John
Chapter 3
1 1 Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2
有一个法利塞党人，名叫尼苛德摩，是个犹太人的首领。
2 He came to Jesus at 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 are doing unless God is with him.＂
有一夜，他来到耶稣前，向他说：＂辣彼，我们知道你是由天主而来的师傅，因为天主若不同他在一起，谁也不能行你所行的这些神迹。＂
3 Jesus answered and said to him, ＂Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born 3 from above.＂
耶稣回答说：＂我实实在在告诉你：人除非由上而生，不能见到天主的国。＂
4 Nicodemus said to him, ＂How can a person once grown old be born again? Surely he cannot reenter his mother's womb and be born again, can he?＂
尼苛德摩说：＂人已年老，怎样能重生呢？难道他还能再入母腹而重生吗？＂
5 Jesus answered, ＂Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.
耶稣回答说：＂我实实在在告诉你：人除非由水和圣神而生，不能进天主的国：
6 What is born of flesh is flesh and what is born of spirit is spirit.
由肉生的属于肉，由神生的属于神。
7 Do not be amazed that I told you,‘You must be born from above.'
你不要惊奇，因我给你说了：你们应该由上而生。
8 The wind 4 blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.＂
风随意向那里吹，你听到风的响声，却不知道风从那里来，往那里去：凡由圣神而生的就是这样。＂
9 Nicodemus answered and said to him, ＂How can this happen?＂
尼苛德摩问说：＂这事怎么能成就呢？＂
10 Jesus answered and said to him, ＂You are the teacher of Israel and you do not understand this?
耶稣回答说：＂你是以色列的师傅；连这事你都不知道吗？
11 Amen, amen, I say to you, we speak of what we know and we testify to what we have seen, but you people do not accept our testimony.
我实实在在告诉你：我们知道的，我们才讲论；我们见过的，我们才作证；而你们却不接受我们的作证。
12 If I tell you about earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?
若我给你们说地上的事，你们尚且不信；若我给你们说天上的事，你们怎么会信呢？
13 No one has gone up to heaven except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man.
没有人上过天，除了那自天降下而仍在天上的人子。
14 And just as Moses lifted up 5 the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
正如梅瑟曾在旷野里高举了蛇，人子也应照样被举起来，
15 6 so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.＂
使凡信的人，在他内得永生。
16 For God so loved the world that he gave 7 his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.
天主竟这样爱了世界，甚至赐下了自己的独生子，使凡信他的人不至丧亡，反而获得永生，
17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn 8 the world, but that the world might be saved through him.
因为天主没有派遣子到世界上来审判世界，而是为叫世界藉着他而获救。
18 Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
那信从他的，不受审判；那不信的，已受了审判，因为他没有信从天主独生子的名字。
19 9 And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil.
审判就在于此：光明来到了世界，世人却爱黑暗甚于光明，因为他们的行为是邪恶的。
20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed.
的确，凡作恶的，都憎恶光明，也不来就光明，怕自己的行为彰显出来；
21 But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.
然而履行真理的，却来就光明，为显示出他的行为是在天主内完成的。
22 10 After this, Jesus and his disciples went into the region of Judea, where he spent some time with them baptizing.
此后，耶稣和门徒来到犹太地，同他们一起住在那里施洗。
23 John was also baptizing in Aenon near Salim, 11 because there was an abundance of water there, and people came to be baptized,
那时若翰也在临近撒林的艾农施洗，因为那里水多，人们常来受洗。
24 12 for John had not yet been imprisoned.
那时，若翰尚未被投在监狱里。
25 Now a dispute arose between the disciples of John and a Jew 13 about ceremonial washings.
若翰的门徒和一个犹太人，关于取洁礼发生了争辩。
26 So they came to John and said to him, ＂Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you testified, here he is baptizing and everyone is coming to him.＂
他们便来到若翰前对他说：＂辣彼，曾同你一起在约旦河对岸，你给他作证的那位，看，他也施洗；并且众人都到他那里去了。＂
27 John answered and said, ＂No one can receive anything except what has been given him from heaven.
若翰回答说：＂人不能领受什么，除非有天上的赏赐。
28 You yourselves can testify that I said (that) I am not the Messiah, but that I was sent before him.
你们自己可以给我作证，我曾说过：我不是默西亚，我只是被派遣作他前驱的。
29 The one who has the bride is the bridegroom; the best man, 14 who stands and listens for him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. So this joy of mine has been made complete.
