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

29When a man marries a wife, she belongs to him. The man's special friend listens carefully. He wants to know when the man will arrive. That friend is very happy when he hears the man's voice. I am like that friend, so I am completely happy now. 30Jesus must become greater, but I must become less important. The one who comes from above is greater than all things. A person who comes from the earth belongs to the earth. A person like that speaks only about things that belong to the earth. But the one who comes from heaven is greater than all things. 32He tells people about the things that he has seen. He tells about what he has heard. But people do not believe his message. 33Anyone who does believe his message agrees that God is true.

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 3:13The Son of Man came down from heaven. Nobody else has gone up to heaven except him.
• John 6:33God's bread is the one who comes down from heaven. He is the one who gives life to people in the world.’
• John 8:23Jesus answered, ‘You belong to the things down here in the world. But I have come from above. You belong to this world, but I do not belong to this world.
• Ephesians 1:20He used that power to raise Christ, so that he became alive again after his death. Then he gave Christ a place to sit at his right side in heaven.
• Ephesians 4:8This is what it says about him: ‘When he went up to the highest place, he led many prisoners with him. Then he gave gifts to his people.’
• John 1:15John told people about the Word. He shouted, ‘This is the man that I told you about. He comes after me. But he is greater than I am. He was already there before I was born.’
• John 5:21The Father raises dead people to make them alive again. In the same way, the Son gives life to whoever he chooses.
• Matthew 28:18Jesus went near to them and he said to them, ‘God has given me authority over everyone and everything. I have all authority in heaven and in this world.
• Acts 10:36This is the message that God has sent to the people of Israel. He told us the good news about Jesus Christ, who is the Lord of all people. Because of Jesus, we can now come near to God again.
• Romans 9:5It was their ancestors that God chose to make great many years ago. And Christ himself, as a man, was born to an Israelite family. Christ is God, who rules over all things. We should praise him for ever! This is true! Amen.
• Ephesians 1:21There, Christ rules over every other ruler and leader. He rules over everything else that has authority. He is greater than any power which people respect. That is true for the rulers of this world now, and also the rulers of the world that will come.
• Philippians 2:9Because of that, God then raised Jesus Christ to the most important place. God gave him the name that is greater than every other name.
• 1 Peter 3:22After that, Jesus went into heaven. Now he is sitting at God's right side. He rules over angels and over everything that has authority and power.
• Revelation 19:16The man who rides on the white horse has a name that is written on his shirt. It is also written high on his leg. His name is: ‘The King who rules over all other kings. The Lord who rules over all lords’.
• John 3:12I have told you about things that happen in this world. And you do not believe me. But now I am telling you about things that happen in heaven. So I do not think that you will ever believe me about those things.
• 1 Corinthians 15:47God used soil from the ground to make the first man, Adam. But the second man came 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