John 3 - pt. 1

We've been pretty busy this week.  A group from the States came in to help teach English and culture at our school.  All in all I think it was a pretty productive week.  Anyway, with all this focus on language learning it got me to craving some language myself.  Yesterday I started going through John 3.  The problem for me with reading the Bible in Chinese, aside from the fact that my Chinese is horrible, is all names and specific Biblical terminology.  I guess that's why I chose John 3, because it's not loaded down with unfamiliar terms, say like Romans would be.  Below you will find the first ten verses of John 3 along with the pinyin and definitions of some of the lesser know words or phrases.

3:1 有一个法利赛人，名叫尼哥底母，是犹太人的官。

法利赛人 [fǎlìsàirén]: Pharisee n.

尼哥底母 [Nígēdǐmǔ]: Nicodemus n.

犹太人 [yóutàirén]: Jew n.

3:2 这人夜里来见耶稣，说，拉比，我们知道你是由神那里来作师傅的。因为你所行的神迹，若没有神同在，无人能行。

拉比 [lābǐ]: Rabi  n.

由 [yóu]: give in to v;  by, from prep

神迹 [shén jī]: Miracle n.

若 [ruò]: If conj.

3:3 耶稣回答说，我实实在在的告诉你，人若不重生，就不能见神的国。

重生 [chóngshēng]: regeneration, born again v.

3:4 尼哥底母说，人已经老了，如何能重生呢。岂能再进母腹生出来麽。

如何 [rúhé]: how adv.

岂能 [qǐnéng]: used to ask a rhetorical question; how could; how is it possible

腹 [fù]: stomach n.

3:5 耶稣说，我实实在在的告诉你，人若不是从水和圣灵生的，就不能进神的国。

圣灵 [shènglíng]: the Holy Spirit n.

3:6 从肉身生的，就是肉身。从灵生的，就是灵。

3:7 我说，你们必须重生，你不要以为 希奇。

必须 [bìxū]: must adv.

以为 [yǐwéi]: think v.

希奇 [xīqí] strange adj.

3:8 风随着意思吹，你听见风的响声，却不晓得从那里来，往那里去。凡从圣灵生的，也是如此。

随着 [suízhe]: along with, follow

响声 [xiǎngshēng]: sound, noise n.

晓得 [xiǎodé]: know n.

凡[fán]: in all, all adv.

如此 [rúcǐ]: so; such; in this way; like that; that

3:9 尼哥底母问他说，怎能有这事呢。

3:10 耶稣回答说，你是以色列人的先生，还不明白这事麽。

以色列人 [yǐsèlièrén]: Israeli; Israelite n.

努力学习，

托马斯