1
ܐܝܬ ܗܘܐ ܕܝܢ ܬܡܢ ܚܕ ܓܒܪܐ ܡܢ ܦܪܝܫܐ ܢܝܩܕܡܘܣ ܫܡܗ ܗܘܐ ܐܪܟܘܢܐ ܕܝܗܘܕܝܐ
'yth hw' dyn thmn khd gbr' mn prysh' nyqdmws shmh hw' 'rkwn' dyhwdy'
Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
2
ܗܢܐ ܐܬܐ ܠܘܬ ܝܫܘܥ ܒܠܠܝܐ ܘܐܡܪ ܠܗ ܪܒܝ ܝܕܥܝܢܢ ܕܡܢ ܐܠܗܐ ܐܫܬܕܪܬ ܡܠܦܢܐ ܠܐ ܓܝܪ ܐܢܫ ܡܫܟܚ ܗܠܝܢ ܐܬܘܬܐ ܠܡܥܒܕ ܕܐܢܬ ܥܒܕ ܐܢܬ ܐܠܐ ܡܢ ܕܐܠܗܐ ܥܡܗ
hn' 'th' lwth yshwe blly' w'mr lh rby ydeynn dmn 'lh' 'shthdrth mlpn' l' gyr 'nsh mshkkh hlyn 'thwth' lmebd d'nth ebd 'nth 'l' mn d'lh' emh
The same came to him by night, and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do, unless God is with him.”
3
ܥܢܐ ܝܫܘܥ ܘܐܡܪ ܠܗ ܐܡܝܢ ܐܡܝܢ ܐܡܪ ܐܢܐ ܠܟ ܕܐܢ ܐܢܫ ܠܐ ܡܬܝܠܕ ܡܢ ܕܪܝܫ ܠܐ ܡܫܟܚ ܕܢܚܙܐ ܡܠܟܘܬܗ ܕܐܠܗܐ
en' yshwe w'mr lh 'myn 'myn 'mr 'n' lk d'n 'nsh l' mthyld mn drysh l' mshkkh dnkhz' mlkwthh d'lh'
Jesus answered him,
“Most certainly, I tell you, unless one is born anew,
he can’t see God’s Kingdom.”
4
ܐܡܪ ܠܗ ܢܝܩܕܡܘܣ ܐܝܟܢܐ ܡܫܟܚ ܕܢܬܝܠܕ ܓܒܪܐ ܣܒܐ ܕܠܡܐ ܡܫܟܚ ܬܘܒ ܠܟܪܣܐ ܕܐܡܗ ܕܬܪܬܝܢ ܙܒܢܝܢ ܠܡܥܠ ܘܢܬܝܠܕ
'mr lh nyqdmws 'ykn' mshkkh dnthyld gbr' sb' dlm' mshkkh thwb lkrs' d'mh dthrthyn zbnyn lmel wnthyld
Nicodemus said to 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?”
5
ܥܢܐ ܝܫܘܥ ܘܐܡܪ ܠܗ ܐܡܝܢ ܐܡܝܢ ܐܡܪ ܐܢܐ ܠܟ ܕܐܢ ܐܢܫ ܠܐ ܡܬܝܠܕ ܡܢ ܡܝܐ ܘܪܘܚܐ ܠܐ ܡܫܟܚ ܕܢܥܘܠ ܠܡܠܟܘܬܐ ܕܐܠܗܐ
en' yshwe w'mr lh 'myn 'myn 'mr 'n' lk d'n 'nsh l' mthyld mn my' wrwkh' l' mshkkh dnewl lmlkwth' d'lh'
Jesus answered,
“Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born of water and spirit, he can’t enter into God’s Kingdom.
6
ܡܕܡ ܕܝܠܝܕ ܡܢ ܒܣܪܐ ܒܣܪܐ ܗܘ ܘܡܕܡ ܕܝܠܝܕ ܡܢ ܪܘܚܐ ܪܘܚܐ ܗܘ
mdm dylyd mn bsr' bsr' hw wmdm dylyd mn rwkh' rwkh' hw
That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7
ܠܐ ܬܬܕܡܪ ܕܐܡܪܬ ܠܟ ܕܘܠܐ ܠܟܘܢ ܠܡܬܝܠܕܘ ܡܢ ܕܪܝܫ
l' ththdmr d'mrth lk dwl' lkwn lmthyldw mn drysh
Don’t marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born anew.’
