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Read the Bible

New Living Translation

John 3:7

So don't be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.'

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Blindness;   Heart;   Heredity;   Jesus, the Christ;   Life;   Man;   Nicodemus;   Regeneration;   Salvation;   Unbelief;   Scofield Reference Index - Inspiration;   The Topic Concordance - Holy Spirit;   Kingdom of God;   Rebirth/being Born Again;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Life, Spiritual;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Nicodemus;   Regeneration;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - John, gospel of;   Nicodemus;   Sin;   Teacher;   Water;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Disciple, Discipleship;   Holy Spirit;   King, Christ as;   Life;   Salvation;   Spirituality;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Episcopacy;   Regeneration;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Birth;   Fall of Man;   Nicodemus;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Birth;   Jesus Christ;   Nicodemus;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Bible, Theology of;   Birth;   Holy Spirit;   New Birth;   Wind;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Children (Sons) of God;   Gospels;   John, Gospel of;   John, Theology of;   Mss;   Nicodemus;   Scribes;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Discourse;   Eternal Life (2);   Fall (2);   Grace;   Heart;   Holy Spirit;   Individuality;   Mediator;   Mental Characteristics;   Personality;   Property (2);   Reality;   Regeneration;   Regeneration (2);   Righteous, Righteousness;   Sanctify, Sanctification;   Surprise;   Teaching of Jesus;   Trinity (2);   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Nicodemus ;   36 Ought Must;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Regeneration;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Heart;   Regeneration;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Tabernacle, the;   Jesus of Nazareth;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Again;   Baptismal Regeneration;   Bear;   Ethics of Jesus;   Faithful;   Johannine Theology, the;   Marvel;   Nicodemus;   Regeneration;   Sin (1);   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Baptism;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Birth, New;   Holy Spirit;   Nicodemus;  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for December 14;   Every Day Light - Devotion for December 4;   My Utmost for His Highest - Devotion for August 15;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Do not be amazed that I told you that you must be born
King James Version (1611)
Marueile not that I saide vnto thee, Ye must be borne againe.
King James Version
Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
English Standard Version
Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.'
New American Standard Bible
"Do not be amazed that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'
New Century Version
Don't be surprised when I tell you, ‘You must all be born again.'
Amplified Bible
"Do not be surprised that I have told you, 'You must be born again [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified].'
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Do not be amazed that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'
Legacy Standard Bible
Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.'
Berean Standard Bible
Do not be amazed that I said, 'You must be born again.'
Contemporary English Version
Don't be surprised when I say that you must be born from above.
Complete Jewish Bible
Stop being amazed at my telling you that you must be born again from above!
Darby Translation
Do not wonder that I said to thee, It is needful that *ye* should be born anew.
Easy-to-Read Version
Don't be surprised that I told you, ‘You must be born again.'
Geneva Bible (1587)
Marueile not that I said to thee, Yee must be borne againe.
George Lamsa Translation
Do not be surprised because I have told you that you all must be born again.
Good News Translation
Do not be surprised because I tell you that you must all be born again.
Lexham English Bible
Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘It is necessary for you to be born from above.'
Literal Translation
Do not wonder because I said to you, You must be generated from above.
American Standard Version
Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born anew.
Bible in Basic English
Do not be surprised that I say to you, It is necessary for you to have a second birth.
Hebrew Names Version
Don't marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born anew.'
International Standard Version
Don't be astonished that I said to you, 'All of youYou (pl.)">[fn] must be born from above.'born again">[fn]
Etheridge Translation
Wonder not that I have said to thee, that it behoves you to be born anew.
Murdock Translation
Be not surprised that I said to thee, Ye must be born anew.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Maruayle not thou that I sayde to thee, ye must be borne agayne.
English Revised Version
Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born anew.
World English Bible
Don't marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born anew.'
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
Weymouth's New Testament
Do not be astonished at my telling you, `You must all be born anew.'
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Wondre thou not, for Y seide to thee, It bihoueth you to be borun ayen.
Update Bible Version
Marvel not that I said to you, You must be born anew.
Webster's Bible Translation
Marvel not that I said to thee, Ye must be born again.
New English Translation
Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must all be born from above.'
New King James Version
Do not marvel that I said to you, "You must be born again.'
New Life Bible
"Do not be surprised that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.'
New Revised Standard
Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.'
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Do not marvel, that I said unto thee: Ye must needs be born from above.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Wonder not that I said to thee: You must be born again.
Revised Standard Version
Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born anew.'
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Marvayle not that I sayd to the ye must be boren a newe.
Young's Literal Translation
`Thou mayest not wonder that I said to thee, It behoveth you to be born from above;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Maruell not, that I sayde vnto ye: Ye must be borne of new.
Mace New Testament (1729)
be not surprized that I said to thee, you must be born again.
THE MESSAGE
"So don't be so surprised when I tell you that you have to be ‘born from above'—out of this world, so to speak. You know well enough how the wind blows this way and that. You hear it rustling through the trees, but you have no idea where it comes from or where it's headed next. That's the way it is with everyone ‘born from above' by the wind of God, the Spirit of God."
Simplified Cowboy Version
So don't think it strange when I say, 'You've gotta be born again.'

