the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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THE MESSAGE
John 3:6
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
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- CondensedDevotionals:
- DailyParallel Translations
Whatever is born of the flesh
That which is borne of the flesh, is flesh, and that which is borne of the spirit, is spirit.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
"That which has been born of the flesh is flesh, and that which has been born of the Spirit is spirit.
Human life comes from human parents, but spiritual life comes from the Spirit.
"That which is born of the flesh is flesh [the physical is merely physical], and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
"That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
That which has been born of the flesh is flesh, and that which has been born of the Spirit is spirit.
Flesh is born of flesh, but spirit is born of the Spirit.
Humans give life to their children. Yet only God's Spirit can change you into a child of God.
What is born from the flesh is flesh, and what is born from the Spirit is spirit.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
The only life people get from their human parents is physical. But the new life that the Spirit gives a person is spiritual.
That which is borne of the flesh, is flesh: and that that is borne of the Spirit, is spirit.
What is born of flesh is flesh; and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.
A person is born physically of human parents, but is born spiritually of the Spirit.
What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.
That having been generated out of the flesh is flesh, and that having been generated out of the Spirit is spirit.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
That which has birth from the flesh is flesh, and that which has birth from the Spirit is spirit.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Whatever is born of the flesh, is flesh; and whatever is born of the Spirit, is spirit.
That which is born of the flesh, is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit, is spirit.
That which is borne of the fleshe, is fleshe: and that which is borne of the spirite, is spirite.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit, is spirit.
Whatever has been born of the flesh is flesh, and whatever has been born of the Spirit is spirit.
`That that is borun of the fleisch, is fleisch; and `that that is borun of spirit, is spirit.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
That which is born of the flesh, is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit, is spirit.
What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life.
Whatever is born of the flesh is flesh. Whatever is born of the Spirit is spirit.
What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.
That which hath been born of the flesh, is, flesh, and, that which hath been born of the spirit, is, spirit.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh: and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
That which is boren of the flesshe is flesshe: and that which is boren of the sprete is sprete.
that which hath been born of the flesh is flesh, and that which hath been born of the Spirit is spirit.
That which is borne of flesh, is flesh: & that which is borne of the sprete, is sprete.
the cleansing of the body is only external, but the purification of the spirit is spiritual.
Humans can only make humans, but the Holy Spirit can give birth to spiritual life.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
born of the flesh: Genesis 5:3, Genesis 6:5, Genesis 6:12, Job 14:4, Job 15:14-16, Job 25:4, Psalms 51:10, Romans 7:5, Romans 7:18, Romans 7:25, Romans 8:1, Romans 8:4, Romans 8:5-9, Romans 8:13, 1 Corinthians 15:47-49, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Galatians 5:16-21, Galatians 5:24, Ephesians 2:3, Colossians 2:11
that: Ezekiel 11:19, Ezekiel 11:20, Ezekiel 36:26, Ezekiel 36:27, Romans 8:5, Romans 8:9, 1 Corinthians 6:17, Galatians 5:17, 1 John 3:9
Reciprocal: Genesis 6:3 - is Genesis 8:21 - the imagination Job 12:10 - mankind Psalms 51:5 - shapen Psalms 78:39 - For he Proverbs 22:15 - Foolishness Luke 10:13 - repented Luke 11:13 - being John 1:13 - of God John 3:3 - Except Romans 8:8 - they that 1 Corinthians 15:48 - such are they also that are earthy Galatians 5:19 - the works Ephesians 1:19 - exceeding Hebrews 12:9 - fathers
Cross-References
The serpent was clever, more clever than any wild animal God had made. He spoke to the Woman: "Do I understand that God told you not to eat from any tree in the garden?"
The Woman said to the serpent, "Not at all. We can eat from the trees in the garden. It's only about the tree in the middle of the garden that God said, ‘Don't eat from it; don't even touch it or you'll die.'"
The Man said, "The Woman you gave me as a companion, she gave me fruit from the tree, and, yes, I ate it." God said to the Woman, "What is this that you've done?"
God told the serpent: "Because you've done this, you're cursed, cursed beyond all cattle and wild animals, Cursed to slink on your belly and eat dirt all your life. I'm declaring war between you and the Woman, between your offspring and hers. He'll wound your head, you'll wound his heel."
He told the Man: "Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree That I commanded you not to eat from, ‘Don't eat from this tree,' The very ground is cursed because of you; getting food from the ground Will be as painful as having babies is for your wife; you'll be working in pain all your life long. The ground will sprout thorns and weeds, you'll get your food the hard way, Planting and tilling and harvesting, sweating in the fields from dawn to dusk, Until you return to that ground yourself, dead and buried; you started out as dirt, you'll end up dirt."
After Joseph had been taken to Egypt by the Ishmaelites, Potiphar an Egyptian, one of Pharaoh's officials and the manager of his household, bought him from them. As it turned out, God was with Joseph and things went very well with him. He ended up living in the home of his Egyptian master. His master recognized that God was with him, saw that God was working for good in everything he did. He became very fond of Joseph and made him his personal aide. He put him in charge of all his personal affairs, turning everything over to him. From that moment on, God blessed the home of the Egyptian—all because of Joseph. The blessing of God spread over everything he owned, at home and in the fields, and all Potiphar had to concern himself with was eating three meals a day. Joseph was a strikingly handsome man. As time went on, his master's wife became infatuated with Joseph and one day said, "Sleep with me."