8
ܪܘܚܐ ܐܬܪ ܕܨܒܝܐ ܢܫܒܐ ܘܩܠܗ ܫܡܥ ܐܢܬ ܐܠܐ ܠܐ ܝܕܥ ܐܢܬ ܐܝܡܟܐ ܐܬܝܐ ܘܠܐܝܟܐ ܐܙܠܐ ܗܟܢܐ ܐܝܬܘܗܝ ܟܠܢܫ ܕܝܠܝܕ ܡܢ ܪܘܚܐ
rwkh' 'thr dtsby' nshb' wqlh shme 'nth 'l' l' yde 'nth 'ymk' 'thy' wl'yk' 'zl' hkn' 'ythwhy klnsh dylyd mn rwkh'
The wind
blows where it wants to, and you hear its sound, but don’t know where it comes from and where it is going. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
9
ܥܢܐ ܢܝܩܕܡܘܣ ܘܐܡܪ ܠܗ ܐܝܟܢܐ ܡܫܟܚܢ ܗܠܝܢ ܠܡܗܘܐ
en' nyqdmws w'mr lh 'ykn' mshkkhn hlyn lmhw'
Nicodemus answered him, “How can these things be?”
10
ܥܢܐ ܝܫܘܥ ܘܐܡܪ ܠܗ ܐܢܬ ܗܘ ܡܠܦܢܗ ܕܐܝܣܪܝܠ ܘܗܠܝܢ ܠܐ ܝܕܥ ܐܢܬ
en' yshwe w'mr lh 'nth hw mlpnh d'ysryl whlyn l' yde 'nth
Jesus answered him,
“Are you the teacher of Israel, and don’t understand these things?
11
ܐܡܝܢ ܐܡܝܢ ܐܡܪ ܐܢܐ ܠܟ ܕܡܕܡ ܕܝܕܥܝܢ ܚܢܢ ܡܡܠܠܝܢ ܚܢܢ ܘܡܕܡ ܕܚܙܝܢ ܡܣܗܕܝܢ ܐܢܚܢܢ ܘܣܗܕܘܬܢ ܠܐ ܡܩܒܠܝܢ ܐܢܬܘܢ
'myn 'myn 'mr 'n' lk dmdm dydeyn khnn mmllyn khnn wmdm dkhzyn mshdyn 'nkhnn wshdwthn l' mqblyn 'nthwn
Most certainly I tell you, we speak that which we know, and testify of that which we have seen, and you don’t receive our witness.
12
ܐܢ ܕܒܐܪܥܐ ܐܡܪܬ ܠܟܘܢ ܘܠܐ ܡܗܝܡܢܝܢ ܐܢܬܘܢ ܐܝܟܢܐ ܐܢ ܐܡܪ ܠܟܘܢ ܕܒܫܡܝܐ ܬܗܝܡܢܘܢܢܝ
'n db're' 'mrth lkwn wl' mhymnyn 'nthwn 'ykn' 'n 'mr lkwn dbshmy' thhymnwnny
If I told you earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?
13
ܘܠܐ ܐܢܫ ܣܠܩ ܠܫܡܝܐ ܐܠܐ ܗܘ ܕܢܚܬ ܡܢ ܫܡܝܐ ܒܪܗ ܕܐܢܫܐ ܗܘ ܕܐܝܬܘܗܝ ܒܫܡܝܐ
wl' 'nsh slq lshmy' 'l' hw dnkhth mn shmy' brh d'nsh' hw d'ythwhy bshmy'
No one has ascended into heaven, but he who descended out of heaven, the Son of Man, who is in heaven.
