art come a teacher from God, for none can do these signs that thou doest unless God be with him.
3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. ”
3
Jesus answered and said to him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except any one be born anew he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born? ”
4
Nicodemus says to him, How can a man be born being old? can he enter a second time into the womb of his mother and be born?
5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
5
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except any one be born of water and of Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
6
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again. ’
7
Do not wonder that I said to thee, It is needful that *ye* should be born anew.
8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit. ”
8
The wind blows where it will, and thou hearest its voice, but knowest not whence it comes and where it goes: thus is every one that is born of the Spirit.
9 Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be? ”
9
Nicodemus answered and said to him, How can these things be?
10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things?
10
Jesus answered and said to him, Thou art the teacher of Israel and knowest not these things!
11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony.
11
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that which we know, and we bear witness of that which we have seen, and ye receive not our witness.
12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?
12
If I have said the earthly things to you, and ye believe not, how, if I say the heavenly things to you, will ye believe?
13 No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.
13
And no one has gone up into heaven, save he who came down out of heaven, the Son of man who is in heaven.
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
14
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, thus must the Son of man be lifted up,
15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
15
that every one who believes on him may [not perish, but] have life eternal.
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believes on him may not perish, but have life eternal.
17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
17
For God has not sent his Son into the world that he may judge the world, but that the world may be saved through him.
18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
18
He that believes on him is not judged: but he that believes not has been already judged, because he has not believed on the name of the only-begotten Son of God.
19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.
19
And this is the judgment, that light is come into the world, and men have loved darkness rather than light; for their works were evil.
20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.
20
For every one that does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light that his works may not be shewn as they are;
21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God. ”
21
but he that practises the truth comes to the light, that his works may be manifested that they have been wrought in God.
22 After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing.
22
After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he abode with them and baptised.
23 John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized
23
And John also was baptising in Aenon, near Salim, because there was a great deal of water there; and they came to [him] and were baptised:
24 (for John had not yet been put in prison).
24
for John was not yet cast into prison.
25 Now a discussion arose between some of John’s disciples and a Jew over purification.
25
There was therefore a reasoning of the disciples of John with a Jew about purification.
26 And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him. ”
26
And they came to John and said to him, Rabbi, he who was with thee beyond the Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, he baptises, and all come to him.
27 John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven.
27
John answered and said, A man can receive nothing unless it be given him out of heaven.
28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him. ’
28
Ye yourselves bear me witness that I said, I am not the Christ, but, that I am sent before him.
29 The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete.
29
He that has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices in heart because of the voice of the bridegroom: this my joy then is fulfilled.
30 He must increase, but I must decrease. ”
30
He must increase, but I must decrease.
31 He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all.
31
He who comes from above is above all. He who has his origin in the earth is of the earth, and speaks [as] of the earth. He who comes out of heaven is above all,
32 He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony.
32
[and] what he has seen and has heard, this he testifies; and no one receives his testimony.
33 Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true.
33
He that has received his testimony has set to his seal that God is true;
34 For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure.
34
for he whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives not the Spirit by measure.
35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand.
35
The Father loves the Son, and has given all things [to be] in his hand.
36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.
36
He that believes on the Son has life eternal, and he that is not subject to the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides upon him.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025
The Darby Translation is in the public domain.