For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

 When Nicodemus came to Jesus, he said that no one could help being impressed with the signs and wonders that he did. Jesus' answer was that it was not the signs and the wonders that were really important; the important thing was such a change in a man's inner life that it could only be described as a new birth. 