1 Zvino kwakanga kuno mumwe murume weboka ravaFarisi ainzi Nikodhimo, nhengo yedare ravaJudha raitonga.
2 Akauya kuna Jesu usiku akati, “Rabhi, tinoziva kuti muri mudzidzisi akabva kuna Mwari. Nokuti hakuna munhu angagona kuita zviratidzo zvamunoita kana Mwari asinaye.”
3 Jesu akapindura akati, “Ndinokuudza chokwadi, hakuna munhu angaona umambo hwaMwari kana asina kuberekwa patsva.”
4 Nikodhimo akabvunza akati, “Munhu angaberekwa seiko iye ava mukuru? Zvirokwazvo haangagoni kupinda mudumbu ramai vake kechipiri kuti aberekwe patsva!”
5 Jesu akapindura akati, “Ndinokuudza chokwadi, hakuna munhu angapinda muumambo hwaMwari kana asina kuberekwa nemvura uye noMweya.
6 Nyama inobereka nyama, asi Mweya anobereka Mweya.
7 Haufaniri kushamiswa nezvandareva ndichiti, ‘Unofanira kuberekwa patsva.’
8 Mhepo inovhuvhuta ichienda kwainoda. Unonzwa inzwi rayo, asi haugoni kuziva kwainobva kana kwainoenda. Ndizvo zvakaitawo vose vakaberekwa noMweya.”
9 Nikodhimo akati, “Zvingaitika seiko izvi?”
10 Jesu akati, “Iwe uri mudzidzisi wavaIsraeri, asi haunzwisisi zvinhu izvi?
11 Ndinokuudza chokwadi, tinotaura zvatinoziva, uye tinopupura zvatakaona, asi hazvo, imi vanhu hamutongogamuchiri uchapupu hwedu.
12 Ndataura kwauri pamusoro pezvinhu zvapanyika uye hautendi; zvino ungatenda sei kana ndikataura pamusoro pezvinhu zvokudenga?
13 Hakuna munhu akamboenda kudenga kunze kwaiye akabva kudenga, iye Mwanakomana woMunhu.
14 Mozisi sezvaakasimudza nyoka murenje, saizvozvo Mwanakomana woMunhu anofanira kusimudzwawo,
15 kuti ani naani anotenda kwaari ave noupenyu husingaperi.
16 “Nokuti Mwari akada nyika nokudaro, kuti akapa Mwanakomana wake mumwe oga, kuti ani naani anotenda kwaari arege kufa asi ave noupenyu husingaperi.
17 Nokuti Mwari haana kutuma Mwanakomana wake panyika kuti atonge nyika, asi kuti nyika iponeswe kubudikidza naye.
18 Ani naani anotenda kwaari haatongwi, asi ani naani asingatendi atotongwa nokuti haana kutenda muzita roMwanakomana mumwe oga waMwari.
19 Kutongwa ndokuku: Chiedza chakasvika munyika, asi vanhu vakada rima panzvimbo yechiedza nokuti mabasa avo akanga akaipa.
20 Mumwe nomumwe anoita zvakaipa anovenga chiedza, uye haapindi muchiedza nokuti anotya kuti mabasa ake angaiswa pachena.
21 Asi ani naani anorarama muchokwadi anouya muchiedza, kuitira kuti zvaakaita zvionekwe pachena kuti zvakaitwa kubudikidza naMwari.”
22 Shure kwaizvozvo, Jesu navadzidzi vake vakabuda vakaenda kunyika yeJudhea, uko kwaakandogara navo kwechinguva, uye akabhabhatidza.
23 Zvino Johaniwo aibhabhatidza paAenoni pedyo neSarimu nokuti pakanga pane mvura zhinji, uye vanhu vakanga vachiramba vachiuya kuti vazobhabhatidzwa.
24 (Panguva iyi, Johani akanga asati aiswa mutorongo.)
25 Nharo dzakamuka pakati pavamwe vadzidzi vaJohani nomumwe muJudha pamusoro penyaya dzokuzvinatsa nokushamba.
26 Vakauya kuna Johani uye vakati kwaari, “Rabhi, uya murume wamakanga muinaye mhiri kwaJorodhani, iye wamakapupura nezvake, onai, ari kubhabhatidza, uye vanhu vose vari kuenda kwaari.”
27 Johani akapindura achiti, “Munhu anongogamuchira chete zvaanenge apiwa zvichibva kudenga.
28 Imi pachenyu mungandipupurira kuti ndakati, ‘Ini handisini Kristu, asi ndakatumwa mberi kwake.’
29 Mwenga ndowechikomba. Shamwari inoshandira chikomba inomira ichimunzwa uye inozara nomufaro painonzwa inzwi rechikomba. Mufaro uyo ndowangu, uye iye zvino wakwana.
30 Anofanira kuva mukuru; ini ndinofanira kudukupiswa.
31 “Uyo anobva kumusoro ndiye ari pamusoro pavose; uyo anobva panyika ndowenyika, uye anotaura somunhu anobva panyika. Uyo anobva kudenga ndiye ari pamusoro pavose.
32 Iye anopupura zvaakaona nezvaakanzwa, asi hakuna munhu anogamuchira uchapupu hwake.
33 Munhu anohugamuchira, anopupura kuti Mwari ndowechokwadi.
34 Nokuti uyo akatumwa naMwari anotaura mashoko aMwari, nokuti Mwari anopa Mweya asingayeri.
35 Baba vanoda mwanakomana uye vakaisa zvose mumaoko ake.
36 Ani naani anotenda muMwanakomana ano upenyu husingaperi, asi ani naani anoramba Mwanakomana haangaoni upenyu, nokuti kutsamwa kwaMwari kunogara pamusoro pake.”