John 3:34 kjv
For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.
John 3:34 nkjv
For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure.
John 3:34 niv
For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit.
John 3:34 esv
For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure.
John 3:34 nlt
For he is sent by God. He speaks God's words, for God gives him the Spirit without limit.
John 3 34 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jn 1:32-34 | "I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove... and it remained on Him... This is He..." | Spirit permanently rests on Jesus. |
| Isa 11:2 | "The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding..." | Prophecy of Spirit-filled Messiah. |
| Isa 42:1 | "Behold my servant... I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice..." | Messiah anointed by the Spirit. |
| Isa 61:1 | "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me..." | Messiah's mission powered by the Spirit. |
| Mt 3:16 | "And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove..." | Spirit descends on Jesus at baptism. |
| Lk 4:18-19 | "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news..." | Jesus quotes Isa 61:1, affirming His anointing. |
| Acts 10:38 | "how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power..." | Apostolic testimony of Jesus' anointing. |
| Col 2:9 | "For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily..." | Divine fullness (including Spirit) in Christ. |
| Jn 5:19 | "The Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing." | Jesus' absolute dependence and conformity to the Father. |
| Jn 5:30 | "I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge... for I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me." | Jesus' words and actions from the Father. |
| Jn 6:38 | "For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me." | Jesus' mission is directly from God. |
| Jn 7:16 | "My teaching is not my own, but his who sent me." | Jesus' words are divinely sourced. |
| Jn 8:28-29 | "When you have lifted up the Son of Man... I do nothing on my own authority... he who sent me is with me." | God is the source and companion of Jesus. |
| Jn 12:49-50 | "For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and what to speak... Therefore what I speak, I speak just as the Father has told me." | Jesus speaks only the Father's commands. |
| Jn 14:10 | "Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father living in me does his works." | The Father speaks and acts through Jesus. |
| Jn 17:8 | "For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them..." | Jesus transmits the Father's words accurately. |
| Num 11:25 | "Then the LORD came down in a cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. And as soon as the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied." | Spirit given in measure to prophets/leaders. |
| 2 Kgs 2:9 | "Elisha said to Elijah, 'Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me.'" | Implies Spirit given in portions or limits. |
| Eph 5:18 | "do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit..." | Believers are commanded to be filled with the Spirit, a continuous process. |
| Gal 3:2 | "Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?" | Believers receive the Spirit as a gift through faith. |
| Rom 8:9 | "Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him." | All believers indwelt by the Spirit. |
| 1 Cor 2:10 | "these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit..." | The Spirit reveals divine truths to believers. |
John 3 verses
John 3 34 Meaning
John 3:34 affirms Jesus' unique divine authority and the absolute truthfulness of His words. It states that Jesus, as the one uniquely sent by God, inherently speaks God's words because He possesses the Holy Spirit without any limit or measure. This underscores His divine origin and sets Him apart from all previous prophets who received the Spirit in specific measures for specific tasks.
John 3 34 Context
John 3:34 appears within John the Baptist's final testimony about Jesus, delivered to his own disciples (John 3:22-36). This section follows Nicodemus' night visit with Jesus (John 3:1-21), where the necessity of being "born again" and God's love for the world are expounded. John the Baptist, facing dwindling numbers as people flocked to Jesus, emphatically clarifies Jesus' superiority. He declares that Jesus "must increase, but I must decrease" (Jn 3:30), and that Jesus, being "from above," is "above all" (Jn 3:31). Verse 34 then provides the fundamental theological reason for this unparalleled superiority: Jesus' unique relationship with God and the limitless anointing of the Holy Spirit. Historically, the Jews understood the concept of prophets speaking God's word under the Spirit's inspiration, but the "without measure" aspect concerning Jesus would have been a profoundly new and challenging claim, establishing His ultimate authority over all previous messengers.
John 3 34 Word analysis
- For: (Greek: γὰρ, gar) - Introduces the reason or explanation for the preceding statement (Jesus is above all and His testimony is true, John 3:31-33).
