John 3:3 kjv
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.
John 3:3 nkjv
Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
John 3:3 niv
Jesus replied, "Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again."
John 3:3 esv
Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."
John 3:3 nlt
Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God."
John 3 3 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| New Birth/Regeneration | ||
| 1 Pet 1:3 | ...has caused us to be born again to a living hope... | God's mercy as the cause of new birth. |
| 1 Pet 1:23 | ...you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable... | New birth through the living Word of God. |
| Tit 3:5 | ...he saved us, not because of works done by us...but according to his mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit... | Regeneration and renewal by the Spirit. |
| Jas 1:18 | Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth... | God's will is the source of new birth. |
| Jn 1:12-13 | But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. | Becoming children of God by divine birth. |
| 2 Cor 5:17 | Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation... | New creation through Christ, parallel to new birth. |
| Gal 6:15 | For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. | Emphasizes internal change over external rites. |
| Col 2:13 | And you, who were dead in your trespasses...God made alive together with him... | Spiritual quickening, akin to new life. |
| Eph 2:5 | ...even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ... | God's grace makes us alive. |
| Rom 6:4 | ...just as Christ was raised from the dead...we too might walk in newness of life. | Baptism symbolizes dying to sin, rising to new life. |
| Ezek 11:19 | And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. | OT promise of spiritual transformation. |
| Ezek 36:26-27 | I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you... | God's active role in regeneration (OT prophecy). |
| Jer 31:33 | For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel...I will put my law within them... | The new covenant includes an inner change. |
| Phil 2:13 | for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. | God enables both desire and action. |
| Kingdom of God/Seeing God's Reign | ||
| Matt 5:3 | “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." | Prerequisite for the kingdom is humility. |
| Matt 7:21 | Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven... | Entry requires doing God's will, not just words. |
| Lk 17:20-21 | ...“The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed...For behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.” | Kingdom is a present reality and spiritual. |
| Col 1:13 | He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son... | Transferred into God's present kingdom. |
| Rom 14:17 | For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. | Nature of the kingdom is spiritual, not ritualistic. |
| Jn 3:5 | ...unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. | Further clarifies the means of entering. |
| Acts 8:12 | ...believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God... | Kingdom is central to the gospel message. |
| 1 Cor 2:14 | The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God... | Spiritual things require spiritual understanding. |
| Eph 1:18 | having the eyes of your hearts enlightened... | Spiritual illumination to perceive. |
| Heb 12:28 | Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken... | A secure, eternal kingdom to be received. |
John 3 verses
John 3 3 Meaning
John 3:3 declares an indispensable spiritual truth spoken by Jesus Christ to Nicodemus. It asserts that for anyone to truly "see the kingdom of God" – to perceive, understand, enter into, and participate in God's sovereign reign and spiritual reality – a radical, supernatural transformation, described as being "born again" or "born from above," is absolutely necessary. This new birth is not a physical act but a divine work of spiritual regeneration initiated by God.
John 3 3 Context
John 3:3 is part of a foundational conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus, a prominent Pharisee and "ruler of the Jews" (Jn 3:1). Nicodemus approaches Jesus by night, acknowledging Him as a "teacher come from God" based on the miraculous signs Jesus performed (Jn 3:2). This respectful yet perhaps cautious opening sets the stage for Jesus's abrupt and profound declaration about spiritual regeneration. Nicodemus, a highly educated and devout Jewish leader, would have understood "the kingdom of God" primarily in terms of a future, earthly reign of God involving Israel's restoration. His background in Jewish legalism would have emphasized adherence to the Law as the path to righteousness. Jesus's emphasis on "being born again" completely reorients the understanding of entering this kingdom, shifting it from lineage, good works, or religious observance to a radical, internal, supernatural change. The discourse challenges the prevalent Jewish expectation that mere Jewish birthright or religious piety ensured one's place in God's kingdom.
John 3 3 Word analysis
- Jesus: Signifies the divine authority and truthfulness of the declaration. These are not mere human insights but words from the Son of God.
- answered: Implies a response not necessarily to an explicit question from Nicodemus about how to enter the kingdom, but rather to his underlying thoughts or assumptions. Nicodemus came to evaluate Jesus; Jesus redirects the conversation to a fundamental spiritual need.
- and said: Introduces a formal and significant declaration, setting the tone for a crucial revelation.
- Truly, truly (Greek: amēn amēn): This solemn double "Amen" is characteristic of Jesus in John's Gospel. It acts as an oath, underscoring the absolute certainty and profound importance of what is about to be spoken. It demands utmost attention and signifies a divine, weighty truth.
- I say to you: A direct, authoritative statement from Jesus Himself, not a quotation or inference. It emphasizes the personal guarantee of the speaker.
- Unless (Greek: ean mē): A strong negative conditional conjunction. It denotes an absolute prerequisite, establishing an unchangeable and indispensable condition. There is no alternative means to the stated end.
- one is born (Greek: gennēthē tis): "Born" signifies the initiation of life, a new beginning. The verb is in the passive voice, indicating that this "birth" is something done to the individual, not something they achieve. It emphasizes the divine agency in this spiritual transaction. "One" signifies the universality of this requirement—it applies to everyone, Jew or Gentile, highly religious or not.
- again (Greek: anōthen): This is a crucial word with a deliberate double meaning in Greek:
- "Again": Signifying a second birth, a re-genesis, which is how Nicodemus initially misunderstands it physically.
- "From above": Indicating divine origin, emphasizing that this birth comes from God and is supernatural. Jesus clearly intends this deeper, spiritual meaning, contrasting it with any human effort or physical birth.
- he cannot: An absolute statement of impossibility. Without this new birth, the following action is unattainable. This is a divine judgment on human spiritual incapacitation.
- see (Greek: idein): More than merely observing or intellectually comprehending. To "see the kingdom of God" implies experiencing, entering into, perceiving with spiritual understanding, and participating in its realities. It is about spiritual apprehension and participation in God's active reign.
- the kingdom of God (Greek: tēn basileian tou Theou): Refers to God's sovereign rule or reign. In the New Testament, it is both a present spiritual reality (God's rule in the hearts of believers) and a future consummated kingdom (God's complete, manifest reign). Here, "seeing" suggests understanding its nature, discerning its presence, and being admitted into its sphere of spiritual blessing and divine authority. It is not merely a geographic location but a spiritual dynamic.