John 3:11

John 3:11 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.
• New International Version (NIV)Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness.

Context of John 3:11

9Nicodemus said to Him, “How can these things be possible?” 10Jesus replied, “You are the [great and well-known] teacher of Israel, and yet you do not know nor understand these things [from Scripture]? I assure you and most solemnly say to you, we speak only of what we [absolutely] know and testify about what we have [actually] seen [as eyewitnesses]; and [still] you [reject our evidence and] do not accept our testimony. 12If I told you earthly things [that is, things that happen right here on earth] and you do not believe, how will you believe and trust Me if I tell you heavenly things? 13No one has gone up into heaven, but there is One who came down from heaven, the Son of Man [Himself—whose home is in heaven].

John 3:11 word by word

ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω σοι ὅτι ὃ οἴδαμεν λαλοῦμεν καὶ ὃ ἑωράκαμεν μαρτυροῦμεν, καὶ τὴν μαρτυρίαν ἡμῶν οὐ λαμβάνετε.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Verilyἀμήνamēn · amenG281
• I sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• unto theeσύsu · youG4771
• ·ὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• We speakλαλέωlaleō · to speakG2980
• thatὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• we do knowεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• testifyμαρτυρέωmartureō · to testifyG3140
• we have seenὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
• ye receiveλαμβάνωlambanō · to takeG2983
• notοὐou · noG3756
• ourἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• witnessὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• witnessμαρτυρίαmarturia · testimonyG3141

Cross-references for John 3:11

• John 3:3Jesus answered him, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless a person is born again [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified], he cannot [ever] see and experience the kingdom of God.”
• John 3:13No one has gone up into heaven, but there is One who came down from heaven, the Son of Man [Himself—whose home is in heaven].
• John 1:18No one has seen God [His essence, His divine nature] at any time; the [One and] only begotten God [that is, the unique Son] who is in the intimate presence of the Father, He has explained Him [and interpreted and revealed the awesome wonder of the Father].
• John 7:16Jesus answered them by saying, “My teaching is not My own, but His who sent Me.
• John 8:14Jesus replied, “Even if I do testify on My own behalf, My testimony is valid, because I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from or where I am going.
• John 12:49For I have never spoken on My own initiative or authority, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment regarding what to say and what to speak.
• John 14:24One who does not [really] love Me does not keep My words. And the word (teaching) which you hear is not Mine, but is the Father’s who sent Me.
• Isaiah 55:4Listen carefully, I have appointed him [David, representing the Messiah] to be a witness to the nations [regarding salvation], A leader and commander to the peoples.
• Matthew 11:27All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one fully knows and accurately understands the Son except the Father; and no one fully knows and accurately understands the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son [deliberately] wills to reveal Him.
• Luke 10:22All things have been transferred and turned over to Me by My Father and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal Him.”
• 1 John 1:1[I am writing about] what existed from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life [the One who existed even before the beginning of the world, Christ]—
• 1 John 5:6This is He who came through water and blood [His baptism and death], Jesus Christ—not by the water only, but by the water and the blood. It is the [Holy] Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. [He is the essence and origin of truth itself.]
• Revelation 1:5and from Jesus Christ, the faithful and trustworthy Witness, the Firstborn of the dead, and the Ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who [always] loves us and who [has once for all] freed us [or washed us] from our sins by His own blood (His sacrificial death)—
• Revelation 3:14“To the angel (divine messenger) of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the trusted and faithful and true Witness, the Beginning and Origin of God’s creation:
• John 3:32What He has [actually] seen and heard, of that He testifies; and yet no one accepts His testimony [as true].
• John 1:11He came to that which was His own [that which belonged to Him—His world, His creation, His possession], and those who were His own [people—the Jewish nation] did not receive and welcome Him.

Commentaries on John 3:11

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11We speak that we do know - I and my disciples do not profess to teach a religion which we do not understand, nor exemplify in our conduct. A strong but delicate reproof to Nicodemus, who, though a master of Israel, did not understand the very rudiments of the doctrine of salvation. He was ignorant of the nature of the new birth. How wretched is the lot of that minister, who, while he professes to recommend the salvation of God to others, is all the while…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 11We speak - Jesus here speaks in the plural number, including himself and those engaged with him in preaching the gospel. Nicodemus had said John 3:2, “we know that thou art,” etc., including himself and those with whom he acted. Jesus in reply said, we, who are engaged in spreading the new doctrines about which you have come to inquire, speak what we know. We do not deliver doctrines which we do not practically understand. This is a positive affirmation…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 11-1311-13. We speak that we know, and ... have seen--that is, by absolute knowledge and immediate vision of God, which "the only-begotten Son in the bosom of the Father" claims as exclusively His own (Joh 1:18). The "we" and "our" are here used, though Himself only is intended, in emphatic contrast, probably, with the opening words of Nicodemus, "Rabbi, we know.", &c. ye receive not, &c.--referring to the class to which Nicodemus belonged, but from which he…Read the comment

Topics related to John 3:11

• Blindness
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Life
• Mysteries
• Salvation
• Unbelief

In the dictionaries

• Born
• Condemn
• Condemnation
• Darkness
• Decrease
• Increase
• Love
• Nicodemus
• Testify
• Truth

Commentaries on John 3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings