Chapter IV: Christ's Discourse with Nicodemus

1 [2:23]AND when he was at Jerusalem at the feast of the passover many believed on him, seeing his miracles which he performed; [2:24]but Jesus did not trust himself to them, because he knew all men, [2:25]for he had no need that any should testify of man, for he knew what was in man.

2 [3:1]And there was a man of the Pharisees whose name was Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. [3:2]This man came to him by night and said to him, Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can perform these miracles which you perform unless God is with him. [3:3]Jesus answered and said to him, I tell you most truly, unless one has been born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. [3:4]Nicodemus said to him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he become an unborn infant of his mother a second time, and be born? [3:5]Jesus answered, I tell you most truly, unless a man is born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. [3:6]That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is a spirit. [3:7]Wonder not that I said to you, You must be born again. [3:8]The Spirit breathes where it wills, and you hear its voice, but you know not whence it comes, nor whither it goes; so is every one that has been born of the Spirit.

3 [3:9]Nicodemus answered and said to him, How can these things be? [3:10] Jesus answered and said to him, Are you a teacher of Israel and know not these things? [3:11]I tell you most truly, that we speak what we know, and what we have seen we testify; and you receive not our testimony. [3:12]If I have told you earthly things and you believe not, how will you believe if I should tell you heavenly things? [3:13]And no one has ascended into heaven but he that came down from heaven, the Son of man who is in heaven. [3:14]And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up; [3:15]that every one believing in him may have eternal life. [3:16]For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that every one believing in him may not perish but have eternal life. [3:17]For God sent not his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world through him might be saved. [3:18]He that believes in him is not judged; but he that believes not has been judged already; because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. [3:19]And this is the judgment; that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than the light, because their deeds are evil. [3:20]For every one that does evil hates the light, and comes not to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved; [3:21]but he that does good comes to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, for they are wrought in God.