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There was a man called
Nicodemus, a Pharisee, and one of the rules of the Jews, who
came to see Jesus by night; Master, he said to him, we know
that thouse has come from God to teach us; no one, unless God
were with him, could do the miracles which thou doest. Jesus
answered him, Believe me when I tell the this; a man cannot
see the kingdom of God without being born anew. Why, Nicodemus
asked him, how is it possible that a man should be born when
he is already old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's
womb, and so come to birth? Jesus answered, Believe me, no man
can enter into the kingdom of God unless birth comes to him
from water, and from the Holy Spirit. What is born by natural
birth is a thing of nature, what is born by spiritual birth
is a thing of spirit. Do not be surprised, then, at my telling
thee, You must be born anew. The wind breatahes where it will,
and thou canst hear the sound of it, but knowest nothing of
the way it came or the way it goes; so it is, when a man is
born by the breath of the Spirit. Nicodemus answered him, How
can such things come to be? What, answered Jesus, can such things
be strange to thee, who art one of the teachers of Israel? Believe
me, we speak of what is known to us, and testify of what our
eyes have seen, and still you will not accept our testimony.
You cannot trust me when I tell you of what passes on earth;
how will you be able to trust me when I tell you of what passes
in heaven? No man has ever gone up into heaven; but there is
one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man, who dwells
in heaven. And this Son of Man must be lifted up, as the serpent
was lifted up by Moses in the wilderness; so that those who
believe in him may not perish, but have eternal life. |