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 tell you the solemn truth, we speak about what we know and testify about what we have seen, but you people do not accept our testimony. 12If I have told you people about earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven – the Son of Man. 14Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15so that everyone who believes in him may 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. The only one, himself God, who is in closest fellowship with the Father, has made God known.
• John 6:46(Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God – he has seen the Father.)
• Deuteronomy 30:12It is not in heaven, as though one must say, “Who will go up to heaven to get it for us and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?”
• Proverbs 30:4Who has ascended into heaven, and then descended? Who has gathered up the winds in his fists? Who has bound up the waters in his cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son’s name? – if you know!
• Acts 2:34For David did not ascend into heaven, but he himself says, ‘The Lord said to my lord, “Sit at my right hand
• Romans 10:6But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down)
• Ephesians 4:9Now what is the meaning of “he ascended,” except that he also descended to the lower regions, namely, the earth?
• John 6:33For the bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
• John 8:42Jesus replied, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come from God and am now here. I have not come on my own initiative, but he sent me.
• John 13:3Because Jesus knew that the Father had handed all things over to him, and that he had come from God and was going back to God,
• John 16:28I came from the Father and entered into the world, but in turn, I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”
• John 17:5And now, Father, glorify me at your side with the glory I had with you before the world was created.
• 1 Corinthians 15:47The first man is from the earth, made of dust; the second man is from heaven.
• Matthew 28:20teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
• Mark 16:19After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.
• Acts 20:28Watch out for yourselves and for all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God that he obtained with the blood of his own Son.

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