the Week of Proper 22 / Ordinary 27
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Green's Literal Translation
John 3:9
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"How can this happen though?" Nick asked.
Nicodemus answered and said to Him, "How can these things be?"
Nicodemus said to Him, "How can these things be?"
And Nicodemus said to him, How is it possible for these things to be?
Nicodemus answered and said to him, How can these things be?
Nicodemus answered and said to Him, "How can these things be?"
"How can these things be?" asked Nicodemus.
Nicodemus answered him, "How can these things be?"
Nicodemus answered and said to him, How can these things be?
"How is all this possible?" asked Nicodemus.
Nicodemus answered, and said vnto him, How can these things be?
Nicodemus answered, and sayde vnto him: How maye these be?
Nicodemus answered, how can that be?
Nicodemus asked, "What do you mean by this? How does this happen?"
Nicodemus said to Him, "How can these things be possible?"
Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
Nicode'mus said to him, "How can this be?"
And Nicodemus answered and sayde vnto him: how can these thinges be?
Nicodemus answered and said to him, How can these things be?
Nicodemus answered and said to him, How can these things be?
Nicodemus asked, "How can this happen?"
Nicodemus replied, "How can these things be?"
"How can this be?" Nicodemus asked.
Nakdimon replied, "How can this happen?"
Nicodemus answered, and said vnto him, Howe can these things be?
Nicodemus answered and said to him, How can these things be?
Nakdimon answered him, "How can these things be?"
Nicodemus said to him, "How can that be?"John 6:52,60;">[xr]
Nikodimos answered and said to him, How can these things be?
Nicodemus answered, and said to him: How can these things be?
"How are these things possible?" Nicodemus asked.
Nicodemus said to Him, "How can this be?"
Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
"How can this be?" Nicodemus asked.
Nicodemus said to him, "How can these things be?"
Nicodemus answered, and said unto him - How, can these things, come about?
Nicodemus answered and said to him: How can these things be done?
Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
Nicodemus answered and said to him, "How can these things be?"
Nicodemus aunswered, and sayde vnto hym: howe can these thynges be?
Nicodemus asked, "How is all this possible?"
Nicodemus said to him, "How can these things be?"
Nicodemus responded and said to Him, "How can these things be?"
"How can this be?" asked Nicodemus.
Nychodeme answeride, and seide to hym, Hou moun these thingis be don?
Nicodemus answered and said to him, `How are these things able to happen?'
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
How: John 3:4, John 6:52, John 6:60, Proverbs 4:18, Isaiah 42:16, Mark 8:24, Mark 8:25, Luke 1:34
Reciprocal: Joshua 7:26 - So the Lord John 7:36 - manner John 9:10 - General John 14:22 - how 1 Corinthians 15:35 - How 1 Timothy 1:7 - understanding
Cross-References
And the man said, The woman whom You gave to be with me, she has given to me of the tree, and I ate.
And Jehovah God said to the woman, What is this you have done? And the woman said, The serpent deceived me, and I ate.
And He said to the man, Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten of the tree about which I commanded you, saying, You shall not eat from it, the ground shall be cursed because of you; you shall eatof it in sorrow all the days of your life.
By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread until your return to the ground. For you have been taken out of it; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.
And the man called the name of his wife, Eve; because she became the mother of all living.
And Jehovah God made coats of skin for the man and his wife, and clothed them.
And Jehovah said to Cain, Where is your brother Abel? And he said, I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?
And Jehovah came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of Adam had built.
And He said, Hagar, Sarai's slave-girl, where did you come from? And where do you go? And she said, I am fleeing from the face of my mistress, Sarai.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Nicodemus answered and said unto him,.... Remaining still as ignorant as ever, though Christ had explained the phrase "born again", at which he stumbled, by a being "born of water and of the Spirit", or of the grace of the Spirit of God; and had illustrated this by the free, powerful, and invisible blowing of the wind:
how can these things be? The Arabic version reads, "how can this be?" referring either to the last thing said, that a man's being born of the Spirit, is like the blowing of the wind; or to the explanation of the first expression, that a man should be born of water, and of the Spirit; or to the first assertion itself, that a man should be born again; which notwithstanding the explanation and illustration, seemed as impossible, and as impracticable as ever; or rather to them all, and so the Persic version reads, "how can all these things be?"
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
How can these things be? - Nicodemus was still unwilling to admit the doctrine unless he understood it; and we have here an instance of a man of rank stumbling at one of the plainest doctrines of religion, and unwilling to admit a truth because he could not understand “how” it could be, when he daily admitted the truth of facts in other things which he could as little comprehend. And we may learn:
1.That people will often admit facts on other subjects, and be greatly perplexed by similar facts in religion.
2.That no small part of people’s difficulties are because they cannot understand how or why a thing is.
3.That people of rank and learning are as likely to be perplexed by these things as those in the obscurest and humblest walks of life.
4.That this is one reason why such men, particularly, so often reject the truths of the gospel.
5.That this is a very unwise treatment of truth, and a way which they do not apply to other things.
If the wind cools and refreshes me in summer if it prostrates the oak or lashes the sea into foam - if it destroys my house or my grain, it matters little how it does this; and so of the Spirit. If it renews my heart, humbles my pride, subdues my sin, and comforts my soul, it is a matter of little importance how it does all this. Sufficient for me is it to know that it is done, and to taste the blessings which flow from the renewing. and sanctifying grace of God.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse John 3:9. How can these things be? — Our Lord had very plainly told him how these things could be, and illustrated the new birth by one of the most proper similes that could be chosen; but so intent was this great man an making every thing submit to the testimony of his senses that he appears unwilling to believe any thing, unless he can comprehend it. This is the case with many-they profess to believe because they comprehend; but they are impostors who speak thus: there is not a man in the universe that can fully comprehend one operation, either of God or his instrument nature; and yet they must believe, and do believe, though they never did nor ever can fully comprehend, or account for, the objects of their faith.
