God’s Word Translation
John 1:13
13These people didn’t become God’s children in a physical way—from a human impulse or from a husband’s desire ⌞to have a child⌟. They were born from God.
John 1:13 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
- New International Version (NIV)children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
- English Standard Version (ESV)who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
- New King James Version (NKJV)who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Context of John 1:13
11He went to his own people, and his own people didn’t accept him. 12However, he gave the right to become God’s children to everyone who believed in him. These people didn’t become God’s children in a physical way—from a human impulse or from a husband’s desire ⌞to have a child⌟. They were born from God. 14The Word became human and lived among us. We saw his glory. It was the glory that the Father shares with his only Son, a glory full of kindness and truth. 15(John declared the truth about him when he said loudly, “This is the person about whom I said, ‘The one who comes after me was before me because he existed before I did.’ ”)
Read all of John 1John 1:13 word by word
οἳ οὐκ ἐξ αἱμάτων οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήματος σαρκὸς οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήματος ἀνδρὸς ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ θεοῦ ἐγεννήθησαν.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for John 1:13
- John 3:3Jesus replied to Nicodemus, “I can guarantee this truth: No one can see God’s kingdom without being born from above.”
- James 1:18God decided to give us life through the word of truth to make us his most important creatures.
- 1 Peter 1:3Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! God has given us a new birth because of his great mercy. We have been born into a new life that has a confidence which is alive because Jesus Christ has come back to life.
- 1 Peter 2:2Desire God’s pure word as newborn babies desire milk. Then you will grow in your salvation.
- 1 John 3:9Those who have been born from God don’t live sinful lives. What God has said lives in them, and they can’t live sinful lives. They have been born from God.
- 1 John 4:7Dear friends, we must love each other because love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born from God and knows God.
- 1 John 5:1Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Messiah has been born from God. Everyone who loves the Father also loves his children.
- John 8:33They replied to Jesus, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and we’ve never been anyone’s slaves. So how can you say that we will be set free?”
- Matthew 3:9Don’t think you can say, ‘Abraham is our ancestor.’ I can guarantee that God can raise up descendants for Abraham from these stones.
- Romans 9:7or a descendant of Abraham. However, ⌞as Scripture says,⌟ “Through Isaac your descendants will carry on your name.”
- Genesis 25:22When the children inside her were struggling with each other, she said, “If it’s like this now, what will become of me?” So she went to ask the Lord.
- Genesis 27:4Prepare a good-tasting meal for me, just the way I like it. Bring it to me to eat so that I will bless you before I die.”
- Romans 9:10The same thing happened to Rebekah. Rebekah became pregnant by our ancestor Isaac.
- Psalms 110:3Your people will volunteer when you call up your army. Your young people will come to you in holy splendor like dew in the early morning.
- Romans 9:1As a Christian, I’m telling you the truth. I’m not lying. The Holy Spirit, along with my own thoughts, supports me in this.
- Romans 10:1Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God on behalf of the Jewish people is that they would be saved.
Commentaries on John 1:13
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13Which were born, not of blood - Who were regenerated, ̔, not of bloods - the union of father and mother, or of a distinguished or illustrious ancestry; for the Hebrew language makes use of the plural to point out the dignity or excellence of a thing: and probably by this the evangelist intended to show his countrymen, that having Abraham and Sarah for their parents would not entitle them to the blessings of the new covenant; as no man could lay claim to…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13Which were born - This doubtless refers to the “new birth,” or to the great change in the sinner‘s mind called regeneration or conversion. It means that they did not become the children of God in virtue of their natural birth, or because they were the children of “Jews,” or because they were descended from pious parents. The term “to be born” is often used to denote this change. Compare John 3:3-8; 1 John 2:29. It illustrates clearly and beautifully this…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-14Verses 6-14 John the Baptist came to bear witness concerning Jesus. Nothing more fully shows the darkness of men's minds, than that when the Light had appeared, there needed a witness to call attention to it. Christ was the true Light; that great Light which deserves to be called so. By his Spirit and grace he enlightens all that are enlightened to salvation; and those that are not enlightened by him, perish in darkness. Christ was in the world when he…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13born of God: People can escape the darkness only by God’s grace (see 8:12; 12:35–36, 44–46).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 10-1310-13. He was in the world, &c.--The language here is nearly as wonderful as the thought. Observe its compact simplicity, its sonorousness--"the world" resounding in each of its three members--and the enigmatic form in which it is couched, startling the reader and setting his ingenuity a-working to solve the stupendous enigma of Christ ignored in His own world. "The world," in the first two clauses, plainly means the created world, into which He came…Read the comment
Topics related to John 1:13
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on John 1
- 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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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