John 3 Bible in Basic English
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
BBE Bible in Basic English
RV1909 Reina-Valera 1909
WEB World English Bible (Classic, with Deuterocanon)
1 Now there was among the Pharisees a man named Nicodemus, who was one of the rulers of the Jews.
1 Y HABÍA un hombre de los Fariseos que se llamaba Nicodemo, príncipe de los Judíos.
1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
2 He came to Jesus by night and said to him, Rabbi, we are certain that you have come from God as a teacher, because no man would be able to do these signs which you do if God was not with him.
2 Este vino á Jesús de noche, y díjole: Rabbí, sabemos que has venido de Dios por maestro; porque nadie puede hacer estas señales que tú haces, si no fuere Dios con él.
2 He came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do, unless God is with him.”
3 Jesus said to him, Truly, I say to you, Without a new birth no man is able to see the kingdom of God.
3 Respondió Jesús, y díjole: De cierto, de cierto te digo, que el que no naciere otra vez, no puede ver el reino de Dios.
3 Jesus answered him, “Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born anew, he can’t see God’s Kingdom.”
4 Nicodemus said to him, How is it possible for a man to be given birth when he is old? Is he able to go into his mother's body a second time and come to birth again?
4 Dícele Nicodemo: ¿Cómo puede el hombre nacer siendo viejo? ¿puede entrar otra vez en el vientre de su madre, y nacer?
4 Nicodemus 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?”
5 Jesus said in answer, Truly, I say to you, If a man's birth is not from water and from the Spirit, it is not possible for him to go into the kingdom of God.
5 Respondió Jesús: De cierto, de cierto te digo, que el que no naciere de agua y del Espíritu, no puede entrar en el reino de Dios.
5 Jesus answered, “Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born of water and Spirit, he can’t enter into God’s Kingdom.
6 That which has birth from the flesh is flesh, and that which has birth from the Spirit is spirit.
6 Lo que es nacido de la carne, carne es; y lo que es nacido del Espíritu, espíritu es.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Do not be surprised that I say to you, It is necessary for you to have a second birth.
7 No te maravilles de que te dije: Os es necesario nacer otra vez.
7 Don’t marvel that I said to you, ‘You must all be born anew.’
8 The wind goes where its pleasure takes it, and the sound of it comes to your ears, but you are unable to say where it comes from and where it goes: so it is with everyone whose birth is from the Spirit.
8 El viento de donde quiere sopla, y oyes su sonido; mas ni sabes de dónde viene, ni á dónde vaya: así es todo aquel que es nacido del Espíritu.
8 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.”
9 And Nicodemus said to him, How is it possible for these things to be?
9 Respondió Nicodemo, y díjole: ¿Cómo puede esto hacerse?
9 Nicodemus answered him, “How can these things be?”
10 And Jesus, answering, said, Are you the teacher of Israel and have no knowledge of these things?
10 Respondió Jesús, y díjole: ¿Tú eres el maestro de Israel, y no sabes esto?
10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and don’t understand these things?
11 Truly, I say to you, We say that of which we have knowledge; we give witness of what we have seen; and you do not take our witness to be true.
11 De cierto, de cierto te digo, que lo que sabemos hablamos, y lo que hemos visto, testificamos; y no recibís nuestro testimonio.
11 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.
12 If you have no belief when my words are about the things of earth, how will you have belief if my words are about the things of heaven?
12 Si os he dicho cosas terrenas, y no creéis, ¿cómo creeréis si os dijere las celestiales?
12 If I told you earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?
13 And no one has ever gone up to heaven but he who came down from heaven, the Son of man.
13 Y nadie subió al cielo, sino el que descendió del cielo, el Hijo del hombre, que está en el cielo.
13 No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended out of heaven, the Son of Man, who is in heaven.
14 As the snake was lifted up by Moses in the waste land, even so it is necessary for the Son of man to be lifted up:
14 Y como Moisés levantó la serpiente en el desierto, así es necesario que el Hijo del hombre sea levantado;
14 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
15 So that whoever has faith may have in him eternal life.
15 Para que todo aquel que en él creyere, no se pierda, sino que tenga vida eterna.
15 that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
16 For God had such love for the world that he gave his only Son, so that whoever has faith in him may not come to destruction but have eternal life.
16 Porque de tal manera amó Dios al mundo, que ha dado á su Hijo unigénito, para que todo aquel que en él cree, no se pierda, mas tenga vida eterna.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only born Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
17 God did not send his Son into the world to be judge of the world; he sent him so that the world might have salvation through him.
17 Porque no envió Dios á su Hijo al mundo para que condene al mundo, mas para que el mundo sea salvo por él.
17 For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him.
18 The man who has faith in him does not come up to be judged; but he who has no faith in him has been judged even now, because he has no faith in the name of the only Son of God.
18 El que en él cree, no es condenado; mas el que no cree, ya es condenado, porque no creyó en el nombre del unigénito Hijo de Dios.
18 He 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.
19 And this is the test by which men are judged: the light has come into the world and men have more love for the dark than for the light, because their acts are evil.
