Lectionary Calendar
Saturday, November 23rd, 2024
the Week of Proper 28 / Ordinary 33
Attention!
For 10¢ a day you can enjoy StudyLight.org ads
free while helping to build churches and support pastors in Uganda.
Click here to learn more!

Read the Bible

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible

John 3:9

Nicodemus answered, and said unto him - How, can these things, come about?

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Blindness;   Jesus, the Christ;   Life;   Mysteries;   Nicodemus;   Salvation;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Nicodemus;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - John, gospel of;   Nicodemus;   Teacher;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Disciple, Discipleship;   Salvation;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Episcopacy;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Nicodemus;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Jesus Christ;   Nicodemus;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Holy Spirit;   Nicodemus;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Gospels;   John, Gospel of;   John, Theology of;   Mss;   Nicodemus;   Scribes;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Announcements of Death;   Discourse;   Holy Spirit;   Individuality;   Mental Characteristics;   Property (2);   Righteous, Righteousness;   Teaching of Jesus;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Nicodemus ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Regeneration;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Heart;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Tabernacle, the;   Jesus of Nazareth;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - How;   Nicodemus;   Sanctification;   Seed;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Birth, New;   Nicodemus;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for December 4;  

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
Nicodemus asked, "How is all this possible?"
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And Nicodemus answered and sayde vnto him: how can these thinges be?
Hebrew Names Version
Nakdimon answered him, "How can these things be?"
International Standard Version
Nicodemus said to him, "How can that be?"John 6:52,60;">[xr]
New American Standard Bible
Nicodemus responded and said to Him, "How can these things be?"
New Century Version
Nicodemus asked, "How can this happen?"
Update Bible Version
Nicodemus answered and said to him, How can these things be?
Webster's Bible Translation
Nicodemus answered and said to him, How can these things be?
English Standard Version
Nicodemus said to him, "How can these things be?"
World English Bible
Nicodemus answered him, "How can these things be?"
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Nicodemus answered and said to him, How can these things be?
Weymouth's New Testament
"How is all this possible?" asked Nicodemus.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Nychodeme answeride, and seide to hym, Hou moun these thingis be don?
English Revised Version
Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
Berean Standard Bible
"How can this be?" Nicodemus asked.
Contemporary English Version
"How can this be?" Nicodemus asked.
Amplified Bible
Nicodemus said to Him, "How can these things be possible?"
American Standard Version
Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
Bible in Basic English
And Nicodemus said to him, How is it possible for these things to be?
Complete Jewish Bible
Nakdimon replied, "How can this happen?"
Darby Translation
Nicodemus answered and said to him, How can these things be?
Etheridge Translation
Nikodimos answered and said to him, How can these things be?
Murdock Translation
Nicodemus answered, and said to him: How can these things be?
King James Version (1611)
Nicodemus answered, and said vnto him, How can these things be?
New Living Translation
"How are these things possible?" Nicodemus asked.
New Life Bible
Nicodemus said to Him, "How can this be?"
New Revised Standard
Nicodemus said to him, "How can these things be?"
Geneva Bible (1587)
Nicodemus answered, and said vnto him, Howe can these things be?
George Lamsa Translation
Nicodemus answered and said to him, How can these things be?
Douay-Rheims Bible
Nicodemus answered and said to him: How can these things be done?
Revised Standard Version
Nicode'mus said to him, "How can this be?"
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Nicodemus aunswered, and sayde vnto hym: howe can these thynges be?
Good News Translation
"How can this be?" asked Nicodemus.
Christian Standard Bible®
“How can these things be?” asked Nicodemus.
King James Version
Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
Lexham English Bible
Nicodemus answered and said to him, "How can these things be?"
Literal Translation
Nicodemus answered and said to Him, How are these things able to occur?
Young's Literal Translation
Nicodemus answered and said to him, `How are these things able to happen?'
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Nicodemus answered, and sayde vnto him: How maye these be?
Mace New Testament (1729)
Nicodemus answered, how can that be?
THE MESSAGE
Nicodemus asked, "What do you mean by this? How does this happen?"
New English Translation
Nicodemus replied, "How can these things be?"
New King James Version
Nicodemus answered and said to Him, "How can these things be?"
Simplified Cowboy Version
"How can this happen though?" Nick asked.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Nicodemus said to Him, "How can these things be?"
Legacy Standard Bible
Nicodemus answered and said to Him, "How can these things be?"

Contextual Overview

1 There was however, a man from among the Pharisees, Nicodemus, his name, - ruler of the Jews. 2 The same, came unto him, by night, and said unto him - Rabbi! we know that, from God, thou hast come, a teacher; for, no one, can be doing, these signs, which, thou, art doing, except, God, be with him. 3 Jesus answered, and said unto him - Verily, verily, I say unto thee: Except one be born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4 Nicodemus saith unto him - How, can a man be born, when he is, old? Can he, into the womb of his mother, a second time, enter, and be born? 5 Jesus answered - Verily, verily, I say unto thee: Except one be born of water and spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which hath been born of the flesh, is, flesh, and, that which hath been born of the spirit, is, spirit. 7 Do not marvel, that I said unto thee: Ye must needs be born from above. 8 The spirit, where it pleaseth, doth breathe, and, the sound thereof, thou hearest; but knowest not, whence it cometh and whither it goeth: Thus, is every one who hath been born of the spirit. 9 Nicodemus answered, and said unto him - How, can these things, come about? 10 Jesus answered, and said unto him - Art, thou, the teacher of Israel, and, these things, knowest not?

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

Genesis 3:12
And the man said, - The woman whom thou didst put with me, she, gave me of the tree, so I did eat.
Genesis 3:13
Then said Yahweh God to the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, the serpent, deceived me, so I did eat.
Genesis 3:17
And, to the man, he said, Because thou didst hearken to the voice of thy wife, and so didst eat of the tree as to which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it, Accursed be the ground for thy sake, In pain, shalt thou eat of it, all the days of thy life;
Genesis 3:19
In the sweat of thy face, shalt thou eat bread, until thou return to the ground, because therefrom, wast thou taken, - For, dust, thou art, And, unto dust, shalt thou return.
Genesis 3:20
So the man called the name of his wife, Eve, - in that, she, was made mother of every one living.
Genesis 3:21
And Yahweh God made for the man - and for his wife - tunics of skin and clothed them.
Genesis 4:9
Then said Yahweh unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said know not, the keeper of my brother, am, I?
Genesis 11:5
And Yahweh came down, to behold the city, and the tower, - which the sons of men had built.
Genesis 16:8
So he said Hagar! handmaid of Sarai! Whence hast thou come, and whither wouldst thou go? And she said, From the face of Sarai, my lady, am, I, fleeing.

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.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile