John Chapter 3

5 When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he spake this; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.

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

7 But Jesus did not trust himself unto them, for that he knew all men,

8 and because he needed not that any one should bear witness concerning man; for he himself knew what was in man.

9 Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

10 the same came unto him by night, and said to him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that thou doest, except God be with him.

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

12 Nicodemus saith 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?

13 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except one be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

14 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

15 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born anew.

16 The wind bloweth where it will, and thou hearest the voice thereof, but knowest not whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

17 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?

18 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou the teacher of Israel, and understandest not these things?

19 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that which we know, and bear witness of that which we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.

20 If I told you earthly things and ye believe not, how shall ye believe if I tell you heavenly things?

21 And no one hath ascended into heaven, but he that descended out of heaven,

22 even the Son of man, who is in heaven.

23 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up;

24 that whosoever believeth may in him have eternal life.

25 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life.

26 For God sent not the Son into the world to judge the world; but that the world should be saved through him.

27 He that believeth on him is not judged: he that believeth not hath been judged already, because he hath not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God.

28 And this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil.

29 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, and cometh not to the light, lest his works should be reproved.

30 But he that doeth the truth cometh to the light, that his works may be made manifest, that they have been wrought in God.

31 After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judæa; and there he tarried with them, and baptized.

32 And John also was baptizing in Ænon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.

33 For John was not yet cast into prison.

34 There arose therefore a questioning on the part of John’s disciples with a Jew about purifying.

35 And they came unto John, and said to him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond the Jordan, to whom thou hast borne witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him.

36 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it have been given him from heaven.

darby (darby) - eBible.org Darby 1890 plaintext

1 But there was a man from among the Pharisees, his name Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews;

2 he came to him by night, and said to him, Rabbi, we know that thou art come a teacher fromGod, for none can do these signs that thou doest unlessGod be with him.

3 Jesus answered and said to him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except any one be born anew he cannot see the kingdom ofGod.

4 Nicodemus says to him, How can a man be born being old? can he enter a second time into the womb of his mother and be born?

5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except any one be born of water and of Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom ofGod.

6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

7 Do not wonder that I said to thee, It is needful that ye should be born anew.

8 The wind blows where it will, and thou hearest its voice, but knowest not whence it comes and where it goes: thus is every one that is born of the Spirit.

9 Nicodemus answered and said to him, How can these things be?

10 Jesus answered and said to him, Thou art the teacher of Israel and knowest not these things!

11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that which we know, and we bear witness of that which we have seen, and ye receive not our witness.

12 If I have said the earthly things to you, and ye believe not, how, if I say the heavenly things to you, will ye believe?

13 And no one has gone up into heaven, save he who came down out of heaven, the Son of man who is in heaven.

14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, thus must the Son of man be lifted up,

15 that every one who believes on him may [not perish, but] have life eternal.

16 ForGod so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believes on him may not perish, but have life eternal.

17 ForGod has not sent his Son into the world that he may judge the world, but that the world may be saved through him.

18 He that believes on him is not judged: but he that believes not has been already judged, because he has not believed on the name of the only-begotten Son ofGod.

19 And this is the judgment, that light is come into the world, and men have loved darkness rather than light; for their works were evil.

20 For every one that does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light that his works may not be shewn as they are;

21 but he that practises the truth comes to the light, that his works may be manifested that they have been wrought inGod.

22 After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he abode with them and baptised.

23 And John also was baptising in Aenon, near Salim, because there was a great deal of water there; and they came to [him] and were baptised:

24 for John was not yet cast into prison.

25 There was therefore a reasoning of the disciples of John with a Jew about purification.

26 And they came to John and said to him, Rabbi, he who was with thee beyond the Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, he baptises, and all come to him.

27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing unless it be given him out of heaven.

28 Ye yourselves bear me witness that I said, I am not the Christ, but, that I am sent before him.

29 He that has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices in heart because of the voice of the bridegroom: this my joy then is fulfilled.

30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

31 He who comes from above is above all. He who has his origin in the earth is of the earth, and speaks [as] of the earth. He who comes out of heaven is above all,

32 [and] what he has seen and has heard, this he testifies; and no one receives his testimony.

33 He that has received his testimony has set to his seal thatGod is true;

34 for he whomGod has sent speaks the words ofGod, forGod gives not the Spirit by measure.

