John 3 — Clausal Layout (English)

independentparticipialrelativepurposecausecomparativecontentconditionalphrase modifierdashed = verbless / suspended

Flush-left = a main (independent) clause. Each dependent line begins directly beneath the word it attaches to in the line above — the anchor word is dotted-underlined, and lights up when you hover its dependent clause; each tag also names the attachment. A dashed border marks verbless, elliptical, or suspended lines. Where a long sentence's staircase runs wider than the page, the diagram scrolls sideways. (In print, or without JavaScript, lines fall back to stepped indent columns.)

Nicodemus by night — the three exchanges on birth ἄνωθεν 3:1–8

vv. 1–2 — Nicodemus comes by night

Now there was a man of the Pharisees,independent — existential ἦν — the scene opens on a character, not an event

Nicodemus by name,phrase modifier — verbless naming formula — Semitic dative-of-reference idiom; Nicodemus only in John (3:1; 7:50; 19:39)

a ruler of the Judeans;phrase modifier — second apposition — a Sanhedrin member; the credentials laid out before the darkness

He came to him by nightindependent — νυκτός, genitive of time — the darkness motif, literal and theological (cf. 13:30)

and said to him:independent — the speech-frame

'Rabbi, we knowcontent — the plural οἴδαμεν — a group of sympathetic Pharisees, or a polite 'we'

that you have come from God as a teacher;content — accreditation, not confession — a teacher, less than what this Gospel claims

for no one is able to do these signscause — the inference from σημεῖα — the signs-faith 2:23–25 has just distrusted

that you do,relative — emphatic σύ — the deeds are what compel the visit

unless God is with him.'conditional — backward ἐὰν μή on δύναται — the exception that carries the compliment (the OT formula of divine accreditation)

vv. 3–8 — the three answers: born ἄνωθεν, water and Spirit, the wind

Jesus answered and said to him:independent — the compliment bypassed — a pronouncement instead

'Truly, truly, I say to you,content — the double amen — John's solemn formula (single in the Synoptics)

unless someone is born from above (again),conditional — forward protasis; THE ἄνωθεν crux — 'from above' (the Johannine sense, vv. 13, 31) and 'again' (what Nicodemus hears) both active; divine passive γεννηθῇ

he cannot see the kingdom of God.'content — βασιλεία only here and v. 5 in John — the Synoptic proclamation reheard

Nicodemus says to him:independent — historic present — Johannine dialogue at its most vivid

'How can a man be borncontent — the first πῶς — the misunderstanding technique that drives Johannine exposition

when he is old?participial — concessive participle — Nicodemus counts himself among the aged

Surely he cannot enter his mother's womb a second time and be born?content — μή-question expecting 'no'; δεύτερον — he has heard ἄνωθεν as 'again'

Jesus answered:independent — the second answer — everything through v. 8 hangs on this frame

'Truly, truly, I say to you,content — the formula repeated — the restatement is the clarification

unless someone is born of water and Spirit,conditional — forward protasis; ὕδατος καὶ πνεύματος debated — John's baptism, physical birth, baptismal hendiadys; Ezek 36:25–27 the likeliest background

he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.content — εἰσελθεῖν glosses v. 3's ἰδεῖν — to see the kingdom is to enter it

What is born of the flesh is flesh,content — gnomic — like begets like; σάρξ as bounded creatureliness, not sin

and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.content — the parallel axiom — two orders of birth; a second physical birth would change nothing

Do not marvelcontent — aorist-subjunctive prohibition — the astonishment addressed head-on

that I said to you:content — ὅτι — content (or ground) of the marveling

'You must be born from above (again).'content — δεῖ of divine necessity (vv. 14, 30); the singular σοι widens to plural ὑμᾶς — Israel's teachers included; ἄνωθεν still double

The wind blows where it wishes,content — πνεῦμα/πνεῖ — the wind–Spirit pun made cognate; the parable's vehicle

and you hear its sound,content — the effects perceptible where the source is not

but you do not knowcontent — the teacher's not-knowing — the irony v. 10 will name

where it comes fromcontent — indirect question — origin unknown

and where it goes;content — ὑπάγω — the verb of Jesus' own departures, lent to the wind

so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.content — the application — the Spirit-born share the wind's unaccountable freedom

