Only God can make us new.

只有上帝能使我们成为新造的人。

No one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again. John 3:3

人若不重生，就不能见上帝的国。-约翰福音3章3节

A few years ago a publisher made a big mistake. A book had been on the market for several years, so it was time for a makeover. The author rewrote the book to bring it up to date. But when the revision was published, there was a problem. The publisher gave the book a nice new cover but printed the old book inside.

几年前，有个出版商犯了一个很大的错误。有一本书已经出版多年，是时候进行改版了。作者重写了这本书，使内容合乎时宜。但是当修订版发行时，却出了问题。出版商帮这本书设计了不错的新封面，但里面印的却是旧书的内容。

The exterior was fresh and new, but the interior was old and out of date. This “reprint” was not really new at all.

封面外观是刚做的、新的，但内容却是旧的、过时的。这个“新版”根本一点也没有更新。

Sometimes that kind of thing happens with people. They realize a change needs to be made in life. Things are heading in the wrong direction. So they may put on a new exterior without making a vital change in their heart. They may change a behavior on the outside but may not realize that it is only God who can change us on the inside.

有时，在人们身上也会发生同样的状况。他们意识到事情朝着错误的方向前进，人生需要改变。所以他们换上崭新的外表，但内心却没做出重要的改变。他们可能改变外在的行为，却没有意识到只有上帝才能改变我们的内心。

In John 3, Nicodemus sensed that because Jesus came “from God” (v. 2) He offered something very different. What Jesus told Nicodemus made him realize that He offered nothing short of a rebirth (v. 4): He needed to be “born again,” to be made totally new (v. 7).

在约翰福音3章，尼哥德慕知道耶稣有这个能力，因祂是“从上帝那里来”的（2节），祂所赐的是与众不同的。尼哥德慕意识到，耶稣所给予的就是重生（4节）。尼哥德慕需要“重生”，才能完全被更新（7节）。

That change comes only through faith in Jesus Christ. That’s when “the old has gone, the new is here” (2 Cor. 5:17). Do you need a change? Put your faith in Jesus. He’s the one who changes your heart and makes all things new.

唯有藉着相信并接受耶稣基督才有这种改变：“旧事已过，都变成新的了”（哥林多后书5章17节） 。你需要改变吗？相信耶稣，祂能改变你的内心，使一切都更新！

Lord, I now know that changes on the outside—behavior, looks, attitude—don’t change me inside. I put my faith in Jesus, who died on the cross and rose again to forgive my sins. Make me new on the inside—in my soul.

主啊，我现在知道外在的改变，无论行为、
外表或态度，都无法改变我的内在。
我相信耶稣，祂死在十字架上，并从死里复活，
为了要赦免我的罪。求祢更新我的内在与内心。

John 3:1-8New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Teaches Nicodemus

3 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”

3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”

4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”

5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

约翰福音 3:1-8Chinese Union Version Modern Punctuation (Simplified) (CUVMPS)

耶稣与尼哥迪慕论重生

3 有一个法利赛人，名叫尼哥迪慕，是犹太人的官。 2 这人夜里来见耶稣，说：“拉比，我们知道你是由神那里来做师傅的，因为你所行的神迹，若没有神同在，无人能行。” 3 耶稣回答说：“我实实在在地告诉你：人若不重生，就不能见神的国。”4 尼哥迪慕说：“人已经老了，如何能重生呢？岂能再进母腹生出来吗？” 5 耶稣说：“我实实在在地告诉你：人若不是从水和圣灵生的，就不能进神的国。 6 从肉身生的就是肉身，从灵生的就是灵。 7 我说你们必须重生，你不要以为稀奇。 8 风随着意思吹，你听见风的响声，却不晓得从哪里来，往哪里去。凡从圣灵生的，也是如此。”

整理：于姊妹