14
ܘܐܝܟܢܐ ܕܐܪܝܡ ܡܘܫܐ ܚܘܝܐ ܒܡܕܒܪܐ ܗܟܢܐ ܥܬܝܕ ܠܡܬܬܪܡܘ ܒܪܗ ܕܐܢܫܐ
w'ykn' d'rym mwsh' khwy' bmdbr' hkn' ethyd lmththrmw brh d'nsh'
As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
15
ܕܟܠ ܐܢܫ ܕܡܗܝܡܢ ܒܗ ܠܐ ܢܐܒܕ ܐܠܐ ܢܗܘܘܢ ܠܗ ܚܝܐ ܕܠܥܠܡ
dkl 'nsh dmhymn bh l' n'bd 'l' nhwwn lh khy' dlelm
that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
16
ܗܟܢܐ ܓܝܪ ܐܚܒ ܐܠܗܐ ܠܥܠܡܐ ܐܝܟܢܐ ܕܠܒܪܗ ܝܚܝܕܝܐ ܢܬܠ ܕܟܠ ܡܢ ܕܡܗܝܡܢ ܒܗ ܠܐ ܢܐܒܕ ܐܠܐ ܢܗܘܘܢ ܠܗ ܚܝܐ ܕܠܥܠܡ
hkn' gyr 'khb 'lh' lelm' 'ykn' dlbrh ykhydy' nthl dkl mn dmhymn bh l' n'bd 'l' nhwwn lh khy' dlelm
For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
17
ܠܐ ܓܝܪ ܫܕܪ ܐܠܗܐ ܠܒܪܗ ܠܥܠܡܐ ܕܢܕܘܢܝܘܗܝ ܠܥܠܡܐ ܐܠܐ ܕܢܚܐ ܠܥܠܡܐ ܒܐܝܕܗ
l' gyr shdr 'lh' lbrh lelm' dndwnywhy lelm' 'l' dnkh' lelm' b'ydh
For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him.
18
ܡܢ ܕܡܗܝܡܢ ܒܗ ܠܐ ܡܬܬܕܝܢ ܘܡܢ ܕܠܐ ܡܗܝܡܢ ܡܢ ܟܕܘ ܕܝܢ ܗܘ ܕܠܐ ܗܝܡܢ ܒܫܡܗ ܕܝܚܝܕܝܐ ܒܪܗ ܕܐܠܗܐ
mn dmhymn bh l' mththdyn wmn dl' mhymn mn kdw dyn hw dl' hymn bshmh dykhydy' brh d'lh'
He who believes in him is not judged. He who doesn’t believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.
19
ܗܢܘ ܕܝܢ ܕܝܢܐ ܕܢܘܗܪܐ ܐܬܐ ܠܥܠܡܐ ܘܐܚܒܘ ܒܢܝܢܫܐ ܠܚܫܘܟܐ ܝܬܝܪ ܡܢ ܕܠܢܘܗܪܐ ܐܝܬܝܗܘܢ ܗܘܘ ܓܝܪ ܥܒܕܝܗܘܢ ܒܝܫܐ
hnw dyn dyn' dnwhr' 'th' lelm' w'khbw bnynsh' lkhshwk' ythyr mn dlnwhr' 'ythyhwn hww gyr ebdyhwn bysh'
This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil.
20
ܟܠ ܓܝܪ ܕܣܢܝܬܐ ܥܒܕ ܣܢܐ ܠܢܘܗܪܐ ܘܠܐ ܐܬܐ ܠܢܘܗܪܐ ܕܠܐ ܢܬܟܣܣܘܢ ܥܒܕܘܗܝ
kl gyr dsnyth' ebd sn' lnwhr' wl' 'th' lnwhr' dl' nthksswn ebdwhy
For everyone who does evil hates the light, and doesn’t come to the light, lest his works would be exposed.
21
ܗܘ ܕܝܢ ܕܥܒܕ ܫܪܪܐ ܐܬܐ ܠܘܬ ܢܘܗܪܐ ܕܢܬܝܕܥܘܢ ܥܒܕܘܗܝ ܕܒܐܠܗܐ ܥܒܝܕܝܢ
hw dyn debd shrr' 'th' lwth nwhr' dnthydewn ebdwhy db'lh' ebydyn
But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his works may be revealed, that they have been done in God.”