35 The Father loves the Son, and has given all things [to be] in his hand.

36 He that believes on the Son has life eternal, and he that is not subject to the Son shall not see life, but the wrath ofGod abides upon him.

vul1914 (vul1914) - Vulgate 1914 UTF-8 (sacredbible.org)

1 Erat autem homo ex Pharisæis, Nicodemus nomine, princeps Iudæorum.

2 Hic venit ad Iesum nocte, et dixit ei: Rabbi, scimus quia a Deo venisti magister, nemo enim potest hæc signa facere, quæ tu facis, nisi fuerit Deus cum eo.

3 Respondit Iesus, et dixit ei: Amen, amen dico tibi, nisi quis renatus fuerit denuo, non potest videre regnum Dei.

4 Dicit ad eum Nicodemus: Quomodo potest homo nasci, cum sit senex? numquid potest in ventrem matris suæ iterato introire, et renasci?

5 Respondit Iesus: Amen, amen dico tibi, nisi quis renatus fuerit ex aqua, et Spiritu sancto, non potest introire in regnum Dei.

6 Quod natum est ex carne, caro est: et quod natum est ex spiritu, spiritus est.

7 Non mireris quia dixi tibi: oportet vos nasci denuo.

8 Spiritus ubi vult spirat: et vocem eius audis, sed nescis unde veniat, aut quo vadat: sic est omnis, qui natus est ex spiritu.

9 Respondit Nicodemus, et dixit ei: Quomodo possunt hæc fieri?

10 Respondit Iesus, et dixit ei: Tu es magister in Israel, et hæc ignoras?

11 Amen, amen dico tibi, quia quod scimus loquimur, et quod vidimus testamur, et testimonium nostrum non accipitis.

12 Si terrena dixi vobis, et non creditis: quomodo, si dixero vobis cælestia, credetis?

13 Et nemo ascendit in cælum, nisi qui descendit de cælo, Filius hominis, qui est in cælo.

14 Et sicut Moyses exaltavit serpentem in deserto; ita exaltari oportet Filium hominis:

15 ut omnis, qui credit in ipsum, non pereat, sed habeat vitam æternam.

16 Sic enim Deus dilexit mundum, ut Filium suum unigenitum daret: ut omnis, qui credit in eum, non pereat, sed habeat vitam æternam.

17 Non enim misit Deus Filium suum in mundum, ut iudicet mundum, sed ut salvetur mundus per ipsum.

18 Qui credit in eum, non iudicatur: qui autem non credit, iam iudicatus est: quia non credit in nomine unigeniti Filii Dei.

19 Hoc est autem iudicium: quia lux venit in mundum, et dilexerunt homines magis tenebras, quam lucem: erant enim eorum mala opera.

20 Omnis enim, qui male agit, odit lucem, et non venit ad lucem, ut non arguantur opera eius:

21 qui autem facit veritatem, venit ad lucem, ut manifestentur opera eius, quia in Deo sunt facta.

22 Post hæc venit Iesus, et discipuli eius in terram Iudæam: et illic demorabatur cum eis, et baptizabat.

23 Erat autem et Ioannes baptizans in Ænnon, iuxta Salim: quia aquæ multæ erant illic, et veniebant, et baptizabantur.

24 Nondum enim missus fuerat Ioannes in carcerem.

25 Facta est autem quæstio ex discipulis Ioannis cum Iudæis de Purificatione.

26 Et venerunt ad Ioannem, et dixerunt ei: Rabbi, qui erat tecum trans Iordanem, cui tu testimonium perhibuisti, ecce hic baptizat, et omnes veniunt ad eum.

27 Respondit Ioannes, et dixit: Non potest homo accipere quidquam, nisi fuerit ei datum de cælo.

28 Ipsi vos mihi testimonium perhibetis, quod dixerim: Non sum ego Christus: sed quia missus sum ante illum.

29 Qui habet sponsam, sponsus est: amicus autem sponsi, qui stat, et audit eum, gaudio gaudet propter vocem sponsi. Hoc ergo gaudium meum impletum est.

30 Illum oportet crescere, me autem minui.

31 Qui desursum venit, super omnes est. Qui est de terra, de terra est, et de terra loquitur. Qui de cælo venit, super omnes est.

32 Et quod vidit, et audivit, hoc testatur: et testimonium eius nemo accipit.

33 Qui accepit eius testimonium, signavit quia Deus verax est.

34 Quem enim misit Deus, verba Dei loquitur: non enim ad mensuram dat Deus spiritum.

35 Pater diligit Filium: et omnia dedit in manu eius.

36 Qui credit in Filium, habet vitam æternam: qui autem incredulus est Filio, non videbit vitam, sed ira Dei manet super eum.

web (web) - WorldEnglish.Bible — CC0 modern update of ASV

1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.

2 He came to Jesus 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 Jesus answered him, “Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born anew, he can’t see God’s Kingdom.”

4 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 Jesus answered, “Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born of water and Spirit, he can’t enter into God’s Kingdom.

6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

7 Don’t marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born anew.’

8 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 Nicodemus answered him, “How can these things be?”

10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and don’t understand these things?

11 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 If I told you earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?

13 No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended out of heaven, the Son of Man, who is in heaven.

14 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,

15 that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only born Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

17 For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him.

18 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 only born Son of God.

19 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 For everyone who does evil hates the light and doesn’t come to the light, lest his works would be exposed.

21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his works may be revealed, that they have been done in God.”

22 After these things, Jesus came with his disciples into the land of Judea. He stayed there with them and baptized.

23 John also was baptizing in Enon near Salim, because there was much water there. They came and were baptized;

24 for John was not yet thrown into prison.

25 Therefore a dispute arose on the part of John’s disciples with some Jews about purification.

26 They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, he baptizes, and everyone is coming to him.”

27 John answered, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven.

28 You yourselves testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before him.’

29 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. Therefore my joy is made full.

30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

31 “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 What he has seen and heard, of that he testifies; and no one receives his witness.

33 He who has received his witness has set his seal to this, that God is true.

34 For he whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for God gives the Spirit without measure.

35 The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand.

36 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.”

wh1881 (wh1881) - Westcott-Hort Greek NT 1881 eBible USFM

1 ην δε ανθρωπος εκ των φαρισαιων νικοδημος ονομα αυτω αρχων των ιουδαιων

2 ουτος ηλθεν προς αυτον νυκτος και ειπεν αυτω ραββι οιδαμεν οτι απο θεου εληλυθας διδασκαλος ουδεις γαρ δυναται ταυτα τα σημεια ποιειν α συ ποιεις εαν μη η ο θεος μετ αυτου

3 απεκριθη ιησους και ειπεν αυτω αμην αμην λεγω σοι εαν μη τις γεννηθη ανωθεν ου δυναται ιδειν την βασιλειαν του θεου

4 λεγει προς αυτον [ο] νικοδημος πως δυναται ανθρωπος γεννηθηναι γερων ων μη δυναται εις την κοιλιαν της μητρος αυτου δευτερον εισελθειν και γεννηθηναι

5 απεκριθη [ο] ιησους αμην αμην λεγω σοι εαν μη τις γεννηθη εξ υδατος και πνευματος ου δυναται εισελθειν εις την βασιλειαν του θεου

6 το γεγεννημενον εκ της σαρκος σαρξ εστιν και το γεγεννημενον εκ του πνευματος πνευμα εστιν

7 μη θαυμασης οτι ειπον σοι δει υμας γεννηθηναι ανωθεν

8 το πνευμα οπου θελει πνει και την φωνην αυτου ακουεις αλλ ουκ οιδας ποθεν ερχεται και που υπαγει ουτως εστιν πας ο γεγεννημενος εκ του πνευματος

9 απεκριθη νικοδημος και ειπεν αυτω πως δυναται ταυτα γενεσθαι

10 απεκριθη ιησους και ειπεν αυτω συ ει ο διδασκαλος του ισραηλ και ταυτα ου γινωσκεις

11 αμην αμην λεγω σοι οτι ο οιδαμεν λαλουμεν και ο εωρακαμεν μαρτυρουμεν και την μαρτυριαν ημων ου λαμβανετε

12 ει τα επιγεια ειπον υμιν και ου πιστευετε πως εαν ειπω υμιν τα επουρανια πιστευσετε

13 και ουδεις αναβεβηκεν εις τον ουρανον ει μη ο εκ του ουρανου καταβας ο υιος του ανθρωπου

14 και καθως μωυσης υψωσεν τον οφιν εν τη ερημω ουτως υψωθηναι δει τον υιον του ανθρωπου

15 ινα πας ο πιστευων εν αυτω εχη ζωην αιωνιον

16 ουτως γαρ ηγαπησεν ο θεος τον κοσμον ωστε τον υιον τον μονογενη εδωκεν ινα πας ο πιστευων εις αυτον μη αποληται αλλα εχη ζωην αιωνιον