有新娘的是新郎；新郎的朋友，侍立静听，一听得新郎的声音，就非常喜乐：我的喜乐已满足了。
30 He must increase; I must decrease.＂
他应该兴盛，我却应该衰微。
31 15 The one who comes from above is above all. The one who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of earthly things. But the one who comes from heaven (is above all).
那由上而来的，超越一切。那出于下地的，是属于下地，且讲论下地的事；那自上天而来的，超越万有之上，
32 He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony.
他对所见所闻的，予以作证，却没有人接受他的见证。
33 Whoever does accept his testimony certifies that God is trustworthy.
那接受他见证的人，就证实天主是真实的。
34 For the one whom God sent speaks the words of God. He does not ration his gift 16 of the Spirit.
天主所派遣的，讲论天主的话，因为天主把圣神无限量的赏赐了他。
35 The Father loves the Son and has given everything over to him.
父爱子，并把一切交在他手中。
36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains upon him.
那信从子的，便有永生，那不信从子的，不但不会见到生命，反有天主的义怒常在他身上。
Footnotes(注解)
1 [1-21] Jesus instructs Nicodemus on the necessity of a new birth from above. This scene in Jerusalem at Passover exemplifies the faith engendered by signs (John 2:23). It continues the self-manifestation of Jesus in Jerusalem begun in John 2. This is the first of the Johannine discourses, shifting from dialogue to monologue (John 3:11-15) to reflection of the evangelist (John 3:16-21). The shift from singular through John 3:10 to plural in John 3:11 may reflect the early church's controversy with the Jews.
2 [1] A ruler of the Jews: most likely a member of the Jewish council, the Sanhedrin; see the note on Mark 8:31.
3 [3] Born: see the note on John 1:13. From above: the Greek adverb anothen means both ＂from above＂ and ＂again.＂ Jesus means ＂from above＂ (see John 3:31) but Nicodemus misunderstands it as ＂again.＂ This misunderstanding serves as a springboard for further instruction.
4 [8] Wind: the Greek word pneuma (as well as the Hebrew ruah) means both ＂wind＂ and ＂spirit.＂ In the play on the double meaning, ＂wind＂ is primary.
5 [14] Lifted up: in Numbers 21:9 Moses simply ＂mounted＂ a serpent upon a pole. John here substitutes a verb implying glorification. Jesus, exalted to glory at his cross and resurrection, represents healing for all.
6 [15] Eternal life: used here for the first time in John, this term stresses quality of life rather than duration.
7 [16] Gave: as a gift in the incarnation, and also ＂over to death＂ in the crucifixion; cf Romans 8:32.
8 [17-19] Condemn: the Greek root means both judgment and condemnation. Jesus' purpose is to save, but his coming provokes judgment; some condemn themselves by turning from the light.
9 [19] Judgment is not only future but is partially realized here and now.
10 [22-26] Jesus' ministry in Judea is only loosely connected with John 2:13-3:21; cf John 1:19-36. Perhaps John the Baptist's further testimony was transposed here to give meaning to ＂water＂ in John 3:5. Jesus is depicted as baptizing (John 3:22); contrast John 4:2.
11 [23] Aenon near Salim: site uncertain, either in the upper Jordan valley or in Samaria.
12 [24] A remark probably intended to avoid objections based on a chronology like that of the synoptics (Matthew 4:12; Mark 1:14).
13 [25] A Jew: some think Jesus is meant. Many manuscripts read ＂Jews.＂
14 [29] The best man: literally, ＂the friend of the groom,＂ the shoshben of Jewish tradition, who arranged the wedding. Competition between him and the groom would be unthinkable.
15 [31-36] It is uncertain whether these are words by the Baptist, Jesus, or the evangelist. They are reflections on the two preceding scenes.
16 [34] His gift: of God or to Jesus, perhaps both. This verse echoes John 5:8.