John 1:13

King James Version

Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
They became God's children, but not in the way babies are usually born. It was not because of any human desire or plan. They were born from God himself.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
which were borne not of bloude nor of the will of the flesshe nor yet of the will of man: but of God.

Hebrew Names Version
who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

International Standard Version
who were born, not merely in a physical sense,not of bloods">[fn] or from a fleshly impulse, or from man's desire, but of God.John 3:5; James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:23;">[xr]

New American Standard Bible
who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of a man, but of God.

New Century Version
They did not become his children in any human way—by any human parents or human desire. They were born of God.

Update Bible Version
who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Webster's Bible Translation
Who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

English Standard Version
who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

World English Bible
who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Who were born, not of blood, nor by the will of the flesh, nor by the will of man, but of God.

Weymouth's New Testament
who were begotten as such not by human descent, nor through an impulse of their own nature, nor through the will of a human father, but from God.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
nether of the wille of fleische, nether of the wille of man, but ben borun of God.

English Revised Version
which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Berean Standard Bible
children born not of blood, nor of the desire or will of man, but born of God.

Contemporary English Version
They were not God's children by nature or because of any human desires. God himself was the one who made them his children.

Amplified Bible
who were born, not of blood [natural conception], nor of the will of the flesh [physical impulse], nor of the will of man [that of a natural father], but of God [that is, a divine and supernatural birth—they are born of God—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified].

American Standard Version
who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Bible in Basic English
Whose birth was from God and not from blood, or from an impulse of the flesh and man's desire.

Complete Jewish Bible
not because of bloodline, physical impulse or human intention, but because of God.

Darby Translation
who have been born, not of blood, nor of flesh's will, nor of man's will, but of God.

Etheridge Translation
These, not from blood, nor from the will of the flesh, nor from the will of man, but from Aloha, are born.

Murdock Translation
who are born, not of blood, nor of the pleasure of the flesh, nor of the pleasure of man, but of God.

King James Version (1611)
Which were borne, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

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

New Life Bible
These children of God were not born of blood and of flesh and of man's desires, but they were born of God.

New Revised Standard
who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Which are borne not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of ye wil of man, but of God.

George Lamsa Translation
Those who are not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but born of God.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Who - not of bloods, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but - of God, were born.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Who are born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Revised Standard Version
who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Which were borne, not of blood, nor of the wyll of the fleshe, nor yet of the wyll of man, but of God.

Good News Translation
They did not become God's children by natural means, that is, by being born as the children of a human father; God himself was their Father.

Christian Standard Bible®
who were born, not of natural descent, or of the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, but of God.

Lexham English Bible
who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of a husband, but of God.

Literal Translation
who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but were born of God.

Young's Literal Translation
who -- not of blood nor of a will of flesh, nor of a will of man but -- of God were begotten.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Which are not borne of bloude, ner of the wyl of the flesh, ner of the wyl of man, but of God.

Mace New Testament (1729)
a birth which they had not from circumcision, nor from the constitution of the body, nor the institution of man, but from God.

New English Translation
—children not born by human parents or by human desire or a husband's decision, but by God.

New King James Version
who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Simplified Cowboy Version
When a cowboy becomes one of God's kids, nothing really happens to them physically. The transformation occurs in their soul. They are branded and marked for eternity by God himself.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

Legacy Standard Bible
who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

Contextual Overview

⁵ And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. ⁶ There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. ⁷ The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. ⁸ He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. ⁹ That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. ¹⁰ He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. ¹¹ He came unto his own, and his own received him not. ¹² But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: ¹³ Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. ¹⁴ And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

were: John 3:3, John 3:5, James 1:18, 1 Peter 1:3, 1 Peter 1:23, 1 Peter 2:2, 1 John 3:9, 1 John 4:7, 1 John 5:1, 1 John 5:4, 1 John 5:18

not: John 8:33-41, Matthew 3:9, Romans 9:7-9

nor of the will of the: Genesis 25:22, Genesis 25:28, Genesis 27:4, Genesis 27:33, Romans 9:10-16

nor of the will of man: Psalms 110:3, Romans 9:1-5, Romans 10:1-3, 1 Corinthians 3:6, Philippians 2:13, James 1:18

of God: John 3:6-8, Titus 3:5, 1 John 2:28, 1 John 2:29

Reciprocal: Isaiah 40:13 - hath directed Daniel 2:34 - was cut Matthew 13:38 - the good Mark 4:8 - fell Mark 6:48 - he saw Mark 16:16 - that believeth and Luke 1:17 - before Luke 8:8 - other John 3:8 - so John 8:47 - General John 20:17 - your Father Acts 18:27 - believed Romans 9:8 - are counted Romans 9:16 - General Romans 10:10 - For with Galatians 3:26 - General Galatians 4:31 - we Ephesians 2:3 - desires Ephesians 2:8 - that Philippians 1:29 - not Colossians 2:6 - received Colossians 2:12 - the faith 1 Peter 4:2 - the will 2 Peter 1:4 - ye might

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Which were born not of blood,.... Or bloods, in the plural number. The birth, here spoken of, is regeneration, expressed by a being born again, or from above; by a being quickened by the Spirit and grace of God; by Christ being formed in men; and by a partaking of the divine nature; and by being made new creatures, as all that believe in the name of Christ are; and which is the evidence of their being the sons of God: and now this is owing not to blood, or bloods; not to the blood of circumcision; or of the passover, which the Jews had an high opinion of, and ascribe life and salvation to, and to which notion this may be opposed: so their commentators f on Ezekiel 16:6 where the word "live" is twice used, observe on the first "live", by the blood of the passover, on the second "live", by the blood of circumcision; but, alas! these contribute nothing to the life of the new creature: nor is regeneration owing to the blood of ancestors, to natural descent, as from Abraham, which the Jews valued themselves upon; for sin, and not grace, is conveyed by natural generation: all men are of one blood, and that is tainted with sin, and therefore can never have any influence on regeneration; no blood is to be valued, or any one upon it, but the blood of Christ, which cleanses from all sin.

