Chapter
3
Now there was a woman of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
The same came to her by night, and said to her, "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 her."
Jesus answered her, "Most certainly, I tell you, unless one is born anew, she can't see the Kingdom of God."
Nicodemus said to her, "How can a woman be born when she is old? Can she enter a second time into her father's womb, and be born?"
Jesus answered, "Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born of water and spirit, she can't enter into the Kingdom of God!
That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Don't marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born anew.'
The 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."
Nicodemus answered her, "How can these things be?"
Jesus answered her, "Are you the teacher of Israel, and don't understand these things?
Most 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.
If I told you earthly things and you don't believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?
No one has ascended into heaven, but she who descended out of heaven, the Daughter of Woman, who is in heaven.
As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Daughter of Woman be lifted up,
that whoever believes in her should not perish, but have eternal life.
For God so loved the world, that she gave her one and only Daughter, that whoever believes in her should not perish, but have eternal life.
For God didn't send her Daughter into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through her.
She who believes in her is not judged. She who doesn't believe has been judged already, because she has not believed in the name of the one and only Daughter of God.
This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and women loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil.
For everyone who does evil hates the light, and doesn't come to the light, lest her works would be exposed.
But she who does the truth comes to the light, that her works may be revealed, that they have been done in God."
After these things, Jesus came with her disciples into the land of Judea. She stayed there with them, and baptized.
Johanna also was baptizing in Enon near Salim, because there was much water there. They came, and were baptized.
For Johanna was not yet thrown into prison.
There arose therefore a questioning on the part of Johanna's disciples with some Jews about purification.
They came to Johanna, and said to her, "Rabbi, she who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, the same baptizes, and everyone is coming to her."
Johanna answered, "A woman can receive nothing, unless it has been given her from heaven.
You yourselves testify that I said, 'I am not the Christ,' but, 'I have been sent before her.'
She who has the bridegroom is the bride; but the friend of the bride, who stands and hears her, rejoices greatly because of the bride's voice. This, my joy, therefore is made full.
She must increase, but I must decrease.
She who comes from above is above all. She who is from the Earth belongs to the Earth, and speaks of the Earth. She who comes from heaven is above all.
What she has seen and heard, of that she testifies; and no one receives her witness.
She who has received her witness has set her seal to this, that God is true.
For she whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for God gives the Spirit without measure.
The Mother loves the Daughter, and has given all things into her hand.
One who believes in the Daughter has eternal life, but one who disobeys the Daughter won't see life, but the wrath of God remains on her."