John 3:9

John 3:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
• New International Version (NIV)“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Nicodemus said to him, "How can these things be?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?”

Context of John 3:9

7Do not be surprised that I have told you, ‘You must be born again [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified].’ 8The wind blows where it wishes and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it is coming from and where it is going; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Nicodemus 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]? 11I 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.

John 3:9 word by word

Ἀπεκρίθη Νικόδημος καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· πῶς δύναται ταῦτα γενέσθαι;¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• NicodemusΝικόδημοςNikodēmos · NicodemusG3530
• answeredἀποκρίνωapokrinomai · to answerG611
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• unto himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• Howπῶςpōs · how?!G4459
• canδύναμαιdunamai · be ableG1410
• these thingsοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• beγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096

Cross-references for John 3:9

• John 3:4Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born, can he?”
• John 6:52Then the Jews began to argue with one another, saying, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?”
• Proverbs 4:18But the path of the just (righteous) is like the light of dawn, That shines brighter and brighter until [it reaches its full strength and glory in] the perfect day.
• Isaiah 42:16I will lead the blind by a way they do not know; I will guide them in paths that they do not know. I will make darkness into light before them And rugged places into plains. These things I will do [for them], And I will not leave them abandoned or undone.”
• Mark 8:24And he looked up and said, “I see people, but [they look] like trees, walking around.”
• Luke 1:34Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin and have no intimacy with any man?”

Commentaries on John 3:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9How can these things be? - Our Lord had very plainly told him how these things could be, and illustrated the new birth by one of the most proper similes that could be chosen; but so intent was this great man an making every thing submit to the testimony of his senses that he appears unwilling to believe any thing, unless he can comprehend it. This is the case with many - they profess to believe because they comprehend; but they are impostors who speak…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9How can these things be? - Nicodemus was still unwilling to admit the doctrine unless he understood it; and we have here an instance of a man of rank stumbling at one of the plainest doctrines of religion, and unwilling to admit a truth because he could not understand “how” it could be, when he daily admitted the truth of facts in other things which he could as little comprehend. And we may learn: 1.that people will often admit facts on other subjects…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 9-109-10. How, &c.--Though the subject still confounds Nicodemus, the necessity and possibility of the new birth is no longer the point with him, but the nature of it and how it is brought about [Luthardt]. "From this moment Nicodemus says nothing more, but has sunk unto a disciple who has found his true teacher. Therefore the Saviour now graciously advances in His communications of truth, and once more solemnly brings to the mind of this teacher in Israel…Read the comment

Topics related to John 3:9

• Blindness
• Jesus, the Christ
• Life
• Mysteries
• Nicodemus
• Salvation

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