Now there was a Pharisee, a man [ named Nicodemus [ who was a member of the Jewish ruling council ] ]. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know [ that you are a teacher [ who has come from God ] ]. For no one could perform the signs [ you are doing ] [ if God were not with him ].” Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God [ unless they are born again ].”
“How can someone be born [ when they are old ]?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb [ to be born ]!” Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God [ unless they are born of water and the Spirit ]. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at [ my saying ], ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows [ wherever it pleases ]. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell [ where it comes from or where it is going ]. So it is with everyone [ born of the Spirit ].”
“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked. “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? Very truly I tell you, we speak of [ what we know ], and we testify to [ what we have seen ], but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe [ if I speak of heavenly things ]? No one has ever gone into heaven except the one [ who came from heaven—the Son of Man ]. [ Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness ], so the Son of Man must be lifted up, [ that everyone [ who believes ] may have eternal life in him ].”
For God so loved the world [ that he gave his one and only Son ], [ that [ whoever believes in him ] shall not perish but have eternal life ]. For God did not send his Son into the world [ to condemn the world ], but [ to save the world through him ]. [ Whoever believes in him ] is not condemned, but [ whoever does not believe ] stands [ condemned already ] [ because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son ]. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light [ because their deeds were evil ]. Everyone [ who does evil ] hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear [ that their deeds will be exposed ]. But [ whoever lives by the truth ] comes into the light, [ so that it may be seen plainly [ that [ what they have done ] has been done in the sight of God ].