Contextual Overview

1 There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. 2 After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. "Rabbi," he said, "we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you." 3 Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God." 4 "What do you mean?" exclaimed Nicodemus. "How can an old man go back into his mother's womb and be born again?" 5 Jesus replied, "I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. 6 Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. 7 So don't be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.' 8 The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can't tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can't explain how people are born of the Spirit." 9 "How are these things possible?" Nicodemus asked. 10 Jesus replied, "You are a respected Jewish teacher, and yet you don't understand these things?

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Marvel: John 3:12, John 5:28, John 6:61-63

Ye: John 3:3, Job 15:14, Matthew 13:33-35, Romans 3:9-19, Romans 9:22-25, Romans 12:1, Romans 12:2, Ephesians 4:22-24, Colossians 1:12, Hebrews 12:14, 1 Peter 1:14-16, 1 Peter 1:22, Revelation 21:27

again: or, from above

Reciprocal: Mark 4:27 - and grow 1 John 3:13 - Marvel not

Cross-References

Genesis 2:25
Now the man and his wife were both naked, but they felt no shame.
Genesis 3:5
"God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil."
Genesis 3:10
He replied, "I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked."
Genesis 3:11
"Who told you that you were naked?" the Lord God asked. "Have you eaten from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat?"
Deuteronomy 28:34
You will go mad because of all the tragedy you see around you.
2 Kings 6:20
As soon as they had entered Samaria, Elisha prayed, "O Lord , now open their eyes and let them see." So the Lord opened their eyes, and they discovered that they were in the middle of Samaria.
Isaiah 28:20
The bed you have made is too short to lie on. The blankets are too narrow to cover you.
Isaiah 59:6
Their webs can't be made into clothing, and nothing they do is productive. All their activity is filled with sin, and violence is their trademark.
Luke 16:23
and he went to the place of the dead. There, in torment, he saw Abraham in the far distance with Lazarus at his side.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Marvel not that I said unto thee,...., For Nicodemus was quite astonished, at this doctrine of the new birth; it was altogether new to him, and unheard of by him; nor could he understand, nor conceive in what manner it could be:

ye must be born again; in "four" of Beza's copies, it is read "we"; but as Christ was not begotten in a carnal way, or descended not from Adam in the ordinary way of generation, he was not carnal and corrupt, nor in the least tainted with sin; and so stood in no need of regeneration; wherefore such a reading must be rejected. There is a necessity of the regeneration of those, who are the chosen of God, and the redeemed of the Lamb; and of them only can the words be understood; for as for others, they neither can, nor will, nor must be born again: but the people of God "must"; partly because it is the will of God; it is his purpose and resolution, that they shall be regenerated; he has chosen them, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto salvation by Christ: this is the way and method of saving sinners he has fixed upon, namely, not to save them by works of righteousness, but by grace, and according to abundant mercy, through the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost: and partly, because of the case and condition of men, which requires it; for whereas the chosen people of God, are predestinated to the adoption of children, and are taken into the family of God, and are heirs to an inheritance, it is necessary they should have a nature, temper, and disposition of mind, suitable to the inheritance they are to enjoy; which they have not in their natural estate, and which is conveyed to them in regeneration: besides, their carnal minds are enmity to God, and it is necessary that they should be friendly to him, which cannot be without regeneration; nor can they, till they are born again, please God, or do those things which are pleasing to him: to which may be added, which Christ has before suggested, and which shows the necessity of it, that without it, no man can either see, or enter into the kingdom of God. To take off the surprise of Nicodemus, our Lord instances in a common natural case, and to which this affair of regeneration may be compared, and by it illustrated.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Marvel not - Wonder not. It is possible that Nicodemus in some way still expressed a doubt of the doctrine, and Jesus took occasion in a very striking manner to illustrate it.


 
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