One late afternoon, David got up from taking his nap and was strolling on the roof of the palace. From his vantage point on the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was stunningly beautiful. David sent to ask about her, and was told, "Isn't this Bathsheba, daughter of Eliam and wife of Uriah the Hittite?" David sent his agents to get her. After she arrived, he went to bed with her. (This occurred during the time of "purification" following her period.) Then she returned home. Before long she realized she was pregnant. Later she sent word to David: "I'm pregnant."
"I made a solemn pact with myself never to undress a girl with my eyes. So what can I expect from God? What do I deserve from God Almighty above? Isn't calamity reserved for the wicked? Isn't disaster supposed to strike those who do wrong? Isn't God looking, observing how I live? Doesn't he mark every step I take?
"And you, son of man: The day I take away the people's refuge, their great joy, the delight of their life, what they've most longed for, along with all their children—on that very day a survivor will arrive and tell you what happened to the city. You'll break your silence and start talking again, talking to the survivor. Again, you'll be an example for them. And they'll recognize that I am God ."
Gill's Notes on the Bible
That which is born of the flesh, is flesh,.... Man by his natural birth, and as he is born according to the flesh of his natural parents, is a mere natural man; that is, he is carnal and corrupt, and cannot discern spiritual things; nor can he, as such, enter into, and inherit the kingdom of God; see 1 Corinthians 2:14. And therefore there is a necessity of his being born again, or of the grace of the Spirit, and of his becoming a spiritual man; and if he was to be, or could be born again of the flesh, or ever so many times enter into his mothers womb, and be born, was it possible, he would still be but a natural and a carnal man, and so unfit for the kingdom of God. By "flesh" here, is not meant the fleshy part of man, the body, as generated of another fleshy substance; for this is no other than what may be said of brutes; and besides, if this was the sense, "spirit", in the next clause, must mean the soul, whereas one soul is not generated from another: but by flesh is designed, the nature of man; not merely as weak and frail, but as unclean and corrupt, through sin; and which being propagated by natural generation from sinful men, cannot be otherwise; for "who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one", Job 14:4. And though the soul of man is of a spiritual nature, and remains a spirit, notwithstanding the pollution of sin; yet it being defiled with the flesh, and altogether under the power and influence of the lusts of the flesh, it may well be said to be carnal or fleshly: hence "flesh", as it stands opposed to spirit, signifies the corruption of nature, Galatians 5:17; and such who are in a state of unregeneracy, are said to be after the flesh, and in the flesh, and even the mind itself is said to be carnal, Romans 8:5.
And that which is born of the Spirit, is spirit: a man that is regenerated by the Spirit of God, and the efficacy of his grace, is a spiritual man; he can discern and judge all things of a spiritual nature; he is a fit person to be admitted to spiritual ordinances and privileges; and appears to be in the spiritual kingdom of Christ; and has a right to the world of blessed spirits above; and when his body is raised a spiritual body, will be admitted in soul, body, and spirit, into the joy of his Lord. "Spirit" in the first part of this clause, signifies the Holy Spirit of God, the author of regeneration and sanctification; whence that work is called the sanctification of the Spirit, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost, 1 Peter 1:2. And "spirit", in the latter part, intends the internal work of grace upon the soul, from whence a man is denominated a spiritual man; and as a child bears the same name with its parent, so this is called by the same, as the author and efficient cause of it: and besides, it is of a spiritual nature itself, and exerts itself in spiritual acts and exercises, and directs to, and engages in spiritual things; and has its seat also in the spirit, or soul of man.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
That which is born of the flesh - To show the necessity of this change, the Saviour directs the attention of Nicodemus to the natural condition of man. By “that which is born of the flesh” he evidently intends man as he is by nature, in the circumstances of his natural birth. Perhaps, also, he alludes to the question asked by Nicodemus, whether a man could be born when he was old? Jesus tells him that if this could be, it would not answer any valuable purpose; he would still have the same propensities and passions. Another change was therefore indispensable.
Is flesh - Partakes of the nature of the parent. Compare Genesis 5:3. As the parents are corrupt and sinful, so will be their descendants. See Job 14:4. And as the parents are wholly corrupt by nature, so their children will be the same. The word “flesh” here is used as meaning “corrupt, defiled, sinful.” The “flesh” in the Scriptures is often used to denote the sinful propensities and passions of our nature, as those propensities are supposed to have their seat in the animal nature. “The works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,” etc., Galatians 5:19-20. See also Eph 2:3; 1 Peter 3:21; 1 Peter 2:18; 1 John 2:16; Romans 8:5.
Is born of the Spirit - Of the Spirit of God, or by the agency of the Holy Spirit.
Is spirit - Is spiritual, “like” the spirit, that is, holy, pure. Here we learn:
1.That all men are by nature sinful.
2.That none are renewed but by the Spirit of God. If man did the work himself, it would he still carnal and impure.
3.That the effect of the new birth is to make men holy.
4.And, that no man can have evidence that he is born again who is not holy, and just in proportion as he becomes pure in his life will be the evidence that he is born of the Spirit.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse John 3:6. That which is born of the flesh is flesh — This is the answer to the objection made by Nicodemus in John 3:4. Can a man enter the second time into his mother's womb and be born? Our Lord here intimates that, were even this possible, it would not answer the end; for the plant will ever be of the nature of the seed that produces it-like will beget its like. The kingdom of God is spiritual and holy; and that which is born of the Spirit resembles the Spirit; for as he is who begat, so is he who is begotten of him. Therefore, the spiritual regeneration is essentially necessary, to prepare the soul for a holy and spiritual kingdom.
