John 1:13 kjv
Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
John 1:13 nkjv
who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
John 1:13 niv
children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.
John 1:13 esv
who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
John 1:13 nlt
They are reborn ? not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.
John 1 13 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| New Birth / Regeneration | ||
| Jn 3:3 | "Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." | Necessity of spiritual birth. |
| Jn 3:5-7 | "Unless one is born of water and the Spirit..." | Explains means of spiritual birth. |
| Tit 3:5 | "...He saved us, not because of works... but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration..." | God's mercy as the source of new birth. |
| 1 Pet 1:23 | "having been born again, not of perishable seed but imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God." | The imperishable nature of the new birth. |
| Jas 1:18 | "Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth..." | God's will and word as instruments of birth. |
| 2 Cor 5:17 | "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation..." | New birth as a radical new creation. |
| Eph 2:10 | "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works..." | New birth as God's divine artistry. |
| Not of Human Effort / Flesh / Bloodline | ||
| Rom 9:7-8 | "...nor are all children because they are Abraham’s descendants... it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God..." | Physical descent doesn't equate to spiritual sonship. |
| Rom 9:16 | "So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy." | Salvation depends solely on God's mercy. |
| Eph 2:8-9 | "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works..." | Salvation by grace, not human merit. |
| Gal 3:28-29 | "There is neither Jew nor Greek... For you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring..." | Unity in Christ transcends ethnic background. |
| Jer 9:23-24 | "...let not the mighty man boast of his might... but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me..." | True boast is in knowing God, not human achievements. |
| Divine Sovereignty / God's Will | ||
| Jn 6:44 | "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him..." | God's divine drawing precedes belief. |
| Jn 6:65 | "...no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him by the Father." | Spiritual ability comes from God. |
| Rom 8:29-30 | "For those whom he foreknew he also predestined... those whom he predestined he also called..." | God's foreknowledge and predestination. |
| Eph 1:4-5 | "...even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world... He predestined us for adoption as sons..." | Election and adoption rooted in God's eternal purpose. |
| Phil 2:13 | "for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." | God's enabling work within believers. |
| Becoming Children of God | ||
| Gal 3:26 | "for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith." | Sonship through faith in Christ. |
| Gal 4:5-7 | "...to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons... you are no longer a slave but a son..." | Redemption leads to adoption and sonship. |
| Rom 8:14-16 | "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God... you have received the Spirit of adoption..." | Spirit's role in affirming sonship. |
| 1 Jn 3:1-2 | "See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God..." | The immense love in God granting sonship. |
| Matt 3:9 | "and do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham." | Confronts false reliance on Abrahamic lineage. |
John 1 verses
John 1 13 Meaning
John 1:13 clarifies the profound spiritual transformation of becoming a "child of God" for those who receive and believe in Christ's name, as stated in the preceding verse. It unequivocally asserts that this divine birth is not a result of human lineage ("blood"), natural human desire or inclination ("will of the flesh"), or human intention or choice ("will of man," referring especially to paternal origin). Instead, it is solely and entirely an act originating "of God," emphasizing the divine initiative, sovereignty, and grace behind regeneration. This verse highlights the spiritual nature of this birth, setting it apart from all forms of physical or biological procreation.
John 1 13 Context
John 1:13 stands as a pivotal explanatory verse within the Prologue (John 1:1-18) of John's Gospel. Preceded by the declaration in verse 12 that "to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God," verse 13 immediately clarifies the nature and source of this privilege. It delineates how one becomes a child of God, contrasting it sharply with any natural, human, or carnal means. The entire Prologue sets forth the person and work of the Word (Jesus Christ), culminating in His manifestation to humanity (Jn 1:14). Within this flow, John 1:13 emphasizes that acceptance of Christ is not merely an intellectual assent but results in a profound, supernatural rebirth initiated by God Himself. This assertion implicitly addresses both Jewish reliance on physical lineage for divine favor and general human attempts to earn salvation, preparing the reader for later discussions on the new birth, such as Jesus's dialogue with Nicodemus in John 3. Historically, this verse would challenge the Jewish cultural emphasis on birthright and heritage as pathways to God's blessing, stressing a spiritual rather than biological covenant.
John 1 13 Word analysis
- who were born: Greek: gennēthēsan (aorist passive indicative of gennaō).
