Matt Reads John 3
John 3
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Music by Jeff Foote
1 SPEAKER_00: Now there was a man of the Pharisees named
Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council.
He came to Jesus at night and said, Rabbi, we know you're a
teacher who's come from God, for no one could perform the
miraculous signs you're doing if God weren't with him.
In reply, Jesus declared, I tell you the truth, no one can see
the kingdom of God unless he's born again.
How can a man be born when he's old?
Nicodemus asked.
Surely he can't enter into his mother's womb a second time to
be born.
Jesus answered, I tell you the truth.
No one can enter the kingdom of God unless he's born of water
and the spirit.
Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the spirit gives birth to
spirit.
You shouldn't be surprised at me saying you must be born again.
The wind blows wherever it pleases.
You hear its sound, but you can't tell where it comes from
or where it's going.
So it is with everyone born of the spirit.
How can this be?
Nicodemus asked.
You're Israel's teacher, said Jesus.
And do you not understand these things?
I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify
to what we've seen, but still you people don't accept our
testimony.
I've 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 desert, so the Son
of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may
have eternal life.
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 didn't 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 he has not
believed in the name of God's one and only Son.
This is the verdict.
Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead
of light because their deeds were evil.
Everyone who does what is evil hates the light and will not
come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.
But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it
may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through
God.
After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the
Judean countryside where he spent some time with them and
baptized.
Now, John also was baptizing at Anon near Salim because there
was plenty of water and people were constantly coming to be
baptized.
This was before John was put in prison.
An argument developed between some of John's disciples and a
certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing.
They came to John and said to him, Rabbi, that man who was
with you on the other side of the Jordan, the one you
testified about?
Well, he's baptizing, and everyone is going to him.
To this John replied, A man can receive only what's given him
from heaven.
You yourselves can testify that I said, I am not the Christ, but
am sent ahead of him.
The bride belongs to the bridegroom.
The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for
him and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice.
That joy is mine.
And it's now complete.
He must become greater.
I must become less.
The one who comes from above is above all.
The one who comes from the earth belongs to the earth and speaks
as one from the earth.
The one who comes from heaven is above all.
He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts
his testimony.
The man who has accepted it has certified that God is truthful.
For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God
gives the Spirit without limit.
The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands.
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life.
But whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath
remains on him.