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John 3

World English Bible

WEB

1Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2He 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.” 3Jesus answered him, “Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born anew, he can’t see God’s Kingdom.” 4Nicodemus 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?” 5Jesus answered, “Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born of water and Spirit, he can’t enter into God’s Kingdom. 6That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7Don’t marvel that I said to you, ‘You must all be born anew.’ 8The wind blows where it wants to, and you hear its sound, but don’t know where it comes from and where it is going. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” 9Nicodemus answered him, “How can these things be?” 10Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and don’t understand these things? 11Most certainly I tell you, we speak that which we know and testify of that which we have seen, and you don’t receive our witness. 12If I told you earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended out of heaven, the Son of Man, who is in heaven. 14As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only born Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 17For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him. 18He who believes in him is not judged. He who doesn’t believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only born Son of God. 19This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light, for their works were evil. 20For everyone who does evil hates the light and doesn’t come to the light, lest his works would be exposed. 21But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his works may be revealed, that they have been done in God.” 22After these things, Jesus came with his disciples into the land of Judea. He stayed there with them and baptized. 23John also was baptizing in Enon near Salim, because there was much water there. They came and were baptized; 24for John was not yet thrown into prison. 25Therefore a dispute arose on the part of John’s disciples with some Jews about purification. 26They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, he baptizes, and everyone is coming to him.” 27John answered, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven. 28You yourselves testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before him.’ 29He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore my joy is made full. 30He must increase, but I must decrease. 31“He who comes from above is above all. He who is from the earth belongs to the earth and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all. 32What he has seen and heard, of that he testifies; and no one receives his witness. 33He who has received his witness has set his seal to this, that God is true. 34For he whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for God gives the Spirit without measure. 35The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand. 36One who believes in the Son has eternal life, but one who disobeys the Son won’t see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”

World English Bible, 2020 stable text edition. Public domain; “World English Bible” is a trademark of eBible.org. eBible.org

Overview

John Chapter 3 presents one of the most profound discussions in the New Testament about spiritual rebirth and salvation. The chapter begins with the encounter between Jesus and Nicodemus, a Pharisee and member of the Jewish ruling council. Nicodemus comes to Jesus by night, seeking understanding about His teachings. Jesus tells him that to see the kingdom of God, one must be born again, which confuses Nicodemus. Jesus explains that this rebirth is not a physical one but a spiritual transformation, emphasizing the necessity of being born of water and the Spirit (John3:3-5). This highlights the importance of spiritual renewal in the life of a believer, a theme that resonates throughout the New Testament.

The chapter continues with the famous verse, John3:16, which encapsulates the Gospel message: "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." This verse underscores God's immense love and the sacrificial nature of Jesus' mission. Jesus further explains that He did not come to condemn the world but to save it, emphasizing the choice individuals have to accept or reject Him (John3:17-18). The chapter concludes with a call to live in the light, as those who do what is true come to the light, revealing their deeds as being done through God (John3:19-21). This chapter serves as a powerful reminder of the necessity of faith in Christ for eternal life and the transformative power of His love.

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Referenced by

  1. Genesis 22:2v16Genesis 22:2 describes God asking Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac, which prefigures God giving His only Son, Jesus, for the salvation of the world as expressed in John 3:16.
  2. Genesis 37:3v16Genesis 37:3 describes Jacob's special love for Joseph, which can be seen as a foreshadowing of God's love for His Son, Jesus, as expressed in John 3:16.
  3. Exodus 10:21v19Exodus 10:21 describes the plague of darkness, symbolizing spiritual darkness, which is echoed in John 3:19-20 where people love darkness rather than light.
  4. Numbers 21:8-9v14Jesus refers to the bronze serpent lifted by Moses as a foreshadowing of His own crucifixion, emphasizing belief for eternal life.
  5. Job 24:13v19Job 24:13 speaks of those who rebel against the light, similar to John 3:19-20, where people love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil.
  6. Psalms 2:12v36Psalm 2:12 advises to 'kiss the Son' to avoid His wrath, highlighting the necessity of allegiance to the Son. John 3:36 parallels this by stating that belief in the Son leads to eternal life, while rejection results in God's wrath.
  7. Proverbs 30:4v13Proverbs 30:4 questions who has ascended to heaven and descended, which is echoed in John 3:13 where Jesus speaks of Himself as the one who has ascended and descended from heaven.
  8. Ecclesiastes 11:5v8Ecclesiastes 11:5 speaks of the mystery of God's works, likening it to not knowing the path of the wind. John 3:8 uses the wind as a metaphor for the Spirit, emphasizing the mysterious and sovereign work of God.
  9. Isaiah 59:9v19Isaiah 59:9 describes the absence of justice and light, paralleling John 3:19 where people love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil.
  10. Ezekiel 18:32v16Ezekiel 18:32 expresses God's lack of pleasure in the death of anyone, urging them to turn and live, which aligns with John 3:16's message of God's love for the world and His desire for eternal life for all who believe.
  11. Matthew 18:3v3In Matthew 18:3, Jesus emphasizes the need to become like little children to enter the kingdom of heaven, which parallels John 3:3 where Jesus tells Nicodemus that one must be born again to see the kingdom of God.
  12. Mark 2:19-20v29Mark 2:19-20 uses the imagery of the bridegroom, which is also found in John 3:29, where John the Baptist refers to Jesus as the bridegroom, indicating a time of joy and fulfillment.
  13. Mark 16:16v18Mark 16:16 emphasizes belief and baptism for salvation, which aligns with John 3:18's emphasis on belief in Jesus as the path to salvation.
  14. John 12:32v14John 12:32 speaks of Jesus being 'lifted up' to draw all people to Himself, which connects to John 3:14 where Jesus compares His crucifixion to Moses lifting up the serpent in the wilderness.
  15. John 13:1v16John 13:1 speaks of Jesus' love for His own, which is a continuation of the theme of God's love for the world as expressed in John 3:16.
  16. Acts 10:43v16Acts 10:43 speaks of the prophets bearing witness that everyone who believes in Jesus receives forgiveness of sins, which echoes the promise of eternal life to all who believe in John 3:16.
  17. Romans 5:8v16Romans 5:8 highlights God's love demonstrated through Christ's death for sinners. John 3:16 similarly emphasizes God's love in giving His Son for the salvation of the world.
  18. Romans 6:23v16Romans 6:23 contrasts the wages of sin, which is death, with the gift of God, which is eternal life in Christ Jesus, paralleling John 3:16 where God gives eternal life through His Son.
  19. Romans 8:1v18Romans 8:1 declares that there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, which aligns with John 3:18, where Jesus states that whoever believes in Him is not condemned.
  20. 2 Corinthians 9:15v162 Corinthians 9:15 expresses gratitude for God's indescribable gift, which is ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ, as described in John 3:16, where God gives His only Son for the salvation of the world.
  21. 1 Peter 1:23v31 Peter 1:23 speaks of being born again through the living and enduring word of God, which parallels Jesus' teaching on being born again in John 3:3.
  22. 1 John 5:11-12v361 John 5:11-12 declares that eternal life is in the Son, and whoever has the Son has life. This is echoed in John 3:36, which states that whoever believes in the Son has eternal life.

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