Lectionary Calendar
Wednesday, November 27th, 2024
the Week of Christ the King / Proper 29 / Ordinary 34
Attention!
StudyLight.org has pledged to help build churches in Uganda. Help us with that pledge and support pastors in the heart of Africa.
Click here to join the effort!

Read the Bible

King James Version

John 3:27

John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - John;   Minister, Christian;   Thompson Chain Reference - Dependence;   Gifts;   Human;   Weakness, Human;   Weakness-Power;   The Topic Concordance - Giving and Gifts;   Jesus Christ;   John the Baptist;   Sending and Those Sent;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Heaven;   John the baptist;   Kingdom of god;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Baptize, Baptism;   Heaven, Heavens, Heavenlies;   John the Baptist;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Episcopacy;   Regeneration;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Faith;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Jesus Christ;   John the Baptist;   Holman Bible Dictionary - John, the Gospel of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Gospels;   John, Gospel of;   John, Theology of;   Mss;   Scribes;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Heaven ;   Humility;   Immanence ;   Influence;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - John, the Baptize;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Baptism (Non-Immersionist View);   Baptism (Lutheran Doctrine);  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for December 6;   Every Day Light - Devotion for January 30;   Today's Word from Skip Moen - Devotion for December 5;  

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
John answered, "A person can receive only what God gives.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Iohn answered and sayde: a man can receave no thinge at all except it be geve him fro heaven.
Hebrew Names Version
Yochanan answered, "A man can receive nothing, unless it has been given him from heaven.
International Standard Version
John replied, "No one can receive anything unless it has been given to him from heaven.1 Corinthians 4:7; Hebrews 5:4; James 1:17;">[xr]
New American Standard Bible
John replied, "A person can receive not even one thing unless it has been given to him from heaven.
New Century Version
John answered, "A man can get only what God gives him.
Update Bible Version
John answered and said, A man cannot receive anything, except it has been given him from heaven.
Webster's Bible Translation
John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.
English Standard Version
John answered, "A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven.
World English Bible
John answered, "A man can receive nothing, unless it has been given him from heaven.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, unless it be given him from heaven.
Weymouth's New Testament
"A man cannot obtain anything," replied John, "unless it has been granted to him from Heaven.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Joon answerde, and seide, A man may not take ony thing, but it be youun to hym fro heuene.
English Revised Version
John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it have been given him from heaven.
Berean Standard Bible
John replied, "A man can receive only what is given him from heaven.
Contemporary English Version
John replied: No one can do anything unless God in heaven allows it.
Amplified Bible
John replied, "A man can receive nothing [he can claim nothing at all] unless it has been granted to him from heaven [for there is no other source than the sovereign will of God].
American Standard Version
John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it have been given him from heaven.
Bible in Basic English
And this was John's answer: A man is unable to have anything if it is not given to him from heaven.
Complete Jewish Bible
Yochanan answered, "No one can receive anything unless it has been given to him from Heaven.
Darby Translation
John answered and said, A man can receive nothing unless it be given him out of heaven.
Etheridge Translation
Juchanon answered and said to them, A man cannot receive of his own will any thing, unless it be given to him from heaven.
Murdock Translation
John answered, and said to them: A man cannot take any thing by his own choice, unless it be given him from heaven.
King James Version (1611)
Iohn answered, and said, A man can receiue nothing, except it be giuen him from heauen.
New Living Translation
John replied, "No one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven.
New Life Bible
John said, "A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven.
New Revised Standard
John answered, "No one can receive anything except what has been given from heaven.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Iohn answered, and saide, A man can receiue nothing, except it be giuen him fro heauen.
George Lamsa Translation
John answered and said to them, No man can receive anything of his own will, except it is given to him from heaven.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
John answered, and said - A man can receive, nothing, except it have been given him out of heaven.
Douay-Rheims Bible
John answered and said: A man cannot receive any thing, unless it be given him from heaven.
Revised Standard Version
John answered, "No one can receive anything except what is given him from heaven.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Iohn aunswered, and sayde: A man can receaue nothyng, except it be geuen hym from heauen.
Good News Translation
John answered, "No one can have anything unless God gives it.
Christian Standard Bible®
John responded, “No one can receive anything unless it has been given to him from heaven.
Lexham English Bible
John answered and said, "A man can receive not one thing unless it is granted to him from heaven!
Literal Translation
John answered and said, A man is able to receive nothing unless it has been given to him from Heaven.
Young's Literal Translation
John answered and said, `A man is not able to receive anything, if it may not have been given him from the heaven;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Ihon answered and sayde: A man can receaue nothinge, excepte it be geuen him from heaue.
Mace New Testament (1729)
but John made them this answer, a man can have no authority, but what he derives from heaven.
THE MESSAGE
John answered, "It's not possible for a person to succeed—I'm talking about eternal success—without heaven's help. You yourselves were there when I made it public that I was not the Messiah but simply the one sent ahead of him to get things ready. The one who gets the bride is, by definition, the bridegroom. And the bridegroom's friend, his ‘best man'—that's me—in place at his side where he can hear every word, is genuinely happy. How could he be jealous when he knows that the wedding is finished and the marriage is off to a good start? "That's why my cup is running over. This is the assigned moment for him to move into the center, while I slip off to the sidelines. "The One who comes from above is head and shoulders over other messengers from God. The earthborn is earthbound and speaks earth language; the heavenborn is in a league of his own. He sets out the evidence of what he saw and heard in heaven. No one wants to deal with these facts. But anyone who examines this evidence will come to stake his life on this: that God himself is the truth. "The One that God sent speaks God's words. And don't think he rations out the Spirit in bits and pieces. The Father loves the Son extravagantly. He turned everything over to him so he could give it away—a lavish distribution of gifts. That is why whoever accepts and trusts the Son gets in on everything, life complete and forever! And that is also why the person who avoids and distrusts the Son is in the dark and doesn't see life. All he experiences of God is darkness, and an angry darkness at that."
New English Translation
John replied, "No one can receive anything unless it has been given to him from heaven.
New King James Version
John answered and said, "A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven.
Simplified Cowboy Version
John replied, "No one has anything unless God gives it to 'em.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
John answered and said, "A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven.
Legacy Standard Bible
John answered and said, "A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven.