- he whom God has sent: (Greek: ὃν ἀπέστειλεν ὁ Θεός, hon apesteilen ho Theos) - Refers directly to Jesus. "Sent" (apesteilen from ἀποστέλλω, apostellō) signifies a divine commission and authoritative appointment, designating Jesus as God's unique messenger and representative. This term highlights His divine origin and mission.
- speaks: (Greek: λαλεῖ, lalei) - Present tense, indicating a continuous and characteristic action. Jesus habitually speaks, and what He speaks is consistent.
- the words: (Greek: τὰ ῥήματα, ta rhēmata) - Refers to specific utterances or statements. Distinct from logos (λόγος), which can encompass the entire message, reason, or doctrine (as in "the Word became flesh"). Rhemata emphasizes the precise, individual expressions that originate from God, confirming their exactness and divine inspiration.
- of God: (Greek: τοῦ Θεοῦ, tou Theou) - Emphasizes the divine source and authority of Jesus' utterances. His words are not merely about God; they are God's very own words.
- for: (Greek: γὰρ, gar) - Introduces a second, deeper reason. This "for" connects to the preceding "for," building the argument that Jesus speaks God's words because of His unique Spirit-anointing.
- God: (Greek: ὁ Θεός, ho Theos) - Explicitly identifies the Father as the giver of the Spirit. It is the Father who uniquely bestows the Spirit upon the Son.
- gives: (Greek: δίδωσιν, didōsin) - Present tense, highlighting the ongoing reality of God's bestowal.
- the Spirit: (Greek: τὸ Πνεῦμα, to Pneuma) - Refers to the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, the divine agent of inspiration and power.
- without measure: (Greek: οὐκ ἐκ μέτρου, ouk ek metrou) - The pivotal phrase. Literally "not according to measure/limit." This means completely, boundlessly, fully, unceasingly. This is a unique statement about Jesus, differentiating His anointing from that of all prophets and even believers who receive the Spirit, but in relation to specific purposes and individual capacities. It speaks of Jesus' unreserved and perfect possession of the Holy Spirit, which is why His words are entirely God's words.
- Words-group Analysis:
- "For he whom God has sent speaks the words of God": This phrase establishes Jesus' unique status as God's emissary and the absolute truth and divine authority of everything He says. His spoken words are a direct extension of God's own communication.
- "for God gives the Spirit without measure": This phrase provides the ultimate theological ground for the preceding statement. Jesus' ability to speak God's very words stems from His distinct and unlimited anointing of the Holy Spirit from the Father. He is the perfect, unhindered conduit of divine revelation, saturated with God's presence and power.
John 3 34 Bonus section
The concept of "without measure" also speaks to the nature of Jesus' being as God incarnate. Because He is God the Son, dwelling in human flesh, the fullness of the Spirit finds its proper and eternal home in Him without any restriction (Col 2:9). This isn't merely an endowment but an intrinsic communion. It is not just that the Spirit empowers Jesus, but that the Spirit is perpetually and perfectly present in and through Him, demonstrating the harmony and unity within the Godhead. This verse therefore strongly supports a high Christology, distinguishing Jesus qualitatively from any other spiritual leader.
John 3 34 Commentary
John 3:34 serves as a profound statement on the uniqueness of Jesus Christ. John the Baptist, recognizing Jesus' supremacy, offers a foundational reason: Jesus doesn't just receive inspiration from God, but He is wholly filled with the Spirit by God, in a manner unparalleled by any prophet, priest, or king before Him. Prophets received the Spirit for specific tasks and limited times (e.g., Num 11:25), but Jesus' possession of the Spirit is absolute, limitless, and enduring (Jn 1:32). This boundless indwelling means His every utterance is intrinsically the very word of God, unmediated, unfiltered, and perfectly authoritative. He speaks God's words not merely as a messenger delivering a package, but as the perfect embodiment of God's communication, reflecting His divine nature. This limitless anointing makes Him the ultimate, flawless Revealer of the Father's will and truth.