Nor of the will of the flesh; man's free will, which is carnal and corrupt, is enmity to God, and impotent to every thing that is spiritually good: regeneration is ascribed to another will and power, even to the will and power of God, and denied of this:

nor of the will of man: of the best of men, as Abraham, David, and others; who, though ever so willing and desirous, that their children, relations, friends, and servants, should be born again, be partakers of the grace of God, and live in his sight, yet cannot effect any thing of this kind: all that they can do is to pray for them, give advice, and bring them under the means of grace; but all is ineffectual without a divine energy. So with the Jews, איש, "a man", signifies a great man, in opposition to "Adam", or "Enosh", which signify a mean, weak, frail man; and our translators have observed this distinction, in Isaiah 2:9 and the mean man (Adam) boweth down, and the great man (Ish) "humbleth himself": on which Jarchi has this note, "Adam boweth down", i.e. little men; "and a man humbleth himself", i.e. princes, and mighty men, men of power: and so Kimchi on Psalms 4:2. "O ye sons of men", observes, that the Psalmist calls them the sons of men, with respect to the great men of Israel; for there were with Absalom the sons of great men. Though sometimes the Jews say g, Adam is greater than any of the names of men, as Geber, Enosh, Ish. But now our evangelist observes, let a man be ever so great, or good, or eminent, for gifts and grace, he cannot communicate grace to another, or to whom he will; none are born again of any such will:

but of God; of God, the Father of Christ, who begets to a lively hope; and of the Son, who quickens whom he will; and of the grace of the Spirit, to whom regeneration is generally ascribed.

f Jarchi & Kimchi in loc. Shemot Rabba, sect. 19. fol. 103. 2. & 104. 4. & Mattanot Cehuna in Vajikra Rabba, sect. 23. fol. 164. 2. Zohar in Lev. fol. 39. 2. g Zohar in Lev. fol. 20. 2.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Which 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 great change. The natural birth introduces us to life. The new birth is the beginning of spiritual life. Before, the sinner is “dead” in sins Ephesians 2:1; now he begins truly to live. And as the natural birth is the beginning of life, so to be born of God is to be introduced to real life, to light, to happiness, and to the favor of God. The term expresses at once the “greatness” and the “nature” of the change.

Not of blood - The Greek word is plural; not of “bloods” - that is, not of “man.” Compare Matthew 27:4. The Jews prided themselves on being the descendants of Abraham, Matthew 3:9. They supposed that it was proof of the favor of God to be descended from such an illustrious ancestry. In this passage this notion is corrected. It is not because men are descended from an illustrious or pious parentage that they are entitled to the favor of God; or perhaps the meaning may be, not because there is a union of illustrious lines of ancestry or “bloods” in them. The law of Christ’s kingdom is different from what the Jews supposed. Compare 1 Peter 1:23. It was necessary to be “born of God” by regeneration. Possibly, however, it may mean that they did not become children of God by the bloody rite of “circumcision,” as many of the Jews supposed they did. This is agreeable to the declaration of Paul in Romans 2:28-29.Nor of the will of the flesh - Not by natural generation.

Nor of the will of man - This may refer, perhaps, to the will of man in adopting a child, as the former phrases do to the natural birth; and the design of using these three phrases may have been to say that they became the children of God neither in virtue of their descent from illustrious parents like Abraham, nor by their natural birth, nor by being “adopted” by a pious man. None of the ways by which we become entitled to the privileges of “children” among people can give us a title to be called the sons of God. It is not by human power or agency that men become children of the Most High.

But of God - That is, God produces the change, and confers the privilege of being cawed his children. The heart is changed by his power. No unaided effort of man, no works of ours, can produce this change. At the same time, it is true that no man is renewed who does not himself “desire” and “will” to be a believer; for the effect of the change is on his “will” Psalms 110:3, and no one is changed who does not strive to enter in at the strait gate, Philippians 2:12. This important verse, therefore, teaches us:

1.That if men are saved they must be born again.

2.That their salvation is not the result of their birth, or of any honorable or pious parentage.

3.That the children of the rich and the noble, as well as of the poor, must be born of God if they will be saved.

4.That the children of pious parents must be born again; or they cannot be saved. None will go to heaven simply because their “parents” are Christians.

5.That this work is the work of God, and “no man” can do it for us.

6.That we should forsake all human dependence, east off all confidence in the flesh, and go at once to the throne of grace, and beseech of God to adopt us into his family and save our souls from death.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse John 1:13. Which were born, not of blood — Who were regenerated, ουκ εξ αιματων, 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 them, but in consequence of being born of God; therefore, neither the will of the flesh-any thing that the corrupt heart of man could purpose or determine in its own behalf; nor the will of man-any thing that another may be disposed to do in our behalf, can avail here; this new birth must come through the will of God-through; his own unlimited power and boundless mercy, prescribing salvation by Christ Jesus alone. It has been already observed that the Jews required circumcision, baptism, and sacrifice, in order to make a proselyte. They allow that the Israelites had in Egypt cast off circumcision, and were consequently out of the covenant; but at length they were circumcised, and they mingled the blood of circumcision with the blood of the paschal lamb, and from this union of bloods they were again made the children of God. See Lightfoot. This was the only way by which the Jews could be made the sons of God; but the evangelist shows them that, under the Gospel dispensation, no person could become a child of God, but by being spiritually regenerated.