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1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
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There was a man named Nicodemus who was one of the Pharisees and an important Jewish leader.
2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
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One night Nicodemus came to Jesus and said, "Teacher, we know you are a teacher sent from God, because no one can do the miracles you do unless God is with him."
3 Jesus answered and said unto him,Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
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Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, unless one is born again, he cannot be in God's kingdom."
4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
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Nicodemus said, "But if a person is already old, how can he be born again? He cannot enter his mother's body again. So how can a person be born a second time?"
5 Jesus answered,Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
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But Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, unless one is born from water and the Spirit, he cannot enter God's kingdom.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
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Human life comes from human parents, but spiritual life comes from the Spirit.
7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
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Don't be surprised when I tell you, 'You must all be born again.'
8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
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The wind blows where it wants to and you hear the sound of it, but you don't know where the wind comes from or where it is going. It is the same with every person who is born from the Spirit."
9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
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Nicodemus asked, "How can this happen?"
10 Jesus answered and said unto him,Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
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Jesus said, "You are an important teacher in Israel, and you don't understand these things?
11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.
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I tell you the truth, we talk about what we know, and we tell about what we have seen, but you don't accept what we tell you.
12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?
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I have told you about things here on earth, and you do not believe me. So you will not believe me if I tell you about things of heaven.
13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
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The only one who has ever gone up to heaven is the One who came down from heaven -- the Son of Man.
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
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"Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, the Son of Man must also be lifted up.
15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
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So that everyone who believes can have eternal life in him.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
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"God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son so that whoever believes in him may not be lost, but have eternal life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
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God did not send his Son into the world to judge the world guilty, but to save the world through him.
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
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People who believe in God's Son are not judged guilty. Those who do not believe have already been judged guilty, because they have not believed in God's one and only Son.
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
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They are judged by this fact: The Light has come into the world, but they did not want light. They wanted darkness, because they were doing evil things.
20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
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All who do evil hate the light and will not come to the light, because it will show all the evil things they do.
21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
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But those who follow the true way come to the light, and it shows that the things they do were done through God."
22 After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized.
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After this, Jesus and his followers went into the area of Judea, where he stayed with his followers and baptized people.
23 And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.
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John was also baptizing in Aenon, near Salim, because there was plenty of water there. People were going there to be baptized.
24 For John was not yet cast into prison.
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(This was before John was put into prison.)
25 Then there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying.
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Some of John's followers had an argument with a Jew about religious washing.
26 And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him.
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So they came to John and said, "Teacher, remember the man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan River, the one you spoke about so much? He is baptizing, and everyone is going to him."
27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.
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John answered, "A man can get only what God gives him.
28 Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.
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You yourselves heard me say, 'I am not the Christ, but I am the one sent to prepare the way for him.'
29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.
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The bride belongs only to the bridegroom. But the friend who helps the bridegroom stands by and listens to him. He is thrilled that he gets to hear the bridegroom's voice. In the same way, I am really happy.
30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
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He must become greater, and I must become less important.
31 He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.
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"The One who comes from above is greater than all. The one who is from the earth belongs to the earth and talks about things on the earth. But the One who comes from heaven is greater than all.
32 And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony.
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He tells what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts what he says.
33 He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.
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Whoever accepts what he says has proven that God is true.
34 For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.
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The One whom God sent speaks the words of God, because God gives him the Spirit fully.
35 The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.
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The Father loves the Son and has given him power over everything.
36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
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Those who believe in the Son have eternal life, but those who do not obey the Son will never have life. God's anger stays on them."