- Significance: "Were born" indicates an action done to them, not by them. This underscores the passive reception of the new birth on the part of the believer, emphasizing divine initiation. It’s a supernatural event, entirely God's work, not a self-generated one.
- not of blood: Greek: ouk ex haimatōn (plural of haima - blood).
- Significance: The plural "bloods" is striking. It directly refutes the idea of lineage, race, or noble ancestry (particularly Jewish descent from Abraham) as the basis for spiritual birth. It dismisses the claim that a particular family or ethnic origin grants a special status with God. It can also subtly refer to the mixing of male and female fluids in procreation, denying physical human procreation as the means for this birth.
- nor of the will of the flesh: Greek: oude ek thelēmatos sarkos (sarx - flesh, refers to unregenerate humanity).
- Significance: Denies that this birth results from human desire, natural human instincts, passions, or the natural striving of unregenerated human nature. It means that salvation is not attained by an individual's personal resolve or the mere inclination of their fallen nature.
- nor of the will of man: Greek: oude ek thelēmatos andros (anēr - man, often specifically male or husband).
- Significance: Specifically excludes the will or agency of a human father in procreation, further distinguishing this new birth from natural physical conception. It denies any human role in the creation of a child of God, even the most fundamental act of human procreation. This is a pointed rejection of patriarchal succession as a spiritual determinant.
- but of God: Greek: all’ ek theou.
- Significance: A powerful antithesis. This phrase states the sole and exclusive source of the spiritual birth. It means that becoming a child of God is entirely an act initiated, sustained, and perfected by God's sovereign will and power. It's a supernatural regeneration that stems wholly from God, underscoring His grace and omnipotence in salvation.
Words-Group Analysis:
- not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man: This tripartite negative declaration systematically rules out all human-based origins for becoming a child of God:
- It negates any racial or familial claim to divine privilege (ethnic heredity).
- It negates any desire or capability arising from one's fallen human nature (natural inclination or self-effort).
- It negates any direct act of human procreation (paternal agency).
- This triple negation profoundly emphasizes that the new birth is fundamentally distinct from all forms of physical birth or human accomplishment, making it an entirely non-human, non-physical process.
- but of God: This final phrase contrasts absolutely with the preceding negations. It provides the definitive, singular, and divine source of spiritual life, highlighting God's grace and initiative in saving those who believe in Christ. It shifts the entire basis of spiritual identity and sonship from human origin to divine genesis, establishing that eternal life and true relationship with God are His unilateral gift.
John 1 13 Bonus section
The emphatic negative statements ("not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man") are often referred to as a "threefold fence" around the truth of divine sovereignty in regeneration. This stylistic choice is not merely for emphasis but serves a polemical purpose against various prevailing thoughts of the time, whether overtly religious (Jewish pride in ancestry) or generally humanistic (the idea of self-generated spiritual growth or worthiness). John sets the stage for the New Covenant understanding of who belongs to God: it's not determined by national identity, social standing, or inherent human potential, but solely by God's active, transforming grace. The stark contrast presented by "but of God" leaves no room for ambiguity: true sonship is a spiritual miracle. This also implicitly teaches humility, as there is nothing within human capacity to boast about concerning spiritual birth.
John 1 13 Commentary
John 1:13 stands as a critical exposition of spiritual regeneration within the Gospel's foundational prologue. It addresses the fundamental question of how one becomes a child of God, dismantling human-centric notions of salvation. The verse meticulously refutes three avenues for spiritual birth rooted in human agency:
- Lineage/Ethnicity ("blood"): Countering the Jewish belief that Abrahamic descent secured divine favor. Salvation is not hereditary.
- Human Desire/Natural Inclination ("will of the flesh"): Rejecting the idea that a person's natural spiritual yearning or a striving effort can generate this transformation. The unregenerate flesh is incapable of producing divine life.
- Human Paternal Will ("will of man"): Dismissing the concept that human procreation, even as an act of will, can convey spiritual status. This underscores the radical difference between physical and spiritual parentage.
By definitively excluding all human means, the verse channels the entire cause and origin of this spiritual rebirth directly to "God." This divine act, described elsewhere as regeneration, new creation, or being born from above, is a sovereign work of God's grace that entirely reconfigures a person's spiritual nature and standing before Him. It establishes that salvation is a gift, not an accomplishment; it is received by grace through faith (Jn 1:12), entirely apart from human merit, birthright, or self-wrought efforts. This theological bedrock prevents spiritual pride and places the full glory for redemption on God.