John 3:13

John 3:13 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
• New International Version (NIV)No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.
• English Standard Version (ESV)No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.
• New King James Version (NKJV)No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.

Context of John 3:13

11I can guarantee this truth: We know what we’re talking about, and we confirm what we’ve seen. Yet, you don’t accept our message. 12If you don’t believe me when I tell you about things on earth, how will you believe me when I tell you about things in heaven? No one has gone to heaven except the Son of Man, who came from heaven. 14“As Moses lifted up the snake ⌞on a pole⌟ in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up. 15Then everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.”

John 3:13 word by word

καὶ οὐδεὶς ἀναβέβηκεν εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν εἰ μὴ ὁ ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καταβάς, ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπουRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• no manοὐδείςoudeis · noneG3762
• hath ascended upἀναβαίνωanabainō · to ascendG305
• toεἰςeis · towardG1519
• heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
• ·εἰei · if: notG1487
• butμήmē · notG3361
• came downκαταβαίνωkatabainō · to come/go downG2597
• fromἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• the Sonυἱόςuihos · sonG5207
• of manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
• which isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722

Cross-references for John 3:13

• John 1:18No one has ever seen God. God’s only Son, the one who is closest to the Father’s heart, has made him known.
• John 6:46I’m saying that no one has seen the Father. Only the one who is from God has seen the Father.
• Deuteronomy 30:12It’s not in heaven. You don’t have to ask, “Who will go to heaven to get this command for us so that we can hear it and obey it?”
• Proverbs 30:4“Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in the palm of his hand? Who has wrapped water in a garment? Who has set up the earth from one end to the other? What is his name or the name of his son? Certainly, you must know!
• Acts 2:34David didn’t go up to heaven, but he said, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Take the honored position—the one next to me [God the Father] on the heavenly throne—
• Romans 10:6However, Scripture says about God’s approval which is based on faith, “Don’t ask yourself who will go up to heaven,” (that is, to bring Christ down).
• Ephesians 4:9Now what does it mean that he went up except that he also had gone down to the lowest parts of the earth?
• John 6:33God’s bread is the man who comes from heaven and gives life to the world.”
• John 8:42Jesus told them, “If God were your Father, you would love me. After all, I’m here, and I came from God. I didn’t come on my own. Instead, God sent me.
• John 13:3The Father had put everything in Jesus’ control. Jesus knew that. He also knew that he had come from God and was going back to God.
• John 16:28I left the Father and came into the world. Again, ⌞as I’ve said,⌟ I’m going to leave the world and go back to the Father.”
• John 17:5Now, Father, give me glory in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world existed.
• 1 Corinthians 15:47The first man was made from the dust of the earth. He came from the earth. The second man came from heaven.
• Matthew 28:20Teach them to do everything I have commanded you. “And remember that I am always with you until the end of time.”
• Mark 16:19After talking with the apostles, the Lord was taken to heaven, where he received the honored position—the one next to God the Father on the throne.
• Acts 20:28Pay attention to yourselves and to the entire flock in which the Holy Spirit has placed you as bishops to be shepherds for God’s church which he acquired with his own blood.

Commentaries on John 3:13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13No man hath ascended - This seems a figurative expression for, No man hath known the mysteries of the kingdom of God; as in Deuteronomy 30:12; Psalm 73:17; Proverbs 30:4; Romans 11:34. And the expression is founded upon this generally received maxim: That to be perfectly acquainted with the concerns of a place, it is necessary for a person to be on the spot. But our Lord probably spoke to correct a false notion among the Jews, viz. that Moses had ascended…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13And no man hath ascended into heavens - No man, therefore, is qualified to speak of heavenly things, John 3:12. To speak of those things requires intimate acquaintance with them - demands that we have seen them; and as no one has ascended into heaven and returned, so no one is qualified to speak of them but He who came down from heaven. This does not mean that no one had Gone to heaven or had been saved, for Enoch and Elijah had been borne there (Genesis…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13There is a great distance between this world and heaven (see 1:51; 3:31; 6:38, 42). Heaven represents God’s dwelling place. This world represents human life under sin and weakness. Jesus came down from heaven to this world. He made a way for people to know God. He proved that he came from God when he defeated death. After rising from the dead, he returned to the Father in heaven (16:5–11).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 3:13

• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Life

In the dictionaries

• Son of man
• Born
• Condemn
• Condemnation
• Darkness
• Decrease
• Increase
• Love
• Nicodemus
• 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