17 ου γαρ απεστειλεν ο θεος τον υιον εις τον κοσμον ινα κρινη τον κοσμον αλλ ινα σωθη ο κοσμος δι αυτου

18 ο πιστευων εις αυτον ου κρινεται ο μη πιστευων ηδη κεκριται οτι μη πεπιστευκεν εις το ονομα του μονογενους υιου του θεου

19 αυτη δε εστιν η κρισις οτι το φως εληλυθεν εις τον κοσμον και ηγαπησαν οι ανθρωποι μαλλον το σκοτος η το φως ην γαρ αυτων πονηρα τα εργα

20 πας γαρ ο φαυλα πρασσων μισει το φως και ουκ ερχεται προς το φως ινα μη ελεγχθη τα εργα αυτου

21 ο δε ποιων την αληθειαν ερχεται προς το φως ινα φανερωθη αυτου τα εργα οτι εν θεω εστιν ειργασμενα

22 μετα ταυτα ηλθεν ο ιησους και οι μαθηται αυτου εις την ιουδαιαν γην και εκει διετριβεν μετ αυτων και εβαπτιζεν

23 ην δε και [ο] ιωαννης βαπτιζων εν αινων εγγυς του σαλειμ οτι υδατα πολλα ην εκει και παρεγινοντο και εβαπτιζοντο

24 ουπω γαρ ην βεβλημενος εις την φυλακην ιωαννης

25 εγενετο ουν ζητησις εκ των μαθητων ιωαννου μετα ιουδαιου περι καθαρισμου

26 και ηλθαν προς τον ιωαννην και ειπαν αυτω ραββι ος ην μετα σου περαν του ιορδανου ω συ μεμαρτυρηκας ιδε ουτος βαπτιζει και παντες ερχονται προς αυτον

27 απεκριθη ιωαννης και ειπεν ου δυναται ανθρωπος λαμβανειν ουδεν εαν μη η δεδομενον αυτω εκ του ουρανου

28 αυτοι υμεις μοι μαρτυρειτε οτι ειπον [εγω] ουκ ειμι εγω ο χριστος αλλ οτι απεσταλμενος ειμι εμπροσθεν εκεινου

29 ο εχων την νυμφην νυμφιος εστιν ο δε φιλος του νυμφιου ο εστηκως και ακουων αυτου χαρα χαιρει δια την φωνην του νυμφιου αυτη ουν η χαρα η εμη πεπληρωται

30 εκεινον δει αυξανειν εμε δε ελαττουσθαι

31 ο ανωθεν ερχομενος επανω παντων εστιν ο ων εκ της γης εκ της γης εστιν και εκ της γης λαλει ο εκ του ουρανου ερχομενος επανω παντων εστιν

32 ο εωρακεν και ηκουσεν τουτο μαρτυρει και την μαρτυριαν αυτου ουδεις λαμβανει

33 ο λαβων αυτου την μαρτυριαν εσφραγισεν οτι ο θεος αληθης εστιν

34 ον γαρ απεστειλεν ο θεος τα ρηματα του θεου λαλει ου γαρ εκ μετρου διδωσιν το πνευμα

35 ο πατηρ αγαπα τον υιον και παντα δεδωκεν εν τη χειρι αυτου

36 ο πιστευων εις τον υιον εχει ζωην αιωνιον ο δε απειθων τω υιω ουκ οψεται ζωην αλλ η οργη του θεου μενει επ αυτον

ylt (ylt) - Bible.com YLT98 plain UTF-8

1 And there was a man of the Pharisees, Nicodemus his name, a ruler of the Jews,

2 this one came unto him by night, and said to him, `Rabbi, we have known that from God thou hast come--a teacher, for no one these signs is able to do that thou dost, if God may not be with him.'

3 Jesus answered and said to him, `Verily, verily, I say to thee, If any one may not be born from above, he is not able to see the reign of God;'

4 Nicodemus saith unto him, `How is a man able to be born, being old? is he able into the womb of his mother a second time to enter, and to be born?'

5 Jesus answered, `Verily, verily, I say to thee, If any one may not be born of water, and the Spirit, he is not able to enter into the reign of God;

6 that which hath been born of the flesh is flesh, and that which hath been born of the Spirit is spirit.

7 `Thou mayest not wonder that I said to thee, It behoveth you to be born from above;

8 the Spirit where he willeth doth blow, and his voice thou dost hear, but thou hast not known whence he cometh, and whither he goeth; thus is every one who hath been born of the Spirit.'