22
ܒܬܪ ܗܠܝܢ ܐܬܐ ܝܫܘܥ ܘܬܠܡܝܕܘܗܝ ܠܐܪܥܐ ܕܝܗܘܕ ܘܬܡܢ ܡܬܗܦܟ ܗܘܐ ܥܡܗܘܢ ܘܡܥܡܕ
bthr hlyn 'th' yshwe wthlmydwhy l're' dyhwd wthmn mthhpk hw' emhwn wmemd
After these things, Jesus came with his disciples into the land of Judea. He stayed there with them, and baptized.
23
ܐܦ ܝܘܚܢܢ ܕܝܢ ܡܥܡܕ ܗܘܐ ܒܥܝܢ-ܝܘܢ ܕܥܠ ܓܢܒ ܫܠܝܡ ܡܛܠ ܕܡܝܐ ܐܝܬ ܗܘܘ ܬܡܢ ܣܓܝܐܐ ܘܐܬܝܢ ܗܘܘ ܘܥܡܕܝܢ
'p ywkhnn dyn memd hw' beyn-ywn del gnb shlym mTl dmy' 'yth hww thmn sgy'' w'thyn hww wemdyn
John also was baptizing in Enon near Salim, because there was much water there. They came, and were baptized.
24
ܠܐ ܓܝܪ ܥܕܟܝܠ ܢܦܠ ܗܘܐ ܝܘܚܢܢ ܒܝܬ ܐܣܝܪܐ
l' gyr edkyl npl hw' ywkhnn byth 'syr'
For John was not yet thrown into prison.
25
ܗܘܬ ܗܘܬ ܕܝܢ ܒܥܬܐ ܠܚܕ ܡܢ ܬܠܡܝܕܘܗܝ ܕܝܘܚܢܢ ܥܡ ܝܗܘܕܝܐ ܚܕ ܥܠ ܬܕܟܝܬܐ
hwth hwth dyn beth' lkhd mn thlmydwhy dywkhnn em yhwdy' khd el thdkyth'
There arose therefore a questioning on the part of John’s disciples with some Jews about purification.
26
ܘܐܬܘ ܠܘܬ ܝܘܚܢܢ ܘܐܡܪܘ ܠܗ ܪܒܢ ܗܘ ܕܥܡܟ ܗܘܐ ܒܥܒܪܐ ܕܝܘܪܕܢܢ ܕܐܢܬ ܣܗܕܬ ܥܠܘܗܝ ܗܐ ܐܦ ܗܘ ܡܥܡܕ ܘܣܓܝܐܐ ܐܬܝܢ ܠܘܬܗ
w'thw lwth ywkhnn w'mrw lh rbn hw demk hw' bebr' dywrdnn d'nth shdth elwhy h' 'p hw memd wsgy'' 'thyn lwthh
They came to John, and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, the same baptizes, and everyone is coming to him.”
27
ܥܢܐ ܝܘܚܢܢ ܘܐܡܪ ܠܗܘܢ ܠܐ ܡܫܟܚ ܒܪܢܫܐ ܠܡܣܒ ܡܢ ܨܒܘܬ ܢܦܫܗ ܡܕܡ ܐܠܐ ܐܢ ܐܬܝܗܒ ܠܗ ܡܢ ܫܡܝܐ
en' ywkhnn w'mr lhwn l' mshkkh brnsh' lmsb mn tsbwth npshh mdm 'l' 'n 'thyhb lh mn shmy'
John answered, “A man can receive nothing, unless it has been given him from heaven.
28
ܐܢܬܘܢ ܣܗܕܝܢ ܐܢܬܘܢ ܠܝ ܕܐܡܪܬ ܕܐܢܐ ܠܐ ܗܘܝܬ ܡܫܝܚܐ ܐܠܐ ܫܠܝܚܐ ܐܢܐ ܕܩܕܡܘܗܝ
'nthwn shdyn 'nthwn ly d'mrth d'n' l' hwyth mshykh' 'l' shlykh' 'n' dqdmwhy
You yourselves testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before him.’
