Do not be amazed that I said, ‘You must be born again.’
Parallel translations
- WEB Don’t marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born anew.’
- KJV Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
- NKJV Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’
- NASB Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’
- NLT So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jesus tells Nicodemus not to be astonished at the necessity of being born again. The new birth is not optional but essential for all.
Overview
The 'you' here is plural, broadening the requirement beyond Nicodemus to everyone. Jesus reframes the new birth as a settled necessity that should not surprise a teacher familiar with the prophets' promise of inner renewal. The verse presses the universal need for regeneration that the gospel alone supplies through Christ and the Spirit.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- John 3:3Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”
- Eph 4:22–24to put off your former way of life, your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;
- Rom 12:1–2Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
- 1 Pet 1:22Since you have purified your souls by obedience to the truth so that you have a genuine love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from a pure heart.
- Rev 21:27But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who practices an abomination or a lie, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
- John 3:12If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?
- Col 1:12giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light.
- 1 Pet 1:14–16As obedient children, do not conform to the passions of your former ignorance.
- Matt 13:33–35He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and mixed into three measures of flour, until all of it was leavened.”
- Heb 12:14Pursue peace with everyone, as well as holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.
- John 6:61–63Aware that His disciples were grumbling about this teaching, Jesus asked them, “Does this offend you?
- Rom 3:9–19What then? Are we any better? Not at all. For we have already made the charge that Jews and Greeks alike are all under sin.
- Job 15:14What is man, that he should be pure, or one born of woman, that he should be righteous?
- Rom 9:22–25What if God, intending to show His wrath and make His power known, bore with great patience the vessels of His wrath, prepared for destruction?
- John 5:28Do not be amazed at this, for the hour is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
John declares him plainly: the eternal Word made flesh, the Lamb of God, the great 'I AM' — bread, light, door, shepherd, way, truth, life, resurrection — that you may believe and have life in his name.
How John 3:7 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.