19 Y esta es la condenación: porque la luz vino al mundo, y los hombres amaron más las tinieblas que la luz; porque sus obras eran malas.
19 This 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.
20 The light is hated by everyone whose acts are evil and he does not come to the light for fear that his acts will be seen.
20 Porque todo aquel que hace lo malo, aborrece la luz y no viene á la luz, porque sus obras no sean redargüidas.
20 For everyone who does evil hates the light and doesn’t come to the light, lest his works would be exposed.
21 But he whose life is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his acts have been done by the help of God.
21 Mas el que obra verdad, viene á la luz, para que sus obras sean manifestadas que son hechas en Dios.
21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his works may be revealed, that they have been done in God.”
22 After these things Jesus and his disciples went into the land of Judaea, and there he was with them for some time, giving baptism.
22 Pasado esto, vino Jesús con sus discípulos á la tierra de Judea; y estaba allí con ellos, y bautizaba.
22 After these things, Jesus came with his disciples into the land of Judea. He stayed there with them and baptized.
23 Now John was then giving baptism at Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there; and people came and were given baptism.
23 Y bautizaba también Juan en Enón junto á Salim, porque había allí muchas aguas; y venían, y eran bautizados.
23 John also was baptizing in Enon near Salim, because there was much water there. They came and were baptized;
24 For at this time John had not been put into prison.
24 Porque Juan no había sido aún puesto en la carcel.
24 for John was not yet thrown into prison.
25 Then a question came up between John's disciples and a Jew about washing.
25 Y hubo cuestión entre los discípulos de Juan y los Judíos acerca de la purificación.
25 Therefore a dispute arose on the part of John’s disciples with some Jews about purification.
26 And they went to John and said to him, Rabbi, the man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan, the man to whom you gave witness, is now giving baptism, and everyone is going to him.
26 Y vinieron á Juan, y dijéronle: Rabbí, el que estaba contigo de la otra parte del Jordán, del cual tú diste testimonio, he aquí bautiza, y todos vienen á él.
26 They 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.”
27 And this was John's answer: A man is unable to have anything if it is not given to him from heaven.
27 Respondió Juan, y dijo: No puede el hombre recibir algo, si no le fuere dado del cielo.
27 John answered, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven.
28 You yourselves give witness that I said, I am not the Christ. What I said was, I am sent before the Christ.
28 Vosotros mismos me sois testigos que dije: Yo no soy el Cristo, sino que soy enviado delante de él.
28 You yourselves testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before him.’
29 He who has the bride is the husband: but the husband's friend, whose place is by his side and whose ears are open to him, is full of joy because of the husband's voice: such is my joy, and it is complete.
29 El que tiene la esposa, es el esposo; mas el amigo del esposo, que está en pie y le oye, se goza grandemente de la voz del esposo; así pues, este mi gozo es cumplido.
29 He 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.
30 He has to become greater while I become less.
30 A él conviene crecer, mas á mí menguar.
30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
31 He who comes from heaven is greater than all others: he who comes from earth is of the earth, and of the earth are his words: he who comes from heaven is over all.
31 El que de arriba viene, sobre todos es: el que es de la tierra, terreno es, y cosas terrenas habla: el que viene del cielo, sobre todos es.
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.
32 He gives witness of what he has seen and of what has come to his ears; and no man takes his witness as true.
32 Y lo que vió y oyó, esto testifica: y nadie recibe su testimonio.
32 What he has seen and heard, of that he testifies; and no one receives his witness.
33 He who so takes his witness has made clear his faith that God is true.
33 El que recibe su testimonio, éste signó que Dios es verdadero.
33 He who has received his witness has set his seal to this, that God is true.
34 For he whom God has sent says God's words; and God does not give him the Spirit by measure.
34 Porque el que Dios envió, las palabras de Dios habla: porque no da Dios el Espíritu por medida.
34 For he whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for God gives the Spirit without measure.
35 The Father has love for the Son and has put all things into his hands.
35 El Padre ama al Hijo, y todas las cosas dió en su mano.
35 The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand.
36 He who has faith in the Son has eternal life; but he who has not faith in the Son will not see life; God's wrath is resting on him.
36 El que cree en el Hijo, tiene vida eterna; mas el que es incrédulo al Hijo, no verá la vida, sino que la ira de Dios está sobre él.