29
ܡܢ ܕܐܝܬ ܠܗ ܟܠܬܐ ܚܬܢܐ ܗܘ ܪܚܡܗ ܕܝܢ ܕܚܬܢܐ ܗܘ ܕܩܐܡ ܘܨܐܬ ܠܗ ܚܕܘܬܐ ܪܒܬܐ ܚܕܐ ܡܛܠ ܩܠܗ ܕܚܬܢܐ ܗܕܐ ܗܟܝܠ ܚܕܘܬܐ ܕܝܠܝ ܗܐ ܡܡܠܝܐ
mn d'yth lh klth' khthn' hw rkhmh dyn dkhthn' hw dq'm wts'th lh khdwth' rbth' khd' mTl qlh dkhthn' hd' hkyl khdwth' dyly h' mmly'
He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. This, my joy, therefore is made full.
30
ܠܗܘ ܗܘ ܘܠܐ ܠܡܪܒܐ ܘܠܝ ܠܡܒܨܪ
lhw hw wl' lmrb' wly lmbtsr
He must increase, but I must decrease.
31
ܗܘ ܓܝܪ ܕܡܢ ܠܥܠ ܐܬܐ ܠܥܠ ܡܢ ܟܠ ܗܘ ܘܗܘ ܕܡܢ ܐܪܥܐ ܡܢ ܐܪܥܐ ܗܘ ܘܡܢ ܐܪܥܐ ܡܡܠܠ ܗܘ ܕܡܢ ܫܡܝܐ ܐܬܐ ܠܥܠ ܡܢ ܟܠ ܗܘ
hw gyr dmn lel 'th' lel mn kl hw whw dmn 're' mn 're' hw wmn 're' mmll hw dmn shmy' 'th' lel mn kl hw
He who comes from above is above all. He who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.
32
ܘܡܕܡ ܕܚܙܐ ܘܫܡܥ ܡܣܗܕ ܘܣܗܕܘܬܗ ܠܐ ܐܢܫ ܡܩܒܠ
wmdm dkhz' wshme mshd wshdwthh l' 'nsh mqbl
What he has seen and heard, of that he testifies; and no one receives his witness.
33
ܗܘ ܕܝܢ ܕܩܒܠ ܣܗܕܘܬܗ ܚܬܡ ܕܐܠܗܐ ܫܪܝܪܐ ܗܘ
hw dyn dqbl shdwthh khthm d'lh' shryr' hw
He who has received his witness has set his seal to this, that God is true.
34
ܐܝܢܐ ܓܝܪ ܕܐܠܗܐ ܫܕܪܗ ܡܠܐ ܗܘ ܕܐܠܗܐ ܡܡܠܠ ܠܐ ܗܘܐ ܓܝܪ ܒܟܝܠܐ ܝܗܒ ܐܠܗܐ ܪܘܚܐ
'yn' gyr d'lh' shdrh ml' hw d'lh' mmll l' hw' gyr bkyl' yhb 'lh' rwkh'
For he whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for God gives the Spirit without measure.
35
ܐܒܐ ܡܚܒ ܠܒܪܐ ܘܟܠ ܡܕܡ ܝܗܒ ܒܐܝܕܘܗܝ
'b' mkhb lbr' wkl mdm yhb b'ydwhy
The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand.
36
ܡܢ ܕܡܗܝܡܢ ܒܒܪܐ ܐܝܬ ܠܗ ܚܝܐ ܕܠܥܠܡ ܘܡܢ ܕܠܐ ܡܬܛܦܝܣ ܠܒܪܐ ܠܐ ܢܚܙܐ ܚܝܐ ܐܠܐ ܪܘܓܙܗ ܕܐܠܗܐ ܢܩܘܐ ܥܠܘܗܝ
mn dmhymn bbr' 'yth lh khy' dlelm wmn dl' mthTpys lbr' l' nkhz' khy' 'l' rwgzh d'lh' nqw' elwhy
One who believes in the Son has eternal life, but one who disobeys
the Son won’t see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”