1Kulikuwa na kiongozi mmoja Myahudi, wa kikundi cha Mafarisayo, jina lake Nikodemo.
1Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
2Siku moja alimwendea Yesu usiku, akamwambia, "Rabi, tunajua kwamba wewe ni mwalimu uliyetumwa na Mungu, maana hakuna mtu awezaye kufanya ishara unazozifanya Mungu asipokuwa pamoja naye."
2the same came unto him by night, and said to him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that thou doest, except God be with him.
3Yesu akamwambia, "Kweli nakwambia, mtu asipozaliwa upya hataweza kuuona ufalme wa Mungu."
3Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except one be born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4Nikodemo akamwuliza, "Mtu mzima awezaje kuzaliwa tena? Hawezi kuingia tumboni mwa mama yake na kuzaliwa mara ya pili!"
4Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter a second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
5Yesu akamjibu, "Kweli nakwambia, mtu asipozaliwa kwa maji na Roho, hawezi kamwe kuingia katika ufalme wa Mungu.
5Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except one be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God!
6Mtu huzaliwa kimwili kwa baba na mama, lakini huzaliwa kiroho kwa Roho.
6That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7Usistaajabu kwamba nimekwambia kuwa ni lazima kuzaliwa upya.
7Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born anew.
8Upepo huvuma kuelekea upendako; waisikia sauti yake, lakini hujui unakotoka wala unakokwenda. Ndivyo ilivyo kwa mtu aliyezaliwa kwa Roho."
8The wind bloweth where it will, and thou hearest the voice thereof, but knowest not whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
9Nikodemo akamwuliza, "Mambo haya yanawezekanaje?"
9Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
10Yesu akamjibu, "Je, wewe ni mwalimu katika Israel na huyajui mambo haya?
10Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou the teacher of Israel, and understandest not these things?
11Kweli nakwambia, sisi twasema tunayoyajua na kushuhudia tuliyoyaona, lakini ninyi hamkubali ujumbe wetu.
11Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that which we know, and bear witness of that which we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.
12Ikiwa nimewaambieni mambo ya kidunia nanyi hamniamini, mtawezaje kuamini nikiwaambieni mambo ya mbinguni?
12If I told you earthly things and ye believe not, how shall ye believe if I tell you heavenly things?
13Hakuna mtu aliyepata kwenda juu mbinguni isipokuwa Mwana wa Mtu ambaye ameshuka kutoka mbinguni.
13And no one hath ascended into heaven, but he that descended out of heaven, [even] the Son of man, who is in heaven.
14"Kama vile Mose alivyomwinua juu nyoka wa shaba kule jangwani, naye Mwana wa Mtu atainuliwa juu vivyo hivyo,
14And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up;
15ili kila anayemwamini awe na uzima wa milele.
15that whosoever believeth may in him have eternal life.
16Maana Mungu aliupenda ulimwengu hivi hata akamtoa Mwana wake wa pekee, ili kila amwaminiye asipotee, bali awe na uzima wa milele.
16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life.
17Maana Mungu hakumtuma Mwanae ulimwenguni ili auhukumu ulimwengu, bali aukomboe ulimwengu.
17For God sent not the Son into the world to judge the world; but that the world should be saved through him.
18"Anayemwamini Mwana hahukumiwi; asiyemwamini amekwisha hukumiwa kwa sababu hakumwamini Mwana wa pekee wa Mungu.
18He that believeth on him is not judged: he that believeth not hath been judged already, because he hath not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19Na hukumu yenyewe ndiyo hii: Mwanga umekuja ulimwenguni lakini watu wakapenda giza kuliko mwanga, kwani matendo yao ni maovu.
19And this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil.
20Kila mtu atendaye maovu anauchukia mwanga, wala haji kwenye mwanga, maana hapendi matendo yake maovu yamulikwe.
20For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, and cometh not to the light, lest his works should be reproved.
21Lakini mwenye kuuzingatia ukweli huja kwenye mwanga, ili matendo yake yaonekane yametendwa kwa kumtii Mungu."
21But he that doeth the truth cometh to the light, that his works may be made manifest, that they have been wrought in God.
22Baada ya hayo, Yesu alifika mkoani Yudea pamoja na wanafunzi wake. Alikaa huko pamoja nao kwa muda, akibatiza watu.
22After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized.
23Yohane pia alikuwa akibatiza watu huko Ainoni, karibu na Salemu, maana huko kulikuwa na maji mengi. Watu walimwendea, naye akawabatiza.
23And John also was baptizing in Enon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.
24(Wakati huo Yohane alikuwa bado hajafungwa gerezani.)
24For John was not yet cast into prison.
25Ubishi ulitokea kati ya baadhi ya wanafunzi wa Yohane na Myahudi mmoja kuhusu desturi za kutawadha.
25There arose therefore a questioning on the part of John's disciples with a Jew about purifying.
26Basi, wanafunzi hao wakamwendea Yohane na kumwambia, "Mwalimu, yule mtu aliyekuwa pamoja nawe ng'ambo ya Yordani na ambaye wewe ulimshuhudia, sasa naye anabatiza, na watu wote wanamwendea."
26And they came unto John, and said to him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond the Jordan, to whom thou hast borne witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him.
27Yohane akawaambia, "Mtu hawezi kuwa na kitu asipopewa na Mungu.
27John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it have been given him from heaven.
28Nanyi wenyewe mwaweza kushuhudia kuwa nilisema: Mimi siye Kristo, lakini nimetumwa ili nimtangulie!
28Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but, that I am sent before him.
29Bibiarusi ni wake bwanaarusi, lakini rafiki yake bwana arusi, anayesimama na kusikiliza, hufurahi sana anapomsikia bwana arusi akisema. Ndivyo furaha yangu ilivyokamilishwa.
29He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, that standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is made full.
30Ni lazima yeye azidi kuwa maarufu, na mimi nipungue.
30He must increase, but I must decrease.
31"Anayekuja kutoka juu ni mkuu kuliko wote; atokaye duniani ni wa dunia, na huongea mambo ya kidunia. Lakini anayekuja kutoka mbinguni ni mkuu kuliko wote.
31He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is of the earth, and of the earth he speaketh: he that cometh from heaven is above all.
32Yeye husema yale aliyoyaona na kuyasikia, lakini hakuna mtu anayekubali ujumbe wake.
32What he hath seen and heard, of that he beareth witness; and no man receiveth his witness.
33Lakini mtu yeyote anayekubali ujumbe wake anathibitisha kwamba Mungu ni kweli.
33He that hath received his witness hath set his seal to [this], that God is true.
34Yule aliyetumwa na Mungu husema maneno ya Mungu, maana Mungu humjalia mtu huyo Roho wake bila kipimo.
34For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for he giveth not the Spirit by measure.
35Baba anampenda Mwana na amemkabidhi vitu vyote.
35The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.
36Anayemwamini Mwana anao uzima wa milele; asiyemtii Mwana hatakuwa na uzima wa milele, bali ghadhabu ya Mungu hubaki juu yake."
36He that believeth on the Son hath eternal life; but he that obeyeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.