John 3: You Must Be Born Again
Jesus tells Nicodemus that entering God's kingdom requires a new birth from above, and reveals the love of God that gives his Son so that whoever believes may have eternal life.
John 3 (WEB)
1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
2 The same came to him by night, and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do, unless God is with him.”
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 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 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 is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Don’t marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born anew.’
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 Nicodemus answered him, “How can these things be?”
10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and don’t understand these things?
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 I told you earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?
13 No one has ascended into heaven, but he who descended out of heaven, the Son of Man, who is in heaven.
14 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
15 that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
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 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 one and only Son of God.
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 For everyone who does evil hates the light, and doesn’t come to the light, lest his works would be exposed.
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 came with his disciples into the land of Judea. He stayed there with them, and baptized.
23 John also was baptizing in Enon near Salim, because there was much water there. They came, and were baptized.
24 For John was not yet thrown into prison.
25 There arose therefore a questioning on the part of John’s disciples with some Jews about purification.
26 They came to John, and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, the same baptizes, and everyone is coming to him.”
27 John answered, “A man can receive nothing, unless it has been given him from heaven.
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 bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. This, my joy, therefore is made full.
30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
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 What he has seen and heard, of that he testifies; and no one receives his witness.
33 He who has received his witness has set his seal to this, that God is true.
34 For he whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for God gives the Spirit without measure.
35 The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand.
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.”
John 3 (KJV)
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.
John 3 (ASV)
1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
2 the same came unto him by night, and said to him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that thou doest, except God be with him.
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except one be born anew, 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 a second time into his mother`s womb, and be born?
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except one be born of water and 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 anew.
8 The wind bloweth where it will, and thou hearest the voice thereof, but knowest not 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 the teacher of Israel, and understandest not these things?
11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that which we know, and bear witness of that which we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.
12 If I told you earthly things and ye believe not, how shall ye believe if I tell you heavenly things?
13 And no one hath ascended into heaven, but he that descended out of heaven, [even] the Son of man, who 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 may in him have eternal life.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life.
17 For God sent not the Son into the world to judge the world; but that the world should be saved through him.
18 He that believeth on him is not judged: he that believeth not hath been judged already, because he hath not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19 And this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil.
20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, and cometh not to the light, lest his works should be reproved.
21 But he that doeth the truth cometh to the light, that his works may be made manifest, that they have been wrought in God.
22 After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized.
23 And John also was baptizing in Enon 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 There arose therefore a questioning on the part of John`s disciples with a Jew about purifying.
26 And they came unto John, and said to him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond the Jordan, to whom thou hast borne witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him.
27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it have been 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, that standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom`s voice: this my joy therefore is made full.
30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
31 He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is of the earth, and of the earth he speaketh: he that cometh from heaven is above all.
32 What he hath seen and heard, of that he beareth witness; and no man receiveth his witness.
33 He that hath received his witness hath set his seal to [this], that God is true.
34 For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for he giveth not the Spirit by measure.
35 The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.
36 He that believeth on the Son hath eternal life; but he that obeyeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.
Summary
Nicodemus, a respected Pharisee and teacher, comes to Jesus by night, drawn by the signs but unsure who Jesus is. Jesus tells him that unless one is born again, born of water and the Spirit, he cannot see or enter the kingdom of God. Nicodemus is puzzled, asking how a man can be born when he is old, but Jesus explains that this is a birth from above, the mysterious work of the Spirit, like wind that blows where it wills. Jesus points to himself lifted up like the bronze serpent Moses raised in the wilderness, so that all who look in faith may live. Then comes the heart of the gospel: God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. The chapter closes with John the Baptist gladly pointing away from himself to Christ, who must increase.
Main Characters
- Jesus — Teaches the necessity of being born again and reveals God's saving love in giving his Son.
- Nicodemus — A Pharisee and ruler who comes to Jesus by night, seeking to understand the new birth.
- John the Baptist — Joyfully points his followers to Christ, declaring that he must increase and John must decrease.
Key Verse
John 3:16 (WEB)
For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
Lessons Learned
- Entering God's kingdom requires a new birth from above, the work of the Spirit, not human effort.
- Salvation comes by looking to Christ lifted up, just as Israel looked to the bronze serpent and lived.
- God's love for the world is the source of the gospel, giving his only Son for our eternal life.
- True greatness, like John the Baptist's, points away from itself and gladly exalts Christ.
- We need a new birth, not merely self-improvement. Jesus says, 'Unless one is born anew, he can't see God's Kingdom' (John 3:3, WEB), a birth of water and the Spirit (John 3:5, WEB).
- The new birth is God's mysterious work by his Spirit. Jesus compares the Spirit to wind: 'so is everyone who is born of the Spirit' (John 3:8, WEB), unseen yet undeniably real.
- Salvation comes by looking in faith to Christ lifted up. 'As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him should... have eternal life' (John 3:14-15, WEB).
- God's love is the fountain of our salvation. 'For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life' (John 3:16, WEB).
- A humble heart gladly makes Christ greater. John the Baptist says, 'He must increase, but I must decrease' (John 3:30, WEB), finding joy in pointing others to Jesus.
- Why does Nicodemus come to Jesus by night, and what does Jesus tell him he must experience to see God's kingdom?
- What does Jesus mean by being 'born of water and the Spirit,' and why does he compare the Spirit to the wind?
- How does the bronze serpent of Moses help us understand what Jesus came to do?
- What does John 3:16 reveal about the heart of God and the way of salvation, and how does John the Baptist model true humility?
- Where in your own life do you sense God inviting you to trust him more fully and let Christ increase?
- Nicodemus comes by night, perhaps cautious as a ruler, yet genuinely drawn by Jesus' signs (John 3:1-2). Jesus presses past polite conversation to the core need: 'Unless one is born anew, he can't see God's Kingdom' (John 3:3). The new birth, not religious standing, opens the kingdom.
- Jesus speaks of a spiritual birth from above, a cleansing and renewing work of the Holy Spirit (John 3:5-6). He compares the Spirit to wind, unseen yet powerful (John 3:8), to show that this birth is God's sovereign, mysterious gift, not something we manufacture or fully explain.
- When Israel was dying of snakebites, those who looked at the bronze serpent Moses lifted up were healed. Jesus says he too must be lifted up, on the cross, so that all who look to him in faith may have eternal life (John 3:14-15). Salvation comes by trusting the crucified Christ.
- John 3:16 reveals a God whose love reaches the whole world and who gives his only Son so that believers will not perish but have eternal life. It joins God's love, Christ's gift, and our faith. John the Baptist models humility by rejoicing as Christ increases and he decreases (John 3:30).
- This is a personal application question. Invite members to share where they long to trust Christ more or let go of self-importance so he may increase. As leader, encourage gentle, honest sharing, return to John 3:16, and never press anyone to reveal more than they wish.