John 3:31

John 3:31 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all.
• English Standard Version (ESV)He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all.
• New King James Version (NKJV)He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.

Context of John 3:31

29He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands by and listens to him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. So this pleasure and joy of mine is now complete. 30He must increase [in prominence], but I must decrease. “He who comes from [heaven] above is above all others; he who is of the earth is from the earth and speaks [about things] of the earth [his viewpoint and experience are earthly]. He who comes from heaven is above all. 32What He has [actually] seen and heard, of that He testifies; and yet no one accepts His testimony [as true]. 33Whoever receives His testimony has set his seal [of approval] to this: God is true [and he knows that God cannot lie].

John 3:31 word by word

ὁ ἄνωθεν ἐρχόμενος ἐπάνω πάντων ἐστίν. ὁ ὢν ἐκ τῆς γῆς ἐκ τῆς γῆς ἐστιν καὶ ἐκ τῆς γῆς λαλεῖ. ὁ ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἐρχόμενος ἐπάνω πάντων ἐστίν·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• He that comethὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• He that comethἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• from aboveἄνωθενanōthen · from above/againG509
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• aboveἐπάνωepanō · aboveG1883
• allπᾶςpas · allG3956
• ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• the earthγῆgē · earth: planetG1093
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• speakethλαλέωlaleō · to speakG2980
• heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772

Cross-references for John 3:31

• 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 6:33For the Bread of God is He who comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world.”
• John 8:23He said to them, “You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world.
• Ephesians 1:20which He produced in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places,
• Ephesians 4:8Therefore it says, “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And He bestowed gifts on men.”
• John 1:15John testified [repeatedly] about Him and has cried out [testifying officially for the record, with validity and relevance], “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I and has priority over me, for He existed before me.’ ”
• John 5:21Just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life [and allows them to live on], even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes.
• Matthew 28:18Jesus came up and said to them, “All authority (all power of absolute rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.
• Acts 10:36You know the message which He sent to the sons of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all—
• Romans 9:5To them belong the patriarchs, and from them, according to His natural descent, came the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed), He who is exalted and supreme over all, God blessed forever. Amen.
• Ephesians 1:21far above all rule and authority and power and dominion [whether angelic or human], and [far above] every name that is named [above every title that can be conferred], not only in this age and world but also in the one to come.
• Philippians 2:9For this reason also [because He obeyed and so completely humbled Himself], God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,
• 1 Peter 3:22who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God [that is, the place of honor and authority], with [all] angels and authorities and powers made subservient to Him.
• Revelation 19:16And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name inscribed, “KING OF KINGS, AND Lord OF LORDS.”
• John 3:12If 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?
• 1 Corinthians 15:47The first man [Adam] is from the earth, earthy [made of dust]; the second Man [Christ, the Lord] is from heaven.

Commentaries on John 3:31

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 31Is above all - This blessed bridegroom, who has descended from heaven, John 3:13, is above all, superior to Moses, the prophets, and me. He that is of the earth - John himself, who was born in the common way of man. Speaketh of the earth - Cannot speak of heavenly things as Christ can do; and only represents Divine matters by these earthly ordinances; for the spirit and meaning of which, you must all go to the Messiah himself.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 31He that cometh from above - The Messiah, represented as coming down from heaven. See John 3:13; John 6:33; John 8:23. It has been doubted whether the remainder of this chapter contains the words of “John the Baptist” or of “the evangelist.” The former is the more probable opinion, but it is difficult to decide it, and it is of very little consequence. Is above all - In nature, rank, and authority. “Is superior to all prophets” Hebrews 1:1-2; “to all…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 22-36Verses 22-36 John was fully satisfied with the place and work assigned him; but Jesus came on a more important work. He also knew that Jesus would increase in honour and influence, for of his government and peace there would be no end, while he himself would be less followed. John knew that Jesus came from heaven as the Son of God, while he was a sinful, mortal man, who could only speak about the more plain subjects of religion. The words of Jesus were…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 31Jesus came from heaven. Because of this, he alone was able to make the Father known (1:18; 3:13).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 31-3431-34. He that, &c.--Here is the reason why He must increase while all human teachers must decrease. The Master "cometh from above"--descending from His proper element, the region of those "heavenly things" which He came to reveal, and so, although mingling with men and things on the earth, is not "of the earth," either in Person or Word. The servants, on the contrary, springing of earth, are of the earth, and their testimony, even though divine in…Read the comment

Topics related to John 3:31

• Blindness
• Jesus, the Christ
• John

In the dictionaries

• Born
• Condemn
• Condemnation
• Darkness
• Decrease
• Earth
• Faith
• Increase
• Love
• Testify

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