The teacher of Israel, the heavenly things, and the love of God 3:9–21

vv. 9–10 — the last question and the rebuke

Nicodemus answered and said to him:independent — the third exchange opens — the frame for one line only

'How can these things happen?'content — the second πῶς — no longer physiology, sheer incomprehension; Nicodemus' last words in the scene

Jesus answered and said to him:independent — the frame — everything from here to v. 21 hangs on this εἶπεν; no closing formula ever comes

'You are the teacher of Israel,content — emphatic Σύ with the definite article — the accredited office, not a role

and you do not understand these things?content — adversative καί — the rebuke: Ezekiel's water-and-Spirit renewal stood on his own scroll

vv. 11–15 — testimony, descent, and the lifted serpent

Truly, truly, I say to youcontent — third double amen — still to the singular σοι

that we speak what we knowcontent — the plural 'we' debated — Jesus with the Father, with the disciples, or a prophetic plural

and we testify to what we have seen,content — revelation as eyewitness testimony — the forensic frame of the Gospel

and yet you do not receive our testimony.content — adversative καί; the plural λαμβάνετε widens the audience beyond Nicodemus

If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe,conditional — forward first-class protasis — the earthly parables (wind, water, birth) already refused

how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?content — a fortiori; the embedded third-class ἐὰν-protasis kept inside the question's line

And no one has ascended into heavencontent — the heavenly things need a heavenly witness — perfect ἀναβέβηκεν: no seer has gone up

except the one who descended from heaven —phrase modifier — εἰ μή exception — the descent–ascent schema of Johannine Christology (6:38, 62)

the Son of Man [who is in heaven].phrase modifier — apposition; the bracketed clause absent P66 P75 ℵ B — likely a later clarification, printed as the data prints it

And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,comparative — forward-leaning καθώς on the δεῖ below; Num 21:8–9 — the bitten looked at the uplifted serpent and lived

so must the Son of Man be lifted up,content — first 'lifting up' saying (8:28; 12:32–34) — ὑψόω doubles crucifixion and exaltation; δεῖ of divine necessity

so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.purpose — πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων — the open Johannine formula; ζωὴ αἰώνιος, John's word for salvation, a present possession

vv. 16–21 — God so loved: Jesus' words, or the Evangelist's meditation?

For God so loved the world,content — the speech-or-narrator crux — no closing formula, but the third person and settled μονογενής idiom persuade many the Evangelist's commentary begins here; kept in the catena as formally unmarked. οὕτως = 'in this way,' manner not degree, pointing to the ὥστε

that he gave his only Son,purpose — correlative ὥστε with indicative — the actual, astonishing result that defines the manner; ἔδωκεν spans Incarnation and cross

so that everyone who believes in him should not perishpurpose — the negative arm — ἀπόλλυμι, final loss

but have eternal life.purpose — the positive arm — v. 15 nearly verbatim, now grounded in the Father's love

For God did not send the Son into the worldcause — the sending clarified — the mission verb ἀποστέλλω — programmatic for Johannine soteriology

to judge the world,purpose — the denied purpose

but so that the world might be saved through him.purpose — the true purpose — κόσμος three times in one verse, loved and to be saved

The one who believes in him is not condemned;content — the present verdict — realized eschatology

but the one who does not believe has been condemned already,content — ἤδη + perfect κέκριται — the sentence already standing

because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.cause — perfect of settled unbelief; the 'name' — the person in his identity and authority

And this is the judgment:content — κρίσις — judgment as crisis, the forced decision; αὕτη points forward to the ὅτι

that the light has come into the worldcontent — perfect ἐλήλυθεν — the light stands arrived (1:4–9)

and people loved the darkness rather than the light;content — the verb of v. 16 inverted — human ἀγάπη aimed at the dark

for their works were evil.cause — the ground of the preference — deeds that cannot bear light

For everyone who practices evil hates the lightcause — the psychology of the verdict — πράσσω of habitual doing (vs. v. 21's ποιέω)

and does not come to the light,cause — coming to the light = coming to Jesus (6:35, 37)

lest his works be exposed.purpose — ἐλέγχω — the feared exposure; the judgment is self-incurred

But the one who does the truth comes to the light,cause — coordinate antithesis inside the γάρ-ground; 'doing the truth' — Semitic idiom (1 John 1:6; Qumran)

so that his works may be made manifestpurpose — the same exposure, welcomed — φανερόω for what v. 20 called ἐλέγχω

that they have been worked in God.content — periphrastic perfect — God-wrought works, so even the coming to light is grace

Two baptizers in Judea — the dispute and the report 3:22–26

vv. 22–24 — concurrent ministries at the waters

After these things Jesus and his disciples came into the Judean countryside,independent — μετὰ ταῦτα — the standard Johannine seam; out of Jerusalem into the γῆ

and there he was spending time with themindependent — durative imperfect διέτριβεν — a period of residence, not a visit

and was baptizing.independent — the tension 4:2 will resolve — the disciples did the dipping

Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim,independent — periphrastic imperfect; Αἰνών ('springs') and Salim only here in the NT — location uncertain

because there was much water there,cause — the practical ground — water enough for immersion

and people kept comingindependent — iterative imperfect — the steady stream

and were being baptized;independent — the coordinated imperfect — the rite ongoing

for John had not yet been thrown into prison.cause — parenthetical chronology — before Matt 4:12 / Mark 1:14; John assumes readers know the Baptist's end

vv. 25–26 — the dispute and the anxious report

Then a dispute arose between John's disciples and a Judean about purification.independent — ζήτησις over καθαρισμός (cf. 2:6) — whose washing purifies; singular Ἰουδαίου the better-attested reading (some MSS plural)

And they came to Johnindependent — the dispute carried to the master

and said to him:independent — the speech-frame

'Rabbi, he who was with you beyond the Jordan,content — suspended casus pendens — the fronted relative awaits its ἴδε οὗτος; 'beyond the Jordan,' 1:28

to whom you have testified —relative — perfect μεμαρτύρηκας — the witness on record (1:19–34); the irony: John's own testimony sent the crowds

look, this one is baptizing,content — resumptive οὗτος after the pendens — faintly competitive in tone

and everyone is coming to him.'content — hyperbolic πάντες — the disciples' alarm at the shifting crowds

The Baptist's answer — the bridegroom's friend, and the one from above 3:27–36

vv. 27–30 — what heaven gives: the friend at the bridegroom's voice

John answered and said:independent — the frame — all of vv. 27–36 hangs on this εἶπεν; where the Baptist stops and the Evangelist begins is flagged at v. 31

'A person cannot receive even one thingcontent — the axiom first — ministry and following are gift, not seizure; οὐδὲ ἕν, absolute scope

unless it has been given to him from heaven.conditional — backward ἐὰν μή on δύναται; periphrastic perfect — what heaven gives stands given

You yourselves bear me witnesscontent — emphatic αὐτοὶ ὑμεῖς — the disciples summoned as witnesses of their master's own words

that I said:content — the recalled self-testimony — two quotations follow

'I am not the Christ,'content — recitative ὅτι bracketed; the denial of 1:20 re-cited word for word

but, 'I have been sent before him.'content — periphrastic perfect — the standing commission; deferential ἐκεῖνος for Jesus

The one who has the bride is the bridegroom;content — the parable — the bride belongs to the bridegroom (Israel's nuptial imagery; Rev 21:2, 9)

but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice.content — the shoshbin — best man, not rival; the attributive participles kept in the clause; χαρᾷ χαίρει, Semitic cognate dative

This joy of mine, then, stands complete.content — perfect πεπλήρωται — fulfilment vocabulary for a settled gladness

He must increase,content — fronted ἐκεῖνον against ἐμέ — the chiasm; δεῖ of divine ordering (vv. 7, 14)

but I must decrease.content — the counterweight — δεῖ carries over; the Baptist's last recorded words in this Gospel

vv. 31–36 — the one from above: the Baptist still, or the Evangelist?

The one who comes from above is above all;content — the second speech-boundary crux — vv. 31–36 formally unmarked, widely assigned to the Evangelist as the structural twin of vv. 16–21; kept in the Baptist's catena. ἄνωθεν now unambiguously 'from above'

the one who is from the earth is from the earthcontent — origin fixes order — the Baptist files himself with the earth

and speaks from the earth.content — the triple ἐκ τῆς γῆς — speech bounded by its source

the one who comes from heaven is above all;content — ring composition — ἐπάνω πάντων repeated closes the frame

what he has seen and heard, this he testifies,content — v. 11 echoed — the fronted relative resumed by τοῦτο; testimony from direct sight

and no one receives his testimony.content — hyperbolic οὐδείς — v. 33 immediately makes the exception

The one who has received his testimony has certifiedcontent — σφραγίζω — the receiver sets his seal, faith as legal countersignature

that God is truthful.content — what faith certifies — the testimony being God's own

for the one whom God sent speaks the words of God,cause — headless relative kept in the line — the Sent One's speech is God's own ῥήματα

for he does not give the Spirit by measure.cause — second γάρ; the subject debated — God gives the Son the Spirit (likelier) or the Son gives; against the rabbinic measured portion (cf. 1:32–33, the Spirit remaining)

The Father loves the Son,content — present ἀγαπᾷ — the standing love that grounds the delegation

and has given all things into his hand.content — perfect δέδωκεν; 'into his hand' — Semitic idiom of total authority (13:3)

The one who believes in the Son has eternal life;content — present ἔχει — the life already possessed (5:24; 6:47)

but the one who disobeys the Son will not see life,content — ἀπειθῶν, not ἀπιστῶν — unbelief cast as disobedience (cf. Heb 3:18–19); ὄψεται answers v. 3's ἰδεῖν

but the wrath of God remains on him.content — μένει — the wrath does not arrive, it abides (as the condemnation of v. 18 already stands); the chapter's last word

Analysis. John 3 is a dialogue thinning into monologue, twice. In the night scene the speech-frames alternate at the left margin — εἶπεν, λέγει, ἀπεκρίθη, three double Ἀμήν formulas — and Nicodemus' two Πῶς-questions hang one line deep while Jesus' answers chain: the forward-leaning ἐὰν μή protases of vv. 3 and 5 lean anchor-less on their οὐ δύναται apodoses, and ἄνωθεν is tagged both times with its irreducible double sense, 'from above' and 'again' (Nicodemus hears the second — v. 4's δεύτερον proves it), just as v. 8 turns on πνεῦμα as wind and Spirit at once. After the last question (v. 9) Nicodemus vanishes and the answer never stops: everything from v. 10 to v. 21 hangs on one εἶπεν, through the a-fortiori conditional of v. 12, the descent-exception of v. 13 (with [ὁ ὢν ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ] bracketed as the data prints it — absent from P66 P75 ℵ B), the forward-leaning καθώς of the Numbers 21 serpent (v. 14), and — the chapter's famous crux — v. 16, which the layout keeps inside the speech catena because the Greek gives no closing formula, while the tag names the strong critical case that the Evangelist's own meditation has already taken over; the οὕτως…ὥστε is glossed as manner ('in this way'), not degree. The Baptist scene repeats the shape exactly: flush-left narrative coordinates (vv. 22–26, the prison parenthesis of v. 24 hanging γάρ-wise beneath the baptisms), then one ἀπεκρίθη-εἶπεν frame (v. 27) carrying everything to v. 36 — the bridegroom parable, the chiastic ἐκεῖνον δεῖ αὐξάνειν, ἐμὲ δὲ ἐλαττοῦσθαι, and the one-from-above meditation of vv. 31–36, kept in the Baptist's mouth with the same flagged doubt (its material is the structural twin of vv. 16–21). The close sets πιστεύων against ἀπειθῶν — unbelief as disobedience — and ends the chapter on μένει: the wrath that does not arrive but abides.