Nicodemus visits Jesus at night and hears that he must be born again. The chapter includes the best-known verse in the Bible, John 3:16. John the Baptist says of Jesus that he must increase and I must decrease.
1 There was a man of the Pharisees , named Nicodemus , a ruler of the Jews :
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 .
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 .
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 ?
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 .
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh ; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit .
7 Marvel not that I said unto thee , Ye must 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 .
9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him , How can these things be ?
10 Jesus answered and said unto him , Art thou a master of Israel , and knowest not 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 .
12 If I have told you earthly things , and ye believe not , how shall ye believe , if I tell you of heavenly things ?
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 .
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness , even so must the Son of man be lifted up :
15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish , but have eternal life .
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 .
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world ; but that the world through him might be saved .
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 .
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 .
20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light , neither cometh to the light , lest his deeds should be reproved .
21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light , that his deeds may be made manifest , that they are wrought in God .
22 After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea ; and there he tarried with them , and baptized .
23 And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim , because there was much water there : and they came , and were baptized .
24 For John was not yet cast into prison .
25 Then there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying .
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 .
27 John answered and said , A man can receive nothing , except it be given him from heaven .
28 Ye yourselves bear me witness , that I said , I am not the Christ , but that I am sent before 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 .
30 He must increase , but I must decrease .
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 .
32 And what he hath seen and heard , that he testifieth ; and no man receiveth his testimony .
33 He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal 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.
35 The Father loveth the Son , and hath given all things into his hand .
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 .