36 One 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.”
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Nicodemus
A Pharisee and leader of the Jews who came to Jesus at night, later asked the council to hear Jesus before judging him, and brought myrrh and aloes of about seventy-five pounds…
Cited in the guide: John 3:1; John 7:50; John 19:39
Cross references (36)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 John 19:39; John 3:10; John 7:47–50; Luke 23:13
- 2 John 5:36; Acts 10:38; Acts 2:22; John 9:30–33; John 9:16
- 3 2 Corinthians 5:17; John 3:5–6; 1 Peter 1:23–25; 1 John 3:9; 1 John 5:1
- 4 1 Corinthians 2:14; 1 Corinthians 1:18; John 4:11–12; John 3:3; John 6:53
- 5 Ezekiel 36:25–27; Ephesians 5:26; Acts 2:38; 1 Peter 3:21; 1 Corinthians 6:11
- 6 Galatians 5:16–21; Ezekiel 36:26–27; Romans 8:4–9; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 1 Corinthians 15:47–50
- 7 Ephesians 4:22–24; John 3:3; Romans 12:1–2; 1 Peter 1:22; John 3:12
- 8 Ecclesiastes 11:4–5; 1 Corinthians 2:11; Acts 2:2; Ezekiel 37:9; 1 John 2:29
- 9 Isaiah 42:16; John 6:52; John 6:60; Luke 1:34; John 3:4
- 10 Matthew 22:29; Jeremiah 8:8–9; Ezekiel 11:19; Matthew 15:14; Ezekiel 36:25–27
- 11 John 8:38; 1 John 5:6–12; John 12:49; John 8:14; John 1:18
- 12 1 Corinthians 3:1–2; 1 Corinthians 2:7–9; Hebrews 5:11; John 3:31–36; 1 Peter 2:1–3
- 13 Proverbs 30:4; John 6:38; Acts 2:34; John 1:18; 1 Corinthians 15:47
- 14 Numbers 21:7–9; John 8:28; John 12:32–34; Luke 24:26–27; Luke 24:44–46
- 15 John 3:16; John 6:40; 1 John 5:11–13; John 3:36; John 12:44–46
- 16 Romans 5:8; 1 John 4:9–10; Romans 8:32; John 3:15; John 11:25–26
- 17 1 John 4:14; Luke 19:10; John 12:47–48; John 6:57; John 6:40
- 18 1 John 5:10; Mark 16:16; Romans 8:1; John 5:24; 1 John 5:12
- 19 John 8:12; 2 Thessalonians 2:12; John 9:39–41; Romans 2:8; John 12:43
- 20 Ephesians 5:11–13; John 7:7; Job 24:13–17; Proverbs 1:29; Proverbs 4:18
- 21 1 John 1:6; Psalm 139:23–24; 3 John 11; Ephesians 5:9; Philippians 2:13
- 22 John 4:1–3; John 3:26; John 7:3
- 23 Mark 1:4–5; Luke 3:7; Ezekiel 43:2; 1 Samuel 9:4; Matthew 3:5–6
- 24 Matthew 4:12; Matthew 14:3; Mark 6:17; Luke 3:19–20; Luke 9:7–9
- 25 John 2:6; Matthew 3:11; Hebrews 6:2; Hebrews 9:10; Hebrews 9:23
- 26 John 1:7; James 3:14–18; John 1:15; Galatians 6:12–13; John 12:19
- 27 James 1:17; 1 Corinthians 4:7; 1 Corinthians 15:10; 1 Peter 4:10–11; Amos 7:15
- 28 John 1:20; John 1:23; Luke 1:16–17; Matthew 3:11–12; Malachi 3:1
- 29 Ephesians 5:25–27; Isaiah 54:5; Hosea 2:19; Matthew 9:15; Ezekiel 16:8
- 30 Colossians 1:18; Psalm 72:17–19; Hebrews 3:2–6; Isaiah 9:7; 1 Corinthians 3:5
- 31 Matthew 28:18; John 8:23; Romans 9:5; John 6:33; 1 John 4:5
- 32 John 3:11; John 15:15; John 1:11; John 8:26; John 5:20
- 33 Ephesians 1:13; Hebrews 6:17; Titus 1:1–2; 2 Corinthians 1:18; Romans 3:3–4
- 34 Acts 10:38; Matthew 12:18; John 15:26; John 5:26; Isaiah 11:2–5
- 35 Matthew 28:18; John 5:20; Luke 10:22; John 5:22; John 17:2
- 36 John 5:24; John 1:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:9; Ephesians 5:6; John 3:15–16
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
We observe, beloved, that the intimation with which we yesterday excited your attention has brought you together with more alacrity, and in greater number than usual; but meanwhile let us, if you please, pay our debt of a discourse on the Gospel Lesson, which comes in due course.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 7 (1888)
Little children who go daily to their teachers receive their lessons, and repeat them, and never cease from this kind of acquisition, but sometimes employ nights as well as days, and this they are compelled to do for perishable and transient things.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 14 (1889)
For Christ also said, "Except ye be born again, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." Now, that it is impossible for those who have once been born to enter into their mothers' wombs, is manifest to all.
… that men can be saved in no other way from the old wound of the serpent than by believing in Him who, in the likeness of sinful flesh, is lifted up from the earth upon the tree of martyrdom, and draws all things to Himself, and vivifies the dead.
These I directed, O sweet Truth, to Thy inward melody, pondering on the "fair and fit," and longing to stay and listen to Thee, and to rejoice greatly at the Bridegroom's voice, and I could not; for by the voices of my own errors was I driven forth, and by the weight of my own pride was I sinking into …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)