3
1 Now there was a man of the Perushim. His name was Rav Nakdimon, a* katzin (leader) of the Yehudim. 2 This one came to Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach under cover of lailah and said to him, Rabbi, we have da'as that you are a moreh from Hashem having come, for no one is able these otot (miraculous signs) to do, which you do, unless Hashem is with him. 3 In reply, he said to him, Omein, omein, I say to you, unless someone is born anew,† he is not able to see the Malchut Hashem. 4 Rav Nakdimon says to Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, How is a man, being old, able to be born? Surely he is not able into the womb of immo a second time to enter and to be born? 5 In reply, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said, Omein, omein, I say to you: unless someone is born of mayim‡ and Ruach Hakodesh,§ he is not able to enter into the Malchut Hashem.* 6 That which is born of basar is basar, and that which is born of the Ruach is ruach. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, It is necessary for you to be born again, born anew. 8 The ruach (wind, Spirit) blows where it wishes, and the sound of it you hear, but you do not have da'as of where it comes from and where it goes;† so it is with everyone having been born of the Ruach Hakodesh.‡
9 In reply, Rav Nakdimon said to Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, How is it possible for these things to happen? 10 In reply, he said to him, You hold the teaching office of rabbi, of moreh b'Yisroel and of these things you do not have da'as? 11 Omein, omein, I say to you, that of which we have da'as we speak, and of that which we have seen, we give solemn edut (testimony), and the solemn edut of us you [pl.] do not receive. 12 If I told you [pl.] about things of the Olam Hazeh and you have no emunah, how will you have emunah if I tell you about the things of the Olam Haba? 13 And no one has ascended into Shomayim except the one having descended out of Shomayim, the Bar Enosh.§ 14 And as Moshe lifted up the nachash in the wilderness,* so it is necessary for there to be a hagbah (lifting up) of the Bar Enosh.† 15 That everyone having emunah‡ in him may have Chayyei Olam.§
16 For Hashem so had ahavah (agape) for the Olam Hazeh that Hashem gave the matanah (gift)* of Hashemʼs Ben Yechid,† so that whosoever has emunah in him may not be ne'evad (lost, perish, be ruined with destruction), but find Chayyei Olam.‡ 17 For Hashem did not send the Ben HaElohim into the Olam Hazeh that he might judge the Olam Hazeh, but that the Olam Hazeh might be brought to the Geulah (Redemption) of the Olam Haba through him (Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach).§ 18 The one of emunah who is mekabel Moshiach (accepting the person of the Bar Enosh, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach) is not judged; but the one without emunah who is not mekabel Moshiach, already has been judged and given the psak din (verdict) of “condemned,” because he has no emunah in the Shem of the Ben Yachid of Hashem. 19 And this is the psak din, that the Ohr has come into the Olam Hazeh, and Bnei Adam had ahavah for the choshech rather than for the Ohr, for their ma'asim were ra'im (evil).* 20 For everyone walking in the derech resha'im has sin'as chinom (baseless hatred) for the Ohr and does not come to the Ohr, lest his ma'asim be exposed.† 21 But the one doing HaEmes comes to the Ohr that his ma'asim hamitzot may be manifested, that they have been wrought in Hashem.
22 After these things Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach and his talmidim came into the land of Yehudah, and there he was staying with them and was giving the mikveh mayimʼs tevilah. 23 And Yochanan was also giving the tevilah near Shalem at Einayim, because there was plenty of water there for a mikveh, and the Yehudim were coming and submitting to the tevilah. 24 Yochanan had not yet been incarcerated in the beit hasohar (prison).
25 There was then a discussion of Yochananʼs talmidim with one of the Yehudim about the subject of tohorah (purification). 26 And they came to Yochanan and said to him, Rabbi, he who was with you beyond the Yarden, the one to whom you have given solemn edut, hinei, this one gives the mikveh mayimʼs tevilah and kol Bnei Adam come to him. 27 In reply, Yochanan said, A man is not able to receive anything, unless it has been given to him from Shomayim. 28 You yourselves stand as eidus (witness) to me, that I said I am not the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, but I have been sent gevorn forois before him (forerunner).‡ 29 The one having the Kallah (bride) is the Choson (Bridegroom),§ but the Shoshvin (the Chosonʼs best man), the one having stood and hearing him with simcha, rejoices because of the kol (voice) of the Choson (Bridegroom). Therefore, this simcha of mine has been made sheleimah (complete). 30 It is necessary for that one* to increase, but for me to decrease.
31 The one coming from above (Moshiach) is over all; the one being from Olam Hazeh is of Olam Hazeh and of the Olam Hazeh he speaks; Hu Habah (He who comes),† from Shomayim is over all. 32 Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach gives solemn edut (testimony) to that which he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his eidus. 33 The one who is mekabel Moshiachʼs eidus has thereby set his chotam of attestation that Hashem is Emes. 34 For he whom Hashem sent speaks the Divrei Hashem, for He gives the Ruach Hakodesh without measure.‡ 35 Elohim HaAv (the Father) has ahavah (love) for HaBen§ and has given all things into his hand. 36 The one with emunah in the Ben [HaElohim] has Chayyei Olam; but the one disobeying the Ben [HaElohim] will not see Chayyim, but the Charon Af Hashem remains on him.
* 3:1 Sanhedrist † 3:3 born again, Yn 1:13; Dt 10:16; 30:6; Jer 4:4; Isa 52:1; Ezek 44:7,9 ‡ 3:5 Ps 36:9 [10] § 3:5 Ezek 36:25-27; 37:14 * 3:5 Lk 17:21 † 3:8 Koh 11:5 ‡ 3:8 Ezek 37:9 § 3:13 Dan 7:13-14; Prov 30:4; Dt 30:12 * 3:14 Num 21:8-9 † 3:14 Ps 22; Isa 53 ‡ 3:15 Gn 15:1-6; Num 14:11; Ex 14:31 § 3:15 Dan 12:2; Isa 52:13 * 3:16 Isa 9:6 [5] † 3:16 Gn 22:12; Prov 30:4; 8:30 ‡ 3:16 Dan 12:2 § 3:17 Isa 53:11 * 3:19 Ps 52:3 † 3:20 Ps 1:6; Job 24:13-17 ‡ 3:28 Mal 3:1 § 3:29 i.e., Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach * 3:30 Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach † 3:31 i.e., Moshiach ‡ 3:34 Isa 42:1 § 3:35 Prov 30:4; 8:30