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John 3:16-36
Contemporary English Version
John 3:16-36
Contemporary English Version
16 God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die. 17 God did not send his Son into the world to condemn its people. He sent him to save them! 18 No one who has faith in God's Son will be condemned. But everyone who doesn't have faith in him has already been condemned for not having faith in God's only Son.
19 The light has come into the world, and people who do evil things are judged guilty because they love the dark more than the light. 20 People who do evil hate the light and won't come to the light, because it clearly shows what they have done. 21 But everyone who lives by the truth will come to the light, because they want others to know that God is really the one doing what they do.
Jesus and John the Baptist
22 Later, Jesus and his disciples went to Judea, where he stayed with them for a while and was baptizing people.
23-24 (A) John had not yet been put in jail. He was at Aenon near Salim, where there was a lot of water, and people were coming there for John to baptize them.
25 John's followers got into an argument with a Jewish man[a] about a ceremony of washing.[b] 26 They went to John and said, “Rabbi, you spoke about a man when you were with him east of the Jordan. He is now baptizing people, and everyone is going to him.”
27 John replied:
No one can do anything unless God in heaven allows it. 28 (B) You surely remember how I told you that I am not the Messiah. I am only the one sent ahead of him.
29 At a wedding the groom is the one who gets married. The best man is glad just to be there and to hear the groom's voice. That's why I am so glad. 30 Jesus must become more important, while I become less important.
The One Who Comes from Heaven
31 God's Son comes from heaven and is above all others. Everyone who comes from the earth belongs to the earth and speaks about earthly things. The one who comes from heaven is above all others. 32 He speaks about what he has seen and heard, and yet no one believes him. 33 But everyone who does believe him has shown that God is truthful. 34 The Son was sent to speak God's message, and he has been given the full power of God's Spirit.
35 (C) The Father loves the Son and has given him everything. 36 Everyone who has faith in the Son has eternal life. But no one who rejects him will ever share in that life, and God will be angry with them forever.
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John 3:16-36
New International Version
John 3:16-36
New International Version
16 For God so loved(A) the world that he gave(B) his one and only Son,(C) that whoever believes(D) in him shall not perish but have eternal life.(E) 17 For God did not send his Son into the world(F) to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.(G) 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned,(H) but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.(I) 19 This is the verdict: Light(J) has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.(K) 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.(L) 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.
John Testifies Again About Jesus
22 After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized.(M) 23 Now John(N) also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were coming and being baptized. 24 (This was before John was put in prison.)(O) 25 An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing.(P) 26 They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi,(Q) that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified(R) about—look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.”
27 To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’(S) 29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom.(T) The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.(U) 30 He must become greater; I must become less.”[a]
31 The one who comes from above(V) is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth.(W) The one who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He testifies to what he has seen and heard,(X) but no one accepts his testimony.(Y) 33 Whoever has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. 34 For the one whom God has sent(Z) speaks the words of God, for God[b] gives the Spirit(AA) without limit. 35 The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands.(AB) 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life,(AC) but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.
Contemporary English Version (CEV) 
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