January 3rd, 2026

The title for this Sunday is the Second Sunday after Christmas. And although this is considered year A and, for the most part, we have a look at the Gospel according to Matthew, the appointed Gospel Reading for this Sunday is Luke 2:40-52, and it is that reading for all three years.

Whatever Sunday of the church year, the writings of this website have gone through the three similar Gospel accounts these last three years, and this year we are going through the significantly different Gospel according to John. But we are doing that in much the same way as before, usually taking a small section at a time, not skipping anything, and presenting each section with a particularly unique, EXTREMELY literal translation of the text.

If you are familiar with what that means, you may skip the rest of this paragraph. Such a translation is designed to work well with another more familiar translation or study bible you might have. For this EXTREMELY literal translation, the words with hyphens occur when more than one English word is used to describe a single word of the ancient Greek. And the words chosen below are meant to point out the close connection that sometimes occurs between the English and Greek languages (you may note that the word “phylactery” below is close to the word for “guard”, as in a prison). Something important to point out is that the order of the words below is also the same order that is in the ancient Greek. (The exception to this is that there are a couple of words that are second in a sentence that are meant to be first when translated.) In general, the verbs appear slightly earlier in the sentence than we have in English. The verbs are in such a special form that they do not need the subject before them in the sentence, as we usually have in English. And generally speaking, the earlier in the sentence, the more important the word is. And although the following does not happen too often within the translation this time, the words in capital letters are called HISTORICAL PRESENTS and help make the connection between the gospel account and its particular living creature. (For the Gospel according to John it is the eagle. In this case the eagle is able to see an important question that is put toward Jesus.) And although it should be somewhat obvious, it should be mentioned that a word which is repeated is important. And speaking of repetition, it was just mentioned in the previous text that Jesus does not “entrust” himself to anyone, but in this text he will talk about people “believing” in him. It is basically the same word, but it goes in a different direction.

Since the current topic at this point is believing, the point may be given at this time that the verse that starts out with “For God so loved” is probably one of the most well-known passages of the Bible, and it is within the translation below. Its context may be quite unfamiliar to many. And at the very end of the translation below, there is a repetition of a couple of the main points of that well-known verse. Salvation is an important topic, and it is not surprising when that subject is repeated.

It should also be said that at the beginning of what is called chapter two, Jesus gave his first sign, a special title for a miracle, and many details regarding that sign were given. Later, in what is called verse twenty-three of that same chapter, more signs are referenced, and these do not have any details. When Jesus heals the official’s son at the very end of what is called chapter four, that is termed the SECOND sign. Can the writer count correctly? Of course he can! There are some signs that are not counted. But it may be said that the signs specifically designated as the first and second ones have a special purpose. And the translation given this week will be slightly longer than normal, and the text given will take the reader up to the middle point between those two important signs. And that particular text will be covered next time.

So, as was promised, what follows is an EXTREMELY literal translation of what could be called the third chapter, an EXTREMELY long text this time (John 3:1-36):

Now  he-was  a-man  out-of  the  Pharisees,  Nicodemus,  name  to-him,  a-ruler  of-the  Jews;  this-one  he-came  toward  him  of-the-night,  and  he-said  to-him,  “Rabbi,  we-know  that  from  God  you-have-come,  a-teacher,  for  no-one  he-is-able  these,  the  signs,  to-do  which  you,  you-are-doing,  if  not  he-is  the  God  with  him.”

He-answered,  Jesus,  and  he-said  to-him,  “Amen,  amen,  I-am-saying  to-you,  if  not  anyone  is-born  again,  not  he-is-able  to-see  the  kingdom  of-the  God.”
HE-SAYS  toward  him,  the  Nicodemus,  “How  is-he-able,  a-man,  to-be-born,  old  being?  Not  is-he-able  into  the  womb  of-the  mother  of-him,  deuteron  to-come-into  and  to-be-born?”

Jesus  answered,  “Amen,  amen,  I-am-saying  to-you,  if  not  anyone  is-born  out-of  water  and  Spirit,  not  he-is-able  to-come-into,  into  the  kingdom  of-the  God.  The-thing  having-been-born  out-of  the  flesh,  flesh  it-is,  and  the-thing  having-been-born  out-of  the  Spirit,  Spirit  it-is.  Do-not  marvel  because  I-said  to-you,  ‘It-is-necessary,  you,  to-be-born  again’;  the  spirit  where  it-wishes,  it-blows;  and  the  sound  of-it  you-hear,  but-on-the-contrary,  not  you-know  from-where  it-comes,  and  where  it-is-going,  thus  it-is  every,  the-one  having-been-born  out-of  the  Spirit.”

He-answered,  Nicodemus,  and  he-said  to-him,  “How  is-it-possible,  these-things  to-happen?”