Contextual Overview

22 After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized. 23 And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized. 24 For John was not yet cast into prison. 25 Then there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying. 26 And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him. 27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. 28 Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. 29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease. 31 He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

A man: Numbers 16:9-11, Numbers 17:5, 1 Chronicles 28:4, 1 Chronicles 28:5, Jeremiah 1:5, Jeremiah 17:16, Amos 7:15, Matthew 25:15, Mark 13:34, Romans 1:5, Romans 12:6, 1 Corinthians 1:1, 1 Corinthians 2:12-14, 1 Corinthians 3:5, 1 Corinthians 4:7, 1 Corinthians 12:11, 1 Corinthians 15:10, Galatians 1:1, Ephesians 1:1, Ephesians 3:7, Ephesians 3:8, 1 Timothy 2:7, James 1:17, 1 Peter 4:10, 1 Peter 4:11

receive: or, take unto himself, Hebrews 5:4, Hebrews 5:5

from: Matthew 21:25, Mark 11:30, Mark 11:31

Reciprocal: Exodus 31:2 - I have Numbers 18:7 - as a service Matthew 3:1 - John Matthew 10:1 - he gave Mark 9:12 - restoreth Mark 13:11 - shall be Luke 1:77 - give John 19:11 - Thou Acts 3:12 - or Acts 13:25 - whom Acts 15:7 - God 1 Corinthians 4:6 - be puffed 2 Corinthians 4:5 - we 2 Corinthians 5:18 - all Philippians 2:13 - God Hebrews 6:4 - and have Revelation 11:3 - I will give power

Gill's Notes on the Bible

John answered and said,.... The Syriac and Arabic versions add, "to them"; the answer being made to the disciples of John, who came to him with their complaint:

a man can receive nothing; the Syriac and Persic versions add, "of his own will": some understand this of Christ, as man, who did not take upon him the character of the Messiah, nor the office of a Mediator, nor the honour of it of himself; and who received the gifts and graces of the Spirit of God, without measure, and had his success in his work from above: and indeed, it is true of both Christ, and John; for as Christ, so John received his office, and honour, as the harbinger and forerunner of Christ, and all his gifts qualifying for it, and his success in it, not of himself, but of God: and since therefore the superior office, and honour, and usefulness of the one above the other, were according to the sovereign will of God, there was no room for complaint, murmuring, and envy; but there ought to be contentment and pleasure in the wise disposition of things by God. Yea, this is true of every man, who has nothing of his own; and whatever he has in nature, providence and grace, is a gift to him; and all he enjoys is in a way of receiving: nor can he receive it,

except it be given him from heaven; from God who dwells there;

:-; who is the author and donor of every gift, temporal, spiritual, and eternal; particularly he cannot perceive, and discern spiritual things, nor receive Gospel truths; as it appeared to John his disciples could not, unless spiritual light is given from above; and such a favour is bestowed, as to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven: and therefore, for every office, whether of a superior, or inferior kind, and for every degree of honour, and for whatsoever blessing and gift, whether for soul or body, for time, or for eternity, men ought to be thankful, and not glory in them, as though they had not received them; nor is there any reason to murmur against God, or envy one another, as these disciples did.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

John answered ... - John did not enter into their feelings or sympathize with their love of party. He came to honor Jesus, not to build up a sect, He rejoiced at the success of the Messiah, and began to teach them to rejoice in it also.

A man can receive nothing ... - All success is from heaven. All my success was from God. All the success of Jesus is from God. As success comes from the same source, we ought not to be envious. It is designed to answer the same end, and, by whomsoever accomplished, the hand of God is in it, and we should rejoice. If Jesus and his disciples are successful, if all men flee to him, it is proof that God favors him, and you should rejoice.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 27. A man can receive nothing, &c.] Or, A man can receive nothing from heaven, unless it be given him. I have received, not only my commission, but the power also by which I have executed it, from above. As I took it up at God's command, so I am ready to lay it down when he pleases. I have told you from the beginning that I was only the forerunner of the Messiah, and was sent, not to form a separate party, but to point out to men that Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world: John 3:28.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile