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John 2:13-3:21
New American Bible (Revised Edition)

Cleansing of the Temple. 13 [a]Since the Passover[b] of the Jews was near,(A) Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 [c]He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves,[d] as well as the money-changers seated there.(B) 15 He made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen, and spilled the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables, 16 and to those who sold doves he said, “Take these out of here, and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.”(C) 17 [e]His disciples recalled the words of scripture,(D) “Zeal for your house will consume me.” 18 At this the Jews answered and said to him, “What sign can you show us for doing this?”(E) 19 Jesus answered and said to them,[f](F) “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews said, “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years,[g] and you will raise it up in three days?” 21 But he was speaking about the temple of his body. 22 Therefore, when he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they came to believe the scripture and the word Jesus had spoken.(G)

23 While he was in Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, many began to believe in his name when they saw the signs he was doing.(H) 24 But Jesus would not trust himself to them because he knew them all, 25 and did not need anyone to testify about human nature. He himself understood it well.(I)

Chapter 3

Nicodemus.[h] 1 (J)Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.[i] 2 He came to Jesus at night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one can do these signs that you are doing unless God is with him.”(K) 3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born[j] from above.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a person once grown old be born again? Surely he cannot reenter his mother’s womb and be born again, can he?”(L) 5 Jesus answered, “Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.(M) 6 What is born of flesh is flesh and what is born of spirit is spirit.(N) 7 Do not be amazed that I told you, ‘You must be born from above.’ 8 The wind[k] blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”(O) 9 Nicodemus answered and said to him, “How can this happen?” 10 Jesus answered and said to him, “You are the teacher of Israel and you do not understand this? 11 Amen, amen, I say to you, we speak of what we know and we testify to what we have seen, but you people do not accept our testimony.(P) 12 If I tell you about earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?(Q) 13 No one has gone up to heaven except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man.(R) 14 And just as Moses lifted up[l] the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,(S) 15 [m]so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”

16 For God so loved the world that he gave[n] his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.(T) 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn[o] the world, but that the world might be saved through him.(U) 18 Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.(V) 19 [p]And this is the verdict,(W) that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed.(X) 21 But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.(Y)

Footnotes

  1. 2:13–22 This episode indicates the post-resurrectional replacement of the temple by the person of Jesus.
  2. 2:13 Passover: this is the first Passover mentioned in John; a second is mentioned in Jn 6:4; a third in Jn 13:1. Taken literally, they point to a ministry of at least two years.
  3. 2:14–22 The other gospels place the cleansing of the temple in the last days of Jesus’ life (Matthew, on the day Jesus entered Jerusalem; Mark, on the next day). The order of events in the gospel narratives is often determined by theological motives rather than by chronological data.
  4. 2:14 Oxen, sheep, and doves: intended for sacrifice. The doves were the offerings of the poor (Lv 5:7). Money-changers: for a temple tax paid by every male Jew more than nineteen years of age, with a half-shekel coin (Ex 30:11–16), in Syrian currency. See note on Mt 17:24.
  5. 2:17 Ps 69:10, changed to future tense to apply to Jesus.
  6. 2:19 This saying about the destruction of the temple occurs in various forms (Mt 24:2; 27:40; Mk 13:2; 15:29; Lk 21:6; cf. Acts 6:14). Mt 26:61 has: “I can destroy the temple of God…”; see note there. In Mk 14:58, there is a metaphorical contrast with a new temple: “I will destroy this temple made with hands and within three days I will build another not made with hands.” Here it is symbolic of Jesus’ resurrection and the resulting community (see Jn 2:21 and Rev 21:2). In three days: an Old Testament expression for a short, indefinite period of time; cf. Hos 6:2.
  7. 2:20 Forty-six years: based on references in Josephus (Jewish Wars 1:401; Antiquities 15:380), possibly the spring of A.D. 28. Cf. note on Lk 3:1.
  8. 3:1–21 Jesus instructs Nicodemus on the necessity of a new birth from above. This scene in Jerusalem at Passover exemplifies the faith engendered by signs (Jn 2:23). It continues the self-manifestation of Jesus in Jerusalem begun in Jn 2. This is the first of the Johannine discourses, shifting from dialogue to monologue (Jn 3:11–15) to reflection of the evangelist (Jn 3:16–21). The shift from singular through Jn 3:10 to plural in Jn 3:11 may reflect the early church’s controversy with the Jews.
  9. 3:1 A ruler of the Jews: most likely a member of the Jewish council, the Sanhedrin; see note on Mk 8:31.
  10. 3:3 Born: see note on Jn 1:13. From above: the Greek adverb anōthen means both “from above” and “again.” Jesus means “from above” (see Jn 3:31) but Nicodemus misunderstands it as “again.” This misunderstanding serves as a springboard for further instruction.
  11. 3:8 Wind: the Greek word pneuma (as well as the Hebrew rûah) means both “wind” and “spirit.” In the play on the double meaning, “wind” is primary.
  12. 3:14 Lifted up: in Nm 21:9, Moses simply “mounted” a serpent upon a pole. John here substitutes a verb implying glorification. Jesus, exalted to glory at his cross and resurrection, represents healing for all.
  13. 3:15 Eternal life: used here for the first time in John, this term stresses quality of life rather than duration.
  14. 3:16 Gave: as a gift in the incarnation, and also “over to death” in the crucifixion; cf. Rom 8:32.
  15. 3:17–19 Condemn: the Greek root means both judgment and condemnation. Jesus’ purpose is to save, but his coming provokes judgment; some condemn themselves by turning from the light.
  16. 3:19 Judgment is not only future but is partially realized here and now.
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Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.