1 There was a man named Nicodemus, a Pharisee and a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came at night to where Jesus was and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God, for nobody could do the miraculous signs you’re doing unless God was with him."
3 "I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "Unless you are reborn,3:3. Or "born from above." you can’t experience God’s kingdom."
4 "How can you be reborn when you’re old?" Nicodemus asked. "You can’t go back into your mother’s womb and be born a second time!"
5 "I tell you the truth, you can’t enter God’s kingdom unless you are born of water and the Spirit," Jesus told him. 6 "What’s born of the body is body, and what’s born of the Spirit is Spirit. 7 Don’t be surprised at my telling you, ‘You must be reborn.’3:7. The first "you" refers to Nicodemus in the singular. The second "you" is plural, and refers to a wider audience. 8 The wind blows wherever it wants, and just as you hear the sound it makes, but don’t know where it’s coming from or where it’s going, that’s how it is for everyone who is born of the Spirit."
9 "How is this possible?" Nicodemus asked.
10 "You’re a famous teacher in Israel,3:10. Literally, "you are the teacher of Israel." and yet you don’t understand such things?" Jesus replied.