1Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
1 Amoon na ca Farisen ya nit ku ñu naan Nikodem te mu bokk ca kilifay Yawut ya.
2The same came to him by night, and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do, unless God is with him.”
2 Genn guddi mu ñëw ca Yeesu ne ko: «Kilifa gi, xam nanu ne, Yàllaa la yónni ngir nga jàngal nu, ndaxte kenn mënul a def firnde yii ngay wone te Yàlla àndul ak moom.»
3Jesus answered him, “Most certainly, I tell you, unless one is born anew, The word translated “anew” here and in John 3:7 (anothen) also means “again” and “from above”. he can’t see the Kingdom of God.”
3 Yeesu tontu ko ne: «Ci dëgg-dëgg maa ngi la koy wax, képp ku judduwaatul doo man a seede nguuru Yàlla.»
4Nicodemus said to 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?”
4 Nikodem ne ko: «Nit ku xas ba màggat, nan lay man a judduwaate? Ndax day dellu ci biiru yaayam ngir judduwaat?»
5Jesus answered, “Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born of water and spirit, he can’t enter into the Kingdom of God!
5 Yeesu tontu ko ne: «Ci dëgg-dëgg maa ngi la koy wax, ku judduwul ci ndox ak ci Xelum Yàlla, doo man a bokk ci nguuru Yàlla.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
6 Lu juddoo ci nit, nit la; waaye lu juddoo ci Xelum Yàlla, xel la.
7 Don’t marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born anew.’
7 Li ma ne: “Fàww ngeen judduwaat,” bumu la jaaxal.
8 The wind The same Greek word (pneuma) means wind, breath, and spirit. blows where it wants to, and you hear its sound, but don’t know where it comes from and where it is going. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
8 Ngelaw fu ko neex lay jublu. Yaa ngi koy dégg waaye xamuloo fu mu jóge, xamuloo fu mu jëm. Noonu la mel it ci képp ku juddoo ci Xelum Yàlla.»
9Nicodemus answered him, “How can these things be?”
9 Ci baat yooyu Nikodem ne ko: «Nu loolu man a ame?»
10Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and don’t understand these things?
10 Yeesu tontu ko ne: «Yaw yaay jàngal bànni Israyil te xamuloo mbir yii?
11 Most certainly I tell you, we speak that which we know, and testify of that which we have seen, and you don’t receive our witness.
11 Ci dëgg-dëgg maa ngi la koy wax, noo ngi wax li nu xam, di nettali li nu gis, waaye nanguwuleen a gëm li nu seede.
12 If I told you earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?
12 Gannaaw gëmuleen li ma leen di wax ci mbiri àddina, naka ngeen man a gëme, bu ma leen waxee ci mbiri asamaan?
13 No one has ascended into heaven, but he who descended out of heaven, the Son of Man, who is in heaven.
13 Kenn musul a yéeg ci asamaan su dul ki fa jóge, muy Doomu nit ki.
14 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
14 Te itam na Musaa sampe woon ab bant ca diggu màndiŋ ma, takk ca jaan, ja mu defare woon xànjar, fàww ñu yékkatee noonu Doomu nit ki,
15 that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
15 ngir képp ku ko gëm am ci moom dund gu dul jeex.»
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
16 Ndaxte Yàlla dafa bëgg àddina, ba joxe jenn Doomam ji mu am kepp, ngir képp ku ko gëm am dund gu dul jeex te doo sànku mukk.
17 For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him.
17 Yàlla yónniwul Doomam ci àddina ngir mu daan nit ñi, waaye ngir musal leen.
18 He who believes in him is not judged. He who doesn’t believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.
18 Képp ku ko gëm deesu la daan, waaye ku ko gëmul daan nañu la ba noppi, ndaxte gëmuloo ci turu Doom ji Yàlla am kepp.
19 This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil.
19 Ci nii la àtte bi ame: leer gi ñëw na ci àddina, waaye nit lëndëm gi lañu taamu ndax seeni jëf yu bon.
20 For everyone who does evil hates the light, and doesn’t come to the light, lest his works would be exposed.
20 Képp kuy def lu bon day bañ leer gi te du ci ñëw, ndax ragal ay jëfam di feeñ bëccëgu ndarakàmm.
21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his works may be revealed, that they have been done in God.”
21 Waaye ku def lu jub day ñëw ci leer gi, ngir ñu xam ne, def na ay jëfam ci kanam Yàlla.
22After these things, Jesus came with his disciples into the land of Judea. He stayed there with them, and baptized.
22 Gannaaw loolu Yeesu ànd ak ay taalibeem, dem ca biir diiwaanu Yude, toog fa ak ñoom ab diir, di sóob nit ñi ci ndox.
23John also was baptizing in Enon near Salim, because there was much water there. They came, and were baptized.
23 Yaxya moom itam doon na sóobe ci ndox ci dëkku Aynon, ca wetu dëkku Salim, ndaxte diiwaan booba bare woon na ndox. Nit ñi daan nañu ñëw ci moom, mu di leen sóob.
24For John was not yet thrown into prison.
24 Booba tëjaguñu Yaxya ci kaso.
25There arose therefore a questioning on the part of John’s disciples with some Jews about purification.
25 Foofa ay taalibey Yaxya tàmbalee werante ak benn Yawut ci mbirum sangu set.
26They came to John, and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, the same baptizes, and everyone is coming to him.”
26 Ci kaw loolu ñu dem ca Yaxya ne ko: «Kilifa gi, ndax fàttaliku nga kooka nga seede woon te mu nekkoon ak yaw ca gannaaw dexu Yurdan? Moom de, ma ngay sóobe ci ndox léegi te ñépp a ngay dem ca moom!»
27John answered, “A man can receive nothing, unless it has been given him from heaven.
27 Yaxya tontu leen: «Kenn mënul a am dara lu ko Yàlla joxul.
28You yourselves testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before him.’
28 Yéen ci seen bopp man ngeen a seede ne, waxoon naa ne, duma Almasi bi waaye dañu maa yónni ma jiitusi ko.
29He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. This, my joy, therefore is made full.
29 Kiy céetal moo moom séetam. Waaye xaritu kiy céetal dafay taxaw di ko déglu, tey bég, bu déggee baatam. Mbég moomu moo di sama bos tey, te fi mu nekk mat na sëkk.
30He must increase, but I must decrease.
30 Li war moo di moom, mu gën a màgg te man, ma gën a féete suuf.»
31He who comes from above is above all. He who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.
31 Ki jóge ci kaw moo féete kaw ñépp; ki jóge ci suuf nag, ci suuf rekk la man a bokk, te ni niti àddina lay waxe. Ki jóge asamaan
32What he has seen and heard, of that he testifies; and no one receives his witness.
32 day wax li mu gis ak li mu dégg, waaye kenn nanguwul li mu seede.
33He who has received his witness has set his seal to this, that God is true.
33 Képp ku nangu seedeem nangu nga ne Yàlla, dëgg lay wax.
34For he whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for God gives the Spirit without measure.
34 Ndaw li Yàlla yónni, kàddug Yàlla lay wax, ndaxte mayu Xel mu Sell, mi Yàlla sol ci moom, amul dayo.
35The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand.
35 Baay bi dafa bëgg Doom ji, te jox na ko sañ-sañ ci lépp.
36One who believes in the Son has eternal life, but one who disobeys The same word can be translated “disobeys” or “disbelieves” in this context. the Son won’t see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”
36 Ku gëm Doom ji, am nga dund gu dul jeex; ku déggadil Doom ji, amuloo dund, waaye merum Yàllaa ngi la tiim.