John

Chapter 3

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Scripture

KJV

1There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

2The 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.

3Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

4Nicodemus 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?

5Jesus 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.

6That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

7Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

8The 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.

9Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?

10Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?

11Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.

12If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?

13And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

14And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

15That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

17For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

18He 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.

19And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

20For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

21But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

22After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized.

23And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.

24For John was not yet cast into prison.

25Then there arose a question between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purifying.

26And 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.

27John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.

28Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.

29He 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.

30He must increase, but I must decrease.

31He 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.

32And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony.

33He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.

34For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.

35The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.

36He 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.

Study DepthThemes, questions, and connections
Key VerseJohn 3:16

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.

Overview

Nicodemus, a Pharisee and ruler of the Jews, comes to Jesus by night and is told he must be 'born again' to see the kingdom of God. Jesus explains spiritual rebirth through water and the Spirit, and declares the most famous verse in the Bible: 'For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son.' The chapter closes with John the Baptist's final testimony, declaring that Jesus must increase and he must decrease.

Key Themes

1

The New Birth

Jesus teaches that entrance into God's kingdom requires a radical spiritual rebirth from above — not moral improvement, but a new creation by the Holy Spirit.

2

God's Sacrificial Love

John 3:16 reveals the motivation behind salvation: God's immeasurable love for a fallen world, expressed in the gift of His only Son.

3

Light versus Darkness

Jesus as the light exposes the human preference for darkness; people's response to the light reveals the true condition of their hearts.

Study Questions

1.

Why does Nicodemus come to Jesus 'by night,' and what might this detail symbolize about his spiritual condition?

2.

What does Jesus mean by being 'born of water and of the Spirit,' and why is natural birth insufficient for the kingdom of God?

3.

How does the Old Testament story of Moses lifting up the serpent in the wilderness (v. 14) foreshadow the crucifixion?

4.

John 3:16 says God 'gave' His Son — what does this word reveal about the nature of the atonement?

5.

What does John the Baptist's statement 'He must increase, but I must decrease' teach about the posture every believer should have toward Christ?

Connection to Christ

This chapter is the heart of the Gospel message. Jesus reveals Himself as the one 'lifted up' — crucified — so that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life. The Son of God was sent not to condemn the world but to save it, making this chapter the clearest statement of why Christ came.

Personal Reflection

Take time to journal or meditate on what God is teaching you through John 3. How can these truths transform your thinking and actions today?

John

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