There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: See introductory remark at the commencement of this section. THERE WAS A MAN OF THE PHARISEES, NAMED NICODEMUS, A RULER OF THE JEWS. The connecting particle [ de (G1161)] with which the original introduces this scene should no... [ Continue Reading ]
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. THE SAME CAME TO JESUS. The true text here clearly is 'to Him' [ pros (G4314) auton (G846)]; this being regarded as... [ Continue Reading ]
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. 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. This blunt and curt reply was plainly m... [ Continue Reading ]
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? NICODEMUS SAITH UNTO HIM, HOW CAN A MAN BE BORN WHEN HE IS OLD? Nicodemus probably referred here to himself. CAN HE ENTER THE SECOND TIME INTO HIS MOTHER'S WOMB, AN... [ Continue Reading ]
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. JESUS ANSWERED, VERILY, VERILY, I SAY UNTO THEE, EXCEPT A MAN BE BORN OF WATER AND OF THE SPIRIT, [ ex (G1537) hudatos (G5204) kai (G2532) pneumatos (G4151)]... [ Continue Reading ]
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. THAT WHICH IS BORN OF THE FLESH IS FLESH; AND THAT WHICH IS BORN OF THE SPIRIT IS SPIRIT. A most weighty general proposition. As Olshausen expresses it, 'That which is begotten partakes of the nature of that... [ Continue Reading ]
Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. MARVEL NOT THAT I SAID UNTO THEE, YE MUST BE BORN AGAIN. If a spiritual nature only can see and enter the kingdom of God, if all we bring into the world with us be the reverse of spiritual, and if this spirituality be solely of the Holy Sp... [ Continue Reading ]
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. THE WIND BLOWETH WHERE IT LISTETH, AND THOU HEAREST THE SOUND THEREOF, BUT CANST NOT TELL WHENCE IT COMETH, AND WHERE IT GO... [ Continue Reading ]
Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? NICODEMUS ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO HIM, HOW CAN THESE THINGS BE? Though the subject, says Luthardt, still confounds him, the necessity and possibility of the new birth is no longer the point with him, but the nature of it and how it is... [ Continue Reading ]
Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO HIM, ART THOU A MASTER, [ su (G4771) ei (G1487) ho (G3588) didaskalos (G1320)] - rather, 'Art thou the teacher.' Perhaps this means only, 'Dost, thou occupy the important post... [ Continue Reading ]
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. VERILY, VERILY, I SAY UNTO THEE, WE SPEAK THAT WE DO KNOW, AND TESTIFY THAT WE HAVE SEEN - that is, by absolute knowledge and immediate vision of God, which "the Only begotte... [ Continue Reading ]
If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? IF I HAVE TOLD YOU EARTHLY THINGS, [ ta (G3588 ) epigeia (G1919 )], AND YE BELIEVE NOT, HOW SHALL YE BELIEVE, IF I TELL YOU OF HEAVENLY THINGS? [ ta (G3588) epourania (G2032)] - rather s... [ Continue Reading ]
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 NO MAN HATH ASCENDED UP TO HEAVEN, BUT HE THAT CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN, EVEN THE SON OF MAN WHICH IS IN HEAVEN. How paradoxical this sounds: 'No one has gone up but He that came dow... [ Continue Reading ]
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: AND AS MOSES LIFTED UP THE SERPENT IN THE WILDERNESS (SEE ), EVEN SO MUST THE SON OF MAN BE LIFTED UP;... [ Continue Reading ]
That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. Since this most heavenly thing, for the reason just mentioned, might be apt to stumble, Jesus holds it forth under a somewhat veiled form, but with s... [ Continue Reading ]
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 SO LOVED THE WORLD, THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE. Who shall spe... [ Continue Reading ]
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. FOR GOD SENT NOT HIS SON INTO THE WORLD TO CONDEMN THE WORLD; BUT THAT THE WORLD THROUGH HIM MIGHT BE SAVED. A statement of vast importance. Though "condemnation" is to many the issue of... [ Continue Reading ]
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. HE THAT BELIEVETH ON HIM IS NOT CONDEMNED, [ ou (G3756) krinetai (G2919)] - literally, 'is not being judged,' or 'is not coming int... [ Continue Reading ]
