3:5a
Truly, truly, I tell you: Jesus used these words to introduce a statement that he wanted to emphasize. The pronoun you is singular here. See the note on 3:3a, where the same expression is used.
3:5b
no one can enter the kingdom of God: This expression introduces a necessary condition for entering the kingdom of God. In order to enter the kingdom of God, the following condition (which is stated in 3:5c) must be met. Consider how it is natural to introduce this condition. For example:
If anyone wants to enter the kingdom of God
-or-
If you are going to enter the kingdom of God
-or-
In order to enter the kingdom of God
enter the kingdom of God: This expression means the same thing as “see the kingdom of God” in 3:3b. See the note there. The expression means to become one of God’s people, people who confess that God is their king and obey him. It refers to experiencing or living in God’s kingdom, under God’s rule.
the kingdom of God: This phrase refers to God’s rule. God rules as a good and just king who loves, protects, and blesses his people. See how you translated this expression at 3:3b.
3:5c
unless he is born of water and the Spirit: This expression states the condition for entering the kingdom of God. A person must be born of water and Spirit. Consider how it is natural to express a condition which must be fulfilled before something else becomes possible. For example:
born of water and the Spirit: There are two main ways to understand the connection between water and Spirit in this phrase:
(1) They refer to the same event. The phrases born of water and born of…the Spirit both refer to how God cleanses and gives new life to people.
(2) They refer to two different events. There are various suggestions as to what these events are. One suggestion is that born of water refers to baptism while born of…the Spirit refers to the new birth. Another suggestion is that born of water refers to physical birth and born of…the Spirit to second or spiritual birth.
Most English translations imply the first interpretation by following the Greek and using the phrase born of only once. It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). That is because the form of the Greek phrase connects the two nouns water and Spirit together.
born of water: The phrase born of water here means “born by or through water.” This is probably a metaphor that refers to cleansing from sin. See Ezekiel 36:25. Some interpreters think that it refers to baptism, either John’s baptism or Christian baptism. However, it is not recommended that you make this explicit. It is probably implied, because baptism represents cleansing from sin.
born of…the Spirit: The words born of belong with Spirit as well as “with water.” A person must be born of (or “from”) Spirit as well as of (or “from”) water. This probably indicates that it is the Holy Spirit who must give a person new birth, or new life. In some languages it may be necessary to make this explicit. For example:
it is necessary that the Holy Spirit give him a new life
-or-
born by means of the power of the God’s Spirit
General Comment on 3:5b–c
In some languages it may be natural to reverse the order of 3:5b–c and state the condition first. For example:
5a Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, 5c unless one is born of water and the Spirit, 5b he cannot enter the kingdom of God. (English Standard Version)
3:5b–c contains a double negative, as in 3:3b and 3:2c. See how you translated the double negatives in those verses. In some languages it is more natural to both reorder the clauses and change the double negative to a positive. For example:
5a Jesus said, “I seriously assure you that 5c you must be born of/by water and the Spirit 5b in order to enter God’s kingdom.
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