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 |
|---|---|---|
| John 3:34 | "For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, since he gives the Spirit without measure." | John 3:16 (God's love and giving of His Son) |
| Acts 1:8 | "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you..." | Acts 1:8 (The Spirit's empowerment) |
| John 1:16 | "For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace." | John 1:16 (Receiving from Christ's fullness) |
| 1 Cor 12:7 | "To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good." | 1 Cor 12:7 (Spirit's gifts for the body) |
| Rom 8:9 | "...if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you." | Rom 8:9 (The indwelling of the Spirit) |
| Eph 4:7 | "But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ's gift." | Eph 4:7 (Grace distributed by Christ) |
| Ps 45:7 | "You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness..." | Ps 45:7 (Messiah's righteous character) |
| Isa 11:2 | "And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him..." | Isa 11:2 (Spirit resting on the Messiah) |
| Isa 61:1 | "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me..." | Isa 61:1 (Anointing by the Spirit) |
| Luke 4:18 | "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me..." | Luke 4:18 (Jesus' declaration of anointing) |
| Acts 10:38 | "...how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power..." | Acts 10:38 (God anointing Jesus) |
| John 14:16 | "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper..." | John 14:16 (Jesus promising the Helper) |
| John 16:7 | "Nevertheless, I tell you the truth, it is profitable for you that I go away..." | John 16:7 (The benefit of Jesus' departure) |
| Acts 2:4 | "And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit..." | Acts 2:4 (Pentecost empowerment) |
| Gal 3:27 | "For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ." | Gal 3:27 (Union with Christ through baptism) |
| 1 John 4:13 | "By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit." | 1 John 4:13 (Evidence of abiding in Christ) |
| John 5:19 | "So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing..." | John 5:19 (Jesus acting in dependence on the Father) |
| John 8:28 | "...I do nothing on my own authority, but such things as the Father taught me I speak." | John 8:28 (Jesus speaking what the Father taught) |
| John 7:16 | "So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me." | John 7:16 (Jesus' teaching originating from the Father) |
| John 17:18 | "As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world." | John 17:18 (Disciples sent into the world) |
| Matt 11:27 | "All things have been handed over to me by my Father..." | Matt 11:27 (All things given by the Father) |
| Col 2:3 | "...in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." | Col 2:3 (Christ possessing all treasures) |
John 3 verses
John 3 34 Meaning
God gives the Spirit without limit to the one who is sent by God.
John 3 34 Context
This verse appears in John's Gospel at the conclusion of Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus, which began in chapter 3. Jesus has just spoken about being lifted up, echoing His own future crucifixion and resurrection. Nicodemus, a Pharisee and Jewish ruler, approached Jesus by night seeking to understand His ministry. Jesus then explains the necessity of being born again and being born of the Spirit. This particular verse follows Jesus' explanation of His divine authority and purpose, directly connecting His speech and actions to the One who sent Him, God the Father. The implication is that the divine origin of Jesus' mission means He possesses the Holy Spirit without any limitation, enabling Him to speak the very words of God.
John 3 34 Word analysis
- "For" (γάρ - gar): A conjunction indicating reason or explanation. It connects this statement to what was said previously about Jesus being sent by God.
- "he": Refers back to the one "whom God has sent," which is Jesus Christ.
- "whom" (ὃν - hon): Accusative masculine singular relative pronoun, pointing to Jesus as the recipient of God's sending.
- "God" (θεός - theos): The supreme Creator and Sustainer, the Father who sent His Son.
- "has sent" (ἀπέστειλεν - apestilen): Aorist indicative active verb, signifying a completed action in the past, referring to God the Father's divine mission for Jesus.
- "utters" (λαλεῖ - lalei): Present indicative active verb. This emphasizes the continuous and authoritative nature of Jesus' speech, not just a single utterance, but His ongoing pronouncements.
- "the words" (τὰ ῥήματα - ta rhemata): Plural accusative neuter noun. "Rhema" refers to specific words spoken, utterances, often conveying a divine message or decree, distinct from "logos" which can mean word or reason. Here it signifies the actual speech originating from God.
- "of God" (τοῦ θεοῦ - tou theou): Genitive masculine singular, indicating possession or origin – the words belong to God, they are from God.
- "since" (ὅτι - hoti): Causal conjunction introducing the reason for His uttering God's words.
- "he": Refers again to God the Father.
- "gives" (δίδωσιν - didōsin): Present indicative active verb. This signifies a continuous action, God continuously giving the Spirit.
- "the Spirit" (τὸ πνεῦμα - to pneuma): Accusative neuter singular, the Holy Spirit.
- "without measure" (ἐκ μέτρου - ek metrou): Prepositional phrase. "Ek" means "out of" or "from," and "metrou" means measure or limit. It signifies fullness, abundance, without restraint or limitation.
John 3 34 Bonus section
The phrase "without measure" (ἐκ μέτρου) highlights the qualitative and quantitative fullness of the Holy Spirit in Jesus. This contrasts with how the Spirit is given to believers, who receive the Spirit "according to the measure of Christ's gift" (Eph 4:7). Jesus, as the one sent by God, embodies the full reality of the Spirit’s presence and power, making Him the perfect conduit for God’s word and work. His seamless unity with the Father, characterized by this unmeasured impartation of the Spirit, is foundational to His entire ministry.
John 3 34 Commentary
This verse establishes the perfect connection between Jesus and the Father, grounded in the unlimited impartation of the Holy Spirit. Because God the Father sent Jesus, Jesus perfectly represents and speaks for God. This representation is enabled by an unreserved endowment of the Holy Spirit. Unlike believers who receive the Spirit according to a measure (Eph 4:7), Jesus, as the Son of God, receives the Spirit without any quantitative limitation. This full possession of the Spirit is the source of His authority, His divine knowledge, and His power to perform the works of God. It is a demonstration of His unique relationship with the Father and His absolute fidelity to the Father's will.