John 1:13

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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.

Context of John 1:13

11He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. 14The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15(John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ ”)

John 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.

• Whichὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• were bornγεννάωgennaō · to begetG1080
• notοὐou · noG3756
• ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• bloodαἷμαaima · bloodG129
• norοὐδέoude · norG3761
• the willθέλημαthelēma · will/desireG2307
• of the fleshσάρξsarx · fleshG4561
• of manἀνήρanēr · manG435
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316

Cross-references for John 1:13

• John 3:3Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”
• James 1:18He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.
• 1 Peter 1:3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
• 1 Peter 2:2Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,
• 1 John 3:9No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.
• 1 John 4:7Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.
• 1 John 5:1Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.
• John 8:33They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”
• Matthew 3:9And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.
• Romans 9:7Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children. On the contrary, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.”
• Genesis 25:22The babies jostled each other within her, and she said, “Why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the Lord.
• Genesis 27:4Prepare me the kind of tasty food I like and bring it to me to eat, so that I may give you my blessing before I die.”
• Romans 9:10Not only that, but Rebekah’s children were conceived at the same time by our father Isaac.
• Psalms 110:3Your troops will be willing on your day of battle. Arrayed in holy splendor, your young men will come to you like dew from the morning’s womb.
• Romans 9:1I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit—
• Romans 10:1Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may 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

• Adoption
• Jesus, the Christ
• Regeneration

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Adoption
• Behold
• Believe
• Blood
• Dwell
• Flesh
• Guile
• Light

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