And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. AND THIS IS THE CONDEMNATION - emphatically so; revealing the condemnation already existing, and sealing up under it those who will not be delivered from it.... [ Continue Reading ]
For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. FOR EVERYONE THAT DOETH EVIL HATETH THE LIGHT, NEITHER COMETH TO THE LIGHT, LEST HIS DEEDS SHOULD BE REPROVED - by being brought out to the light.... [ Continue Reading ]
But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. BUT HE THAT DOETH [`THE'] TRUTH, [ teen (G3588) aleetheian (G225)] - whose one object in life is to be, and to do what will bear the light, "cometh to the light, that his deeds may be m... [ Continue Reading ]
After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized. AFTER THESE THINGS CAME JESUS AND HIS DISCIPLES INTO THE LAND OF JUDEA, [ eis (G1519) teen (G3588) Ioudaian (G2449) geen (G1093)] - not the province of Judea, as distinguished f... [ Continue Reading ]
And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized. AND, [ de (G1161 ), RATHER, 'NOW,' OR 'BUT,'] JOHN ALSO WAS BAPTIZING IN AENON, [ =`ayin (H5869) `eeynaan (H5881)] - 'an eye,' 'a fountain,' which accords with the Evangelist... [ Continue Reading ]
For John was not yet cast into prison. FOR JOHN WAS NOT YET CAST INTO PRISON. From the first three Evangelists one would naturally conclude that our Lord's public ministry only began after the Baptist's imprisonment. But here, about six months, probably, after our Lord had entered on His public min... [ Continue Reading ]
Then there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying. THEN THERE AROSE A QUESTION BETWEEN [SOME OF] JOHN'S DISCIPLES AND THE JEWS, [ ek (G1537) toon (G3588) matheetoon (G3101) Iooannou (G2491) meta (G3326) Ioudaioon (G2453)] - rather, 'on the part of John's di... [ Continue Reading ]
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. AND THEY CAME UNTO JOHN, AND SAID UNTO HIM, RABBI, HE THAT WAS WITH THEE BEYOND JORDAN. 'He was with thee,' they say-not 'thou... [ Continue Reading ]
John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. JOHN ANSWERED AND SAID, A MAN CAN RECEIVE NOTHING, [ ou (G3756) dunatai (G1410) anthroopos (G444) lambanein (G2983) ouden (G3762)] - rather, as in the margin, 'A man can take to himself,' or 'assume nothing;'... [ Continue Reading ]
Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. YE YOURSELVES BEAR ME WITNESS, THAT I SAID, I AM NOT THE CHRIST, BUT THAT I AM SENT BEFORE HIM.... [ Continue Reading ]
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 THAT HATH THE BRIDE IS THE BRIDEGROOM: BUT THE FRIEND OF THE BRIDEGROOM, WHICH STANDETH AND HEAR... [ Continue Reading ]
He must increase, but I must decrease. HE MUST INCREASE, BUT I MUST DECREASE: - q.d., 'I do my heaven-prescribed work, and that is enough for me. Would you have me mount into my Master's place? Said I not unto you, I am not the Christ? The Bride is not mine, why should the people stay with me? Mi... [ Continue Reading ]
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. HE THAT COMETH FROM ABOVE IS ABOVE ALL: HE THAT IS OF THE EARTH IS EARTHLY. Since the words in this last clause are precisely the same, they had better... [ Continue Reading ]
And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony. AND WHAT HE HATH SEEN AND HEARD, THAT HE TESTIFIETH. See the note at , and at . AND NO MAN RECEIVETH HIS TESTIMONY. John's disciples had said, "All come to Him" (), Would it were so, says the Baptist, but,... [ Continue Reading ]
He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true. HE THAT HATH RECEIVED HIS TESTIMONY HATH SET TO HIS SEAL THAT GOD IS TRUE - gives glory to God whose words Christ speaks, not as prophets and apostles, by a partial communication of the Spirit to them.... [ Continue Reading ]
For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. FOR HE WHOM GOD HATH SENT SPEAKETH THE WORDS OF GOD: FOR GOD GIVETH NOT THE SPIRIT BY MEASURE [UNTO HIM]. Here, again, the sharpest conceivable line of distinction is drawn between Christ and... [ Continue Reading ]
The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. THE FATHER LOVETH THE SON, [ agapa (G25), not filei (G5368) - diligit, not amai]. The word denotes the love of character, as distinguished from the mere love of person. But this shade of distinction cannot be expressed in the tr... [ Continue Reading ]
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. HE THAT BELIEVETH ON THE SON HATH EVERLASTING LIFE - already hath it. See the note at John 3:18; and at John 5:24. AND [OR RATHER, 'BUT' de (G1161 )] HE... [ Continue Reading ]