King James Bible
"Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."
Jesus responds to Nicodemus with the double "verily" (amen, amen), a solemn formula emphasizing the absolute truth and importance of what follows. This repetition appears uniquely in John's Gospel to mark Jesus' most authoritative teachings. Jesus introduces a dual requirement for spiritual rebirth: water likely refers to baptism or cleansing, while Spirit indicates the Holy Spirit's transforming work. This combination suggests both an outward sign and inward renewal are necessary for entering God's kingdom. Without this spiritual rebirth, access to God's kingdom remains impossible—not merely difficult. Jesus shifts from Nicodemus's earthly understanding of birth to reveal that citizenship in God's realm requires supernatural transformation beyond human effort.