John 3:1-15

Now there was a man named Nicodemus, a Pharisee and a Jewish leader, who came to JESUS at night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from GOD. No one could perform these miracles if GOD were not with him." JESUS said to him, "Here is another truth for you to consider: if a person is not born again, he cannot see the kingdom of GOD." Nicodemus asked him, "How can a man be reborn, when he is already old? Is it possible for him to enter his mother's womb a second time to be born again?" JESUS answered, "I am telling you an absolute truth: if a person is not born of water and the SPIRIT, he cannot enter the kingdom of GOD. That which has been born of man is human. That which is born of the SPIRIT is spirit. Do not be surprised when I tell you, 'you must be born again.' The wind blows wherever it wishes. You hear the sound of it without knowing where it came from or where it is going. So it is with everyone who has been born of the SPIRIT." "How can this be?" Nicodemus asked. JESUS answered and said, "You are a teacher of Israel, and you do not know these things? I am absolutely speaking the truth when I tell you that we are talking about what we know. We are telling the truth about what we have seen. But you do not accept our testimony. If you do not believe me when I tell you about things on earth, how could you ever believe me if I told you about heavenly things? I am the only one who has ever ascended to heaven. I CAME from heaven. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, I too, much in the same way, must be lifted up so that everyone who really believes in me will have eternal life."