Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘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.
- BSB Do not be amazed that I said, ‘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 answered him, “Most certainly, I tell you, unless one is born anew, he can’t see God’s Kingdom.”
- Eph 4:22–24that you put away, as concerning your former way of life, the old man, that grows corrupt after the lusts of deceit;
- Rom 12:1–2Therefore I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service.
- 1 Pet 1:22Seeing you have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth through the Spirit in sincere brotherly affection, love one another from the heart fervently:
- Rev 21:27There will in no way enter into it anything profane, or one who causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
- John 3:12If I told you earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?
- Col 1:12giving thanks to the Father, who made us fit to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light;
- 1 Pet 1:14–16as children of obedience, not conforming yourselves according to your former lusts as in your ignorance,
- Matt 13:33–35He spoke another parable to them. “The Kingdom of Heaven is like yeast, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, until it was all leavened.”
- Heb 12:14Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man will see the Lord,
- John 6:61–63But Jesus knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at this, said to them, “Does this cause you to stumble?
- Rom 3:9–19What then? Are we better than they? No, in no way. For we previously warned both Jews and Greeks, that they are all under sin.
- Job 15:14What is man, that he should be clean? What is he who is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?
- Rom 9:22–25What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath made for destruction,
- John 5:28Don’t marvel at this, for the hour comes, in which all that are in the tombs 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.