Revised Literal Translation
John 3:8
8The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
John 3:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
- New International Version (NIV)The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."
- New King James Version (NKJV)The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
Context of John 3:8
6That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. 9Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? 10Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
Read all of John 3John 3:8 word by word
τὸ πνεῦμα ὅπου θέλει πνεῖ, καὶ τὴν φωνὴν αὐτοῦ ἀκούεις ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ οἶδας πόθεν ἔρχεται καὶ ποῦ ὑπάγει· οὕτως ἐστὶν πᾶς ὁ γεγεννημένος ἐκ τοῦ πνεύματος.¶Read the interlinear
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- The windπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: breathG4151
- blowethπνέωpneō · to blowG4154
- whereὅπουhopou · where(-ever)G3699
- it listethθέλωthelō ethelō · to will/desireG2309
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- thou hearestἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
- the soundφωνήphōnē · voice/sound: noiseG5456
- thereofαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- butἀλλάalla · butG235
- canstεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
- notοὐou · noG3756
- whenceπόθενpothen · whenceG4159
- it comethἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
- whitherποῦpou · where?G4226
- it goethὑπάγωhupagō · to goG5217
- soοὕτωςhoutō · thus(-ly)G3779
- isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- everyπᾶςpas · allG3956
- one that is bornγεννάωgennaō · to begetG1080
- ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
Cross-references for John 3:8
- Job 37:10By the breath of God frost is given: and the breadth of the waters is straitened.
- Psalms 107:25For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.
- Ecclesiastes 11:4He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.
- Ezekiel 37:9Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord Yhwh; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.
- Acts 2:2And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
- Acts 4:31And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
- 1 Corinthians 2:11For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
- 1 Corinthians 12:11But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
- John 1:13Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
- Isaiah 55:9For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
- Mark 4:26And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;
- Luke 6:43For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
- 1 John 2:29If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.
- 1 John 3:8He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
Commentaries on John 3:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8The wind bloweth - Though the manner in which this new birth is effected by the Divine Spirit, be incomprehensible to us, yet we must not, on this ground, suppose it to be impossible. The wind blows in a variety of directions - we hear its sound, perceive its operation in the motion of the trees, etc., and feel it on ourselves - but we cannot discern the air itself; we only know that it exists by the effects which it produces: so is every one who is born…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8The wind bloweth - Nicodemus had objected to the doctrine because he did not understand how it could be. Jesus shows him that he ought not to reject it on that account, for he constantly believed things quite as difficult. It might appear incomprehensible, but it was to be judged of by its effects. As in this case of the wind, the effects were seen, the sound was heard, important changes were produced by it, trees and clouds were moved, yet the wind is…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8In Greek, the word for wind is the same as for spirit (Greek pneuma). The wind is an appropriate image for the Spirit, who is sent from heaven and cannot be contained or controlled.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 6-86-8. That which is born, &c.--A great universal proposition; "That which is begotten carries within itself the nature of that which begat it" [Olshausen]. flesh--Not the mere material body, but all that comes into the world by birth, the entire man; yet not humanity simply, but in its corrupted, depraved condition, in complete subjection to the law of the fall (Ro 8:1-9). So that though a man "could enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born,"…Read the comment
Topics related to John 3:8
In the dictionaries
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
Revised Literal Translation — © 2018 Michael W. Jones, Sr. — GPL
Commentaries