V
AT THE PASSOVER.
How the Lord Jesus Went Again to Jerusalem, What He Did, and the Friends He Made There.

And the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And he found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: and he made a scourge of cords, and cast all out of the temple, both the sheep and the oxen; and he poured out the changers' money and overthrew their tables; and to them that sold the doves he said, "Take these things hence; make not my Father's house a house of merchandise."

Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed on his name, beholding his signs which he did.

Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: the same came unto him by night, and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these signs that thou doest, except God be with him."

Jesus answered and said unto him, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

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Nicodemus said unto 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?"

Jesus answered, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, 'Ye must be born anew.' The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the voice thereof, but knowest not whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is everyone that is born of the Spirit."

Nicodemus answered and said unto him, "How can these things be?" Jesus replied to him, "Art thou the teacher of Israel, and understandest not these things? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and bear witness of that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. If I told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you heavenly things? And no man hath ascended into heaven, but he that descended out of heaven, even the Son of man, which is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth may in him have eternal life."

(This is the end of the story of the Lord Jesus and Nicodemus. What follows is added by the writer of the gospel.)