Single lesson
Jesus Talks with Nicodemus
John 3:1–21
Jesus speaks with Nicodemus about a new kind of birth, God’s kingdom, and the choice to believe in the Son. This lesson helps children follow the conversation and notice what Jesus says about life, light, and belief.
Before you teach
In this passage, Nicodemus is a Pharisee and a ruler of the Jews who comes to Jesus at night. He recognises that Jesus is a teacher come from God because of the signs Jesus does. Jesus answers by speaking about being born anew, the Spirit, belief, and the light.
Students will be able to sequence John 3:1–21 and explain that Jesus says people must be born anew and believe in the Son to have eternal life.
Welcome: Who is Nicodemus?
5 minBegin by introducing the two people in the passage. Read John 3:1–2 aloud. Point out that Nicodemus is called a Pharisee and a ruler of the Jews, and that he says Jesus is a teacher come from God because of the signs Jesus does. Ask children to listen for what surprises Nicodemus in the conversation.
John 3:1, John 3:2
Read and explain: What does ‘born anew’ mean here?
8 minRead John 3:3–8 in small parts. Explain that Nicodemus thinks only about ordinary birth, but Jesus speaks about being born anew and being born of water and Spirit. Notice Jesus’ contrast between flesh and Spirit, and his picture of the wind, which is heard even when its movement is not fully seen or explained.
John 3:3, John 3:4, John 3:5, John 3:6, John 3:7, John 3:8
Discuss: Nicodemus’ question and Jesus’ answer
6 minRead John 3:9–15. Let children hear Nicodemus ask, ‘How can these things be?’ Then show that Jesus speaks about witness, belief, the Son of Man, and being lifted up. Keep the focus on what the passage states clearly: belief in him is connected with not perishing and having eternal life.
John 3:9, John 3:10, John 3:11, John 3:12, John 3:13, John 3:14, John 3:15
Make and respond: Sequence the conversation
7 minChildren make simple sequence cards showing key moments from the passage: Nicodemus comes to Jesus, Jesus says ‘born anew’, Nicodemus asks his question, Jesus speaks of God’s love, and Jesus contrasts light and darkness. As they order the cards, ask them to retell the passage using the words and ideas they heard in the reading.
John 3:2, John 3:3, John 3:9, John 3:16, John 3:19, John 3:21
Closing: God’s love, belief, and the light
4 minRead John 3:16–21 carefully. Summarise that God loved the world and gave his only born Son, that the world should be saved through him, and that this passage sets before people a choice about belief and coming to the light. Finish by asking each child to name one thing Jesus says in this passage.
John 3:16, John 3:17, John 3:18, John 3:19, John 3:20, John 3:21
Questions to explore
Why does Nicodemus say Jesus has come from God?
Look at Nicodemus’ own words about Jesus’ signs and what they show him about Jesus’ teaching ministry.
John 3:2
What confuses Nicodemus when Jesus says people must be born anew?
Compare Jesus’ words with Nicodemus’ reply, where he thinks about physical birth instead of the new birth Jesus is describing.
John 3:3, John 3:4, John 3:5
According to Jesus, what is the difference between believing in the Son and refusing to come to the light?
Listen for the outcomes named in the passage: eternal life, not being judged, and the contrast between loving darkness and coming to the light.
John 3:15, John 3:16, John 3:18, John 3:19, John 3:20, John 3:21
Make, think or respond
Conversation Sequence Cards
What you’ll need
- Plain paper or card
- Pencils or markers
- Scissors
- Bible text open to John 3:1–21
Try it together
- Help children choose five key moments from John 3:1–21.
- Ask them to draw one simple picture for each moment on separate cards.
- Mix the cards up and have children place them back in order.
- Invite each child or pair to retell the passage using their ordered cards.
This activity helps children follow the order of the conversation and notice the main choices and outcomes Jesus names in the passage.
Adapt for your group
- For younger children, pre-write the five scene titles on cards and let them match pictures to the titles before sequencing them.
- For older or more confident children, ask them to add a short sentence from the passage to each card, such as ‘born anew’, ‘believes in him’, or ‘come to the light’.
An optional closing prayer
You might pray: ‘Father, thank you for sending your Son. Please help us listen carefully to Jesus’ words about life, belief, and the light. Amen.’
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
John 3
1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
2 He came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do, unless God is with him.”
3 Jesus answered him, “Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born anew, he can’t see God’s Kingdom.”
4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
5 Jesus answered, “Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born of water and Spirit, he can’t enter into God’s Kingdom.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Don’t marvel that I said to you, ‘You must all be born anew.’
8 The wind blows where it wants to, and you hear its sound, but don’t know where it comes from and where it is going. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
9 Nicodemus answered him, “How can these things be?”
10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and don’t understand these things?
11 Most certainly I tell you, we speak that which we know and testify of that which we have seen, and you don’t receive our witness.
12 If I told you earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?
13 No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended out of heaven, the Son of Man, who is in heaven.
14 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
15 that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only born Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
17 For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him.
18 He who believes in him is not judged. He who doesn’t believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only born Son of God.
19 This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light, for their works were evil.
20 For everyone who does evil hates the light and doesn’t come to the light, lest his works would be exposed.
21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his works may be revealed, that they have been done in God.”
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.
Source passages
Something to make together
These activities connect with the passage. Choose one that suits your group and the time you have.
