UJesu ukhuluma noNikodemu
1Kwakukhona umuntu wakubaFarisi, nguNikodemu igama lakhe, isikhulu sabaJuda. 2Lowo-ke weza kuye ebusuku, wathi kuye: “Rabi, siyazi ukuthi ungumfundisi ovele kuNkulunkulu, ngokuba akakho ongenza lezi zibonakaliso ozenzayo, uma uNkulunkulu engenaye.”
3UJesu waphendula, wathi kuye: “Ngiqinisile, ngiqinisile ngithi kuwe: Uma umuntu engazalwa ngokusha, angewubone umbuso kaNkulunkulu.”
4UNikodemu wathi kuye: “Umuntu angazalwa kanjani esemdala na? Angangena ngokwesibili esiswini sikanina, azalwe, na?”
5Waphendula uJesu, wathi: “Ngiqinisile, ngiqinisile ngithi kuwe: Uma umuntu engazalwa ngamanzi nangoMoya, angengene embusweni kaNkulunkulu. 6Lokho okuzelwe yinyama kuyinyama; nalokho okuzelwe nguMoya kungumoya. 7Ungamangali ngokuba ngithe kuwe: ‘Nimelwe ukuzalwa ngokusha.’ 8Umoya uphephetha lapha uthanda khona; uyaluzwa udumo lwawo, kodwa kawazi lapho uvela khona nalapho uya khona; banjalo bonke abazelwe nguMoya.”
9UNikodemu waphendula, wathi kuye: “Lokhu kungenzeka kanjani na?”
10UJesu waphendula, wathi kuye: “Wena ungumfundisi ka-Israyeli, awukwazi lokhu na? 11Ngiqinisile, ngiqinisile ngithi kuwe: Sikhuluma esikwaziyo, sifakaza ngesikubonileyo; kepha anibamukeli ubufakazi bethu. 12Nxa nginitshelile okomhlaba, kanakholwa; ningakholwa kanjani, uma nginitshela okwasezulwini na? 13Akakho owenyukele ezulwini, kuphela yena owehla ezulwini, iNdodana yomuntu. 14Njengokuba uMose waphakamisa inyoka ehlane, kanjalo iNdodana yomuntu imelwe ukuphakanyiswa 15ukuba yilowo nalowo okholwa yiyo abe nokuphila okuphakade.
16“Ngokuba uNkulunkulu walithanda izwe kangaka, waze wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa ukuba yilowo nalowo okholwa yiyo angabhubhi, kodwa abe nokuphila okuphakade. 17Ngokuba uNkulunkulu kayithumelanga iNdodana ezweni ukuba yahlulele izwe, kodwa ukuba izwe lisindiswe ngayo. 18Okholwa yiyo kahlulelwa; ongakholwa usahlulelwe, lokhu engakholwanga egameni leNdodana ezelwe yodwa kaNkulunkulu. 19Ukwahlulela kuyilokhu ukuba ukukhanya kufikile ezweni, kepha abantu bathanda ubumnyama kunokukhanya, ngokuba imisebenzi yabo ibimibi. 20Ngokuba yilowo nalowo owenza okubi uzonda ukukhanya, akezi ekukhanyeni ukuba imisebenzi yakhe ingasolwa. 21Kepha owenza iqiniso uyeza ekukhanyeni, ukuze imisebenzi yakhe ibonakaliswe ukuthi yenziwe kuNkulunkulu.”
Ubufakazi bokugcina bukaJohane
22Ngasemva kwalokho uJesu weza nabafundi bakhe ezweni laseJudiya; wahlala khona nabo, wabhapathiza. 23Naye uJohane wayebhapathiza e-Enoni eduze neSalimi, ngokuba amanzi ayemaningi lapho; beza babhapathizwa. 24Ngokuba uJohane wayengakafakwa etilongweni. 25Kwase kuvela ukuphikisana phakathi kwabafundi bakaJohane nabaJuda ngokuhlambulula. 26Base beza kuJohane, bathi kuye: “Rabi, lowo owayenawe phesheya kweJordani, owamfakazelayo, bheka, uyabhapathiza, bonke beza kuye.”
27UJohane waphendula wathi: “Umuntu angelwamukele utho, uma engaluphiwanga luvela ezulwini. 28Nina ngokwenu niyangifakazela ukuba ngathi: ‘Angisiye uKristu mina, kodwa ngithunyiwe ngaphambi kwakhe.’ 29Onomlobokazi ungumyeni, kepha umhlobo womyeni omiyo emuzwa uthokoza nokuthokoza ngezwi lomyeni. Le ntokozo yami isiphelele. 30Umelwe ukukhula yena, nginciphe mina.
31“Ovela phezulu uphezu kwakho konke; ovela emhlabeni ungowomhlaba, ukhuluma okomhlaba. Ovela ezulwini uphezu kwakho konke. 32Akubonileyo nakuzwileyo lokho ufakaza ngakho; kepha akakho owamukela ubufakazi bakhe. 33Owamukele ubufakazi bakhe ulubekile uphawu lokuthi uNkulunkulu uqinisile. 34Ngokuba lowo uNkulunkulu amthumileyo ukhuluma amazwi kaNkulunkulu; ngokuba akaniki uMoya ngokulinganisela. 35UYise uyayithanda iNdodana, wanikela konke esandleni sayo. 36Okholwa yiNdodana unokuphila okuphakade; kepha ongakholwa yiNdodana kayikubona ukuphila, kodwa intukuthelo kaNkulunkulu ihlezi phezu kwakhe.”
