CHAPTER 75.
Project Gutenberg EPUB edition
Levi
Nicodemus visits Jesus in the night. Jesus reveals to him the meaning of the new birth and the kingdom of heaven.
Nicodemus was a ruler of the Jews, and he was earnest, learned and devout.
2 He saw the master’s signet in the face of Jesus as he talked, but was not brave enough to publicly confess his faith in him;
3 So in the night he went to talk with Jesus at the home of Jude.
4 When Jesus saw him come he said, Full blessed are the pure in heart;
5 Twice blessed are the fearless, pure in heart;
6 Thrice blessed are the fearless, pure in heart who dare to make confession of their faith before the highest courts.
7 And Nicodemus said, Hail, master, hail! I know you are a teacher come from God, for man alone could never teach as you have taught; could never do the works that you have done.
8 And Jesus said, Except a man be born again he cannot see the king; he cannot comprehend the words I speak.
9 And Nicodemus said, How can a man be born again? Can he go back into the womb and come again to life?
10 And Jesus said, The birth of which I speak is not the birth of flesh.
11 Except a man be born of water and the Holy Breath, he cannot come into the kingdom of the Holy One.
12 That which is born of flesh is child of man; that which is born of Holy Breath is child of God.
13 The winds blow where they please; men hear their voices, and may note results; but they know not from whence they come, nor where they go; and so is every one that is born of Holy Breath.
14 The ruler said, I do not understand; pray tell me plainly what you mean.
15 And Jesus said, The kingdom of the Holy One is in the soul; men cannot see it with their carnal eyes; with all their reasoning powers they comprehend it not.
16 It is a life deep hid in God; its recognition is the work of inner consciousness.
17 The kingdoms of the world are kingdoms of the sight; the kingdom of the Holy One is that of faith; its king is love.
18 Men cannot see the love of God unmanifest, and so our Father-God has clothed this love with flesh—flesh of a son of man.
19 And that the world may see and know this love made manifest, the son of man must needs be lifted up.
20 As Moses in the wilderness raised up the serpent for the healing of the flesh, the son of man must be raised up.
21 That all men bitten by the serpent of the dust, the serpent of this carnal life, may live.
22 He who believes in him shall have eternal life.
23 For God so loved the world that he sent forth his only son to be raised up that men may see the love of God.
24 God did not send his son to judge the world; he sent him forth to save the world; to bring men to the light.
25 But men love not the light, for light reveals their wickedness; men love the dark.
26 Now, every one who loves the truth comes to the light; he does not fear to have his works made manifest.
27 The light had come, and Nicodemus went his way; he knew the meaning of the birth of Holy Breath; he felt the presence of the Spirit in his soul.
28 And Jesus tarried in Jerusalem for many days and taught and healed the sick.
29 The common people gladly listened to his words, and many left their all of carnal things and followed him.