9 Nicodemus answered and said to him, `How are these things able to happen?'

10 Jesus answered and said to him, `Thou art the teacher of Israel--and these things thou dost not know!

11 `Verily, verily, I say to thee--What we have known we speak, and what we have seen we testify, and our testimony ye do not receive;

12 if the earthly things I said to you, and ye do not believe, how, if I shall say to you the heavenly things, will ye believe?

13 and no one hath gone up to the heaven, except he who out of the heaven came down--the Son of Man who is in the heaven.

14 `And as Moses did lift up the serpent in the wilderness, so it behoveth the Son of Man to be lifted up,

15 that every one who is believing in him may not perish, but may have life age-during,

16 for God did so love the world, that His Son--the only begotten--He gave, that every one who is believing in him may not perish, but may have life age-during.

17 For God did not send His Son to the world that he may judge the world, but that the world may be saved through him;

18 he who is believing in him is not judged, but he who is not believing hath been judged already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

19 `And this is the judgment, that the light hath come to the world, and men did love the darkness rather than the light, for their works were evil;

20 for every one who is doing wicked things hateth the light, and doth not come unto the light, that his works may not be detected;

21 but he who is doing the truth doth come to the light, that his works may be manifested, that in God they are having been wrought.'

22 After these things came Jesus and his disciples to the land of Judea, and there he did tarry with them, and was baptizing;

23 and John was also baptizing in Aenon, nigh to Salem, because there were many waters there, and they were coming and were being baptized--

24 for John was not yet cast into the prison--

25 there arose then a question from the disciples of John with <FI>some<Fi> Jews about purifying,

26 and they came unto John, and said to him, `Rabbi, he who was with thee beyond the Jordan, to whom thou didst testify, lo, this one is baptizing, and all are coming unto him.'

27 John answered and said, `A man is not able to receive anything, if it may not have been given him from the heaven;

28 ye yourselves do testify to me that I said, I am not the Christ, but, that I am having been sent before him;

29 he who is having the bride is bridegroom, and the friend of the bridegroom, who is standing and hearing him, with joy doth rejoice because of the voice of the bridegroom; this, then, my joy hath been fulfilled.

30 `Him it behoveth to increase, and me to become less;

31 he who from above is coming is above all; he who is from the earth, from the earth he is, and from the earth he speaketh; he who from the heaven is coming is above all.

32 `And what he hath seen and heard this he doth testify, and his testimony none receiveth;

33 he who is receiving his testimony did seal that God is true;

34 for he whom God sent, the sayings of God he speaketh; for not by measure doth God give the Spirit;

35 the Father doth love the Son, and all things hath given into his hand;

36 he who is believing in the Son, hath life age-during; and he who is not believing the Son, shall not see life, but the wrath of God doth remain upon him.'

Explanations by Age Level

Explain Like I'm 5

A long, long time ago, there was nothing at all - no earth, no sky, no animals, no people. It was all dark and empty. But God was there! God is so powerful that He can make anything just by speaking. So God said "Let there be light!" and BOOM! There was light everywhere! God saw that the light was beautiful and good. He called the light "day" and the darkness "night." This was the very first day when God started making our wonderful world!

Explain Like I'm 10

Before anything existed - no planets, stars, or life - God decided to create the universe. The earth started out as a dark, empty place covered with water. But God's Spirit was there, ready to bring order and beauty to everything. When God spoke and said "Let there be light," light immediately appeared because God's words have incredible power. God looked at the light and was pleased with what He had made. He organized time by separating light (day) from darkness (night), creating the first 24-hour period. This shows us that God is organized and purposeful in everything He does.

Explain Like I'm 15

Genesis 1:1-5 establishes fundamental theological truths about God and creation. The Hebrew word "bara" (created) indicates creation from nothing (ex nihilo), demonstrating God's absolute sovereignty and power. The phrase "without form and void" (tohu wa-bohu) describes a state of chaos that God transforms into order. The Spirit of God "hovering" or "brooding" over the waters suggests active, caring involvement in creation. The creation of light before the sun (created on day 4) indicates that God Himself is the ultimate source of light and energy. The establishment of day and night creates the framework of time, showing that God operates within orderly patterns while transcending them. This passage refutes both atheistic materialism and pantheism, establishing that God is both transcendent (separate from creation) and immanent (actively involved in it).