He-answered,  Jesus,  and  he-said  to-him,  “You,  you-are  the  teacher  of-the  Israel,  and  these-things  not  you-know?  Amen,  amen,  I-am-saying  to-you  that  the-thing  we-know,  we-speak,  and  the-thing  we-have-seen,  we-witness,  and  the  witness  of-us,  not  you-receive.  If  the  earthly-things  I-said  to-you,  and  not  you-believe,  how,  if  I-say  to-you  the  heavenly-things,  will-you-believe?  And  no-one  has-gone-up  into  the  heaven,  if  not  the-one,  out-of  the  heaven,  having-come-down,  the  Son  of-the  Man.  And  as  Moses  lifted-up  the  serpent  in the  wilderness,  so  to-be-lifted-up,  it-is-necessary,  the  Son  of-the  Man,  in-order-that  every,  the  one  believing  in  him,  he-may-have  life  eternal.”
“For  thus  he-loved,  the  God,  the  cosmos,  so-that  the  Son,  the  only-begotten,  he-gave,  in-order-that  every,  the  one  believing  into  him,  not  he-may-perish,  but-on-the-contrary,  he-may-have  life  eternal.  For  not  he-sent-out,  the  God,  the  Son,  into  the  cosmos  in-order-that  he-might-judge  the  cosmos,  but-on-the-contrary,  in-order-that  it-might-be-saved,  the  cosmos,  through  him.  The-one  believing  into  him,  not  is-he-judged;  now  the-one  not  believing,  already  he-has-been-judged,  because  not  he-has-believed  into  the  name  of-the  only-begotten  Son  of-the  God.  Now  this  is  the  judgment,  that  the  Light  has-come  into  the  world,  and  they-loved,  the  men,  rather  the  darkness  than  the  Light;  for  it-was  of-them,  evil,  the  works.  For  everyone  who,  foul-things  practicing,  he-hates  the  Light,  and  not  he-comes  toward  the  Light,  in-order-that  not  he-may-be-convicted,  the  works  of-him.  Now  the-one  doing  the  Truth,  he-comes  toward  the  Light,  in-order-that  it-may-be-manifested  of-him  the  works  that  in  God,  it-is  having-been-worked.”

After  these-things  he-came,  the  Jesus,  and  the  disciples  of-him,  into  the  Judean  land,  and  there  he-was-wearing-thoroughly  with  them,  and  he-was-baptizing.  Now  he-was  also,  the  John,  baptizing  in  Ainon,  near  the  Salim,  because  waters,  many,  was  there,  and  they-were-coming-along,  and  they-were-being-baptized;  for  not-yet  he-was  having-been-thrown  into  the  phylactery,  the  John.

Therefore  it-happened,  a-seeking  out-of  the  disciples  of-John  with  a-Jew  concerning  catharsis.  And  they-came  toward  the  John,  and  they-said  to-him,  “Rabbi,  he-who  was  with  you  across  the  Jordan,  to-whom  you,  you-have-born-witness,  behold,  this-man,  he-baptizes,  and  all,  they-are-coming  toward  him.”
He-answered,  John,  and  he-said,  “Not  is-he-able,  a-man,  to-receive  not-even  one-thing,  if  not  it-is  having-been-given  to-him  out-of  the  heaven.  Yourselves,  you,  to-me,  you-bear-witness  that  I-said,  ‘Not  I-am,  I,  the  Christ,  but-on-the-contrary,  that  having-been-sent-out,  I-am  in-front-of  that-one.’  The-one  having  the  bride,  a-bridegroom  he-is,  now  the  friend  of-the  bridegroom,  the-one  standing  and  hearing  him,  with-joy  he-rejoices  because-of  the  voice  of-the  bridegroom.  Therefore,  this,  the  joy,  the  my,  it-has-been-fulfilled.  That-one  it-is-necessary  to-increase,  now  me,  to-decrease.”
​
“The-one  from-above,  coming  above  all,  he-is;  the-one  being  out-of  the  earth,  out-of  the  earth  he-is,  and  out-of  the  earth  he-talks.  The-one  out-of  the  heaven,  coming  above  all  he-is.  What  he-has-seen  and  he-heard,  this  he-witnesses,  and  the  witness  of-him,  no-one receives.  The-one  having-received  of-him  the  witness,  he-sealed,  that  the  God,  true  he-is.  For  the-one-whom  he-sent-out,  the  God,  the  messages  of-the  God  he-talks,  for  not  out-of  measure  he-gives,  the  Spirit.  The  Father  loves  the  Son,  and  all-things  he-has-given  in  the  hand  of-him.  The-one  believing  into  the  Son,  he-has  life  eternal;  now  the-one  disobeying  the  Son,  not  he-will-see  life,  but-on-the-contrary,  the  wrath  of-the  God,  it-remains  upon  him.”