John 3

There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?

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.

That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?

Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?

Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.

If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?

And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized.

And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.

For John was not yet cast into prison.

Then there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying.

And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him.

John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.

Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.

He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.

He must increase, but I must decrease.

He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.

And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony.

He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.

For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.

The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.

He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

What does John 3:8 mean?

Explanation

[John 3:8](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+3%3A8&version=KJV) is a verse from the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus, a Pharisee and member of the Jewish ruling council. Jesus is explaining the concept of spiritual rebirth to Nicodemus.

The verse uses the metaphor of the wind to describe the mysterious and sovereign work of the Holy Spirit in the process of spiritual rebirth.

Just as the wind is unseen and its path is unpredictable, so is the working of the Holy Spirit beyond human comprehension and control.

The sound of the wind indicates its presence, and similarly, the effects of the Spirit's movement in a person's life are observable, even though the Spirit itself remains invisible.

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

John 3:8 is situated within the context of Jesus' ministry in the early first century, within a Judeo-Christian framework.

Nicodemus, a teacher of Israel, approaches Jesus at night, perhaps symbolizing his initial spiritual darkness or his fear of being seen, with questions about Jesus' teachings.

This conversation underscores the difference between physical birth and spiritual birth, with Jesus emphasizing the importance of being "born again" or "born of the Spirit" to see the kingdom of God.

The original audience would have been familiar with the symbolic use of wind in the Hebrew Scriptures, representing both the breath of God and His creative and life-giving power.

Theological Insights

The verse touches on several key theological concepts:

Sovereignty of God: It suggests that the Holy Spirit operates according to the will of God, not human will.
Regeneration: It speaks to the doctrine of regeneration, where the Spirit gives new life to believers.
Mystery of Salvation: The verse highlights the mystery surrounding the work of the Spirit in salvation, suggesting it cannot be fully understood or predicted by humans.

Different theological traditions might emphasize various aspects of this verse. For instance, Calvinists would stress the sovereignty and irresistible nature of the Spirit's work in salvation, while Arminians might focus on the experiential and personal response to the Spirit.

Practical Applications

In practical terms, John 3:8 can serve to:

Encourage believers to trust in the unseen work of the Holy Spirit in their lives and in the lives of others.
Remind individuals that spiritual transformation is a divine work rather than a result of human effort.
Instill a sense of humility and awe towards the mysterious ways in which God operates.

Cross-References

[Ezekiel 37:14](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezekiel+37%3A14&version=KJV): "And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live..."
[Acts 2:2](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+2%3A2&version=KJV): "And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind..."
[Romans 8:9](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+8%3A9&version=KJV): "...Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his."

Language Study

The original Greek word for "wind" in this verse is "πνεῦμα" (pneuma), which can also be translated as "spirit" or "breath." Therefore, there is a play on words in the original language, as "pneuma" can refer to both the natural phenomenon of wind and the Holy Spirit.

The verb "bloweth" is translated from "πνέω" (pneo), which means to breathe or to blow.

The term "listeth" comes from "θέλω" (thelo), which means to will or desire.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In ancient cultures, wind and breath were often associated with life force and spiritual presence. For instance, in many ancient Near Eastern religions, breath was linked to divine spirit and life. In the Hebrew Scriptures, the word "ruach" similarly means both wind and spirit.

Scientific Perspectives

Modern scientific understanding describes wind as the movement of air from areas of high pressure to low pressure.

Though the physical dynamics of wind can be measured and somewhat predicted using meteorology, at a fundamental level, the verse's metaphor holds true; we see the effects of the wind, but its origin and path can be unpredictable, akin to the unpredictability and mystery of the spiritual experience.

Commentaries

Several scholars and theologians offer varied perspectives on John 3:8:

Matthew Henry's Commentary emphasizes the unpredictability and sovereignty of the Spirit's influence on the hearts of men.
The MacArthur Study Bible notes that the Spirit operates on His own sovereign will, and His workings are as evident and undeniable as the wind.
The IVP New Testament Commentary Series points out the emphasis on the new birth as a work of the Spirit, in contrast to any human-achieved morality or wisdom.

John 3

John 3

What does John 3:8 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does John 3:8 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?