The Man Who Came by Night

(John 3:1-12, 16-17, NIV)

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus by night and said, “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.”

In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, unless a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

“But,” said Nicodemus, “how can a man be born again when he is old? Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!”

Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, unless a man is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it pleases. You may hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.

“You are a teacher of Israel,” 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 have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes on him shall not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”