UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament

Sense 1: to be the father of, to procreate, to beget

Semantic entry: 23.58

Semantic domains: Physiological Processes and States

Subdomains: Birth, Procreation

Definition: the male role in causing the conception and birth of a child

Sense 2: to bear, to give birth

Semantic entry: 23.52

Semantic domains: Physiological Processes and States

Subdomains: Birth, Procreation

Definition: to give birth to a child{N:001}

Notes: All languages have expressions for human birth, though these are frequently in idiomatic forms, for example, ‘to drop a child’ or ‘to cause a baby to pass between the legs.’ A number of languages have a variety of terms referring to giving birth, and some of these may involve unfortunate connotations. One must therefore be careful about the selection of appropriate expressions.|γεννάω also occurs together with ἐξ αἱμάτων (RV JHN 1:13 · LV JHN 1:13 · Read together JHN 1:13) and ἐκ τῆς σαρκός (RV JHN 3:6 · LV JHN 3:6 · Read together JHN 3:6) in reference to physical birth. In RV JHN 3:5 · LV JHN 3:5 · Read together JHN 3:5, γεννηθῇ ἐξ ὕδατος has likewise been interpreted by some scholars as referring to physical birth (compare RV JHN 3:6 · LV JHN 3:6 · Read together JHN 3:6), but others understand this as referring to baptism. Certainly the occurrence of γεννηθῇ with πνεύματος in RV JHN 3:5 · LV JHN 3:5 · Read together JHN 3:5 is a reference to religious rebirth, in which case γεννάω would involve a radical change of state (see 13.56: γεννάω). The use of the same word with two different meanings or referents is typical of the style of the Gospel of John.

Sense 3: to cause to be born, to be born of

Semantic entry: 13.56

Semantic domains: Be, Become, Exist, Happen

Subdomains: Change of State

Definition: (a figurative extension of meaning of γεννάω [source selector 000001][b] ‘to give birth,’ 23.52: γεννάω / 23.52: τεκνογονέω / 23.52: τεκνογονία / 23.52: τίκτω) to cause to experience a radical change, with the implication of involvement of the total personality

Notes: The phrase γεννηθῇ ἐξ ὕδατος has been interpreted by some as a literal reference to physical birth (see 23.52: γεννάω / 23.52: τεκνογονέω / 23.52: τεκνογονία / 23.52: τίκτω). Others, however, interpret this phrase as referring to baptism by water. In a parallel fashion, the expression γεννηθῇ ἐξ … πνεύματος would refer to baptism by the Spirit or rebirth made possible by the Spirit.

Sense 4: to cause, to produce, to give rise to

Semantic entry: 13.129

Semantic domains: Be, Become, Exist, Happen

Subdomains: Happen

Definition: to cause to happen, with the implication of the result of existing circumstances

Sense 5: to be born again, to experience new birth, rebirth

Semantic entry: 41.53

Semantic domains: Behavior and Related States

Subdomains: Change Behavior

Definition: (an idiom, literally: to be born again) to experience a complete change in one’s way of life to what it should be, with the implication of return to a former state or relation

Notes: It is also possible to understand ἄνωθεν in RV JHN 3:3 · LV JHN 3:3 · Read together JHN 3:3 as meaning ‘from above’ or ‘from God’ (see 84.13: ἄνωθεν), a literary parallel to the phrase ἐκ θεοῦ ἐγεννήθησαν in RV JHN 1:13 · LV JHN 1:13 · Read together JHN 1:13. In RV JHN 3:3 · LV JHN 3:3 · Read together JHN 3:3, however, Nicodemus understood ἄνωθεν as meaning ‘again’ (see 67.55: ἄνωθεν / 67.55: πάλιν) and γεννάω as ‘physical birth’ (see 23.52: γεννάω / 23.52: τεκνογονέω / 23.52: τεκνογονία / 23.52: τίκτω).

Collocations: γεννάω ἄνωθεν