YHN 1:13 Interlinear View

1. Greek word
2. Greek lemma
3. OET-LV words
4. OET-RV words
5. Strongs
6. Role/Morphology
7. OET Gloss
8. VLT Gloss
9. CAPS codes
10. Confidence
11. OET tags
12. OET word #
1. οἵ
2. hos
3. who
4. -
5. 37390
6. R····NMP
7. who
8. who
9. -
10. Y5
11. 62502
1. οὐκ
2. ou
3. neither
4. -
5. 37560
6. C·······
7. neither
8. neither
9. -
10. Y5
11. 62503
1. ἐξ
2. ek
3. of
4. -
5. 15370
6. P·······
7. of
8. of
9. -
10. Y5
11. 62504
1. αἱμάτων
2. haima
3. bloods
4. -
5. 1290
6. N····GNP
7. bloods
8. bloods
9. -
10. Y5
11. 62505
1. οὐδέ
2. oude
3. nor
4. -
5. 37610
6. C·······
7. nor
8. nor
9. -
10. Y5
11. 62506
1. ἐκ
2. ek
3. of
4. -
5. 15370
6. P·······
7. of
8. of
9. -
10. Y5
11. 62507
1. θελήματος
2. thelēma
3. will
4. -
5. 23070
6. N····GNS
7. will
8. will
9. -
10. Y5
11. 62508
1. σαρκός
2. sarka
3. of flesh
4. -
5. 45610
6. N····GFS
7. ˱of˲ flesh
8. ˱of˲ flesh
9. -
10. Y5
11. 62509
1. οὐδέ
2. oude
3. nor
4. -
5. 37610
6. C·······
7. nor
8. nor
9. -
10. Y5
11. 62510
1. ἐκ
2. ek
3. of
4. -
5. 15370
6. P·······
7. of
8. of
9. -
10. Y5
11. 62511
1. θελήματος
2. thelēma
3. will
4. -
5. 23070
6. N····GNS
7. will
8. will
9. -
10. Y5
11. 62512
1. ἀνδρός
2. anēr
3. of man
4. -
5. 4350
6. N····GMS
7. ˱of˲ man
8. ˱of˲ man
9. -
10. Y5
11. 62513
1. ἀλλʼ
2. alla
3. but
4. but
5. 2350
6. C·······
7. but
8. but
9. -
10. Y5
11. 62514
1. ἐκ
2. ek
3. of
4. -
5. 15370
6. P·······
7. of
8. of
9. -
10. Y5
11. 62515
1. Θεοῦ
2. theos
3. god
4. God
5. 23160
6. N····GMS
7. god
8. God
9. GN
10. Y5; Person=God
11. 62516
1. ἐγενήθησαν
2. ginomai
3. -
4. -
5. 10960
6. VIAP3··P
7. ˓were˒ become
8. ˓were˒ become
9. -
10. -
11. 62517
1. ἐγεννήθησαν
2. gennaō
3. were born
4. -
5. 10800
6. VIAP3··P
7. ˓were˒ born
8. ˓were˒ born
9. -
10. Y5
11. 62518

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 1:1–18: The Word became flesh

In this section the author introduces the subject of his book, Jesus Christ. However, he does not mention Jesus by name until near the end of this section, in 1:17. Instead, he uses figurative language, referring to him as the Word and the light.

Here are other possible section headings:

The Word brought life and light to all people

Jesus is the Word and the light

Paragraph 1:10–13

When Jesus came into the world, some people accepted him but many did not.

1:13a–c

In this verse John emphasized that becoming a child of God is not like being born as a human baby. It is not the result of a physical (sexual) act. He emphasized the difference by saying it in three ways. Here are the three ways that spiritual birth is different from human birth:

Spiritual birth does not come from being born in a certain family. (1:13a)
Spiritual birth does not come from human decision or a husband’s will. (1:13b)
Spiritual birth comes from God. (1:13c)

See the notes below for more discussion on the meaning of the parts of this verse. Also see the General Comment after 1:13c for a way to reorder the information in this verse.

1:13a

children born not of blood,

They received this right not because of their human parents,
They did not become children of God through natural birth,

children born not of blood: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as not of blood is more literally “not from/of bloods.” The plural form “bloods” probably refers to an ancient belief. People believed that the birth of a baby was the result of mixing the father’s blood and the mother’s blood. John was indicating that people do not become children of God because of who their parents are. For example:

children not born in the natural/physical way

The way that they became children of God was not the way that people give birth to children on earth

In many languages it will be good to start a new sentence here. For example:

They did not become God’s children by natural means. (GNT)

They did not become his children in any human way. (NCV)

They did not inherit that right from their parents.

1:13b

nor of the desire or will of man,

nor because of human desire or because a man wanted it,
or through human plan and purpose,

nor of the desire or will of man: The two Greek phrases that the BSB translates as the desire and will of man both refer to sexual desire and activity. In this context there is no suggestion that there is anything wrong or sinful involved. Make sure that your translation is suitable for public reading. Here are other ways to translate these phrases:

nor of human decision or a husband’s will (NIV)

or by human desire or a husband’s decision (NET)

resulting from physical desire or plan

In some languages it is more natural to combine these two phrases. For example:

because of any human desires (CEV)

1:13c

but born of God.

but because God made/caused them to be his children.
but because of God’s will and action to be their Father.

but born of God: This expression is a short way of saying “but they were born of God.” You may want to follow those translations that make this explicit and begin a new sentence here. For example:

They were born of God. (NCV)

Their birth was from God. (GW)

God himself was the one who made them his children. (CEV)

General Comment on 1:13a–c

The BSB has reordered the Greek text and placed the main verb phrase, “born,” in 1:13a. In the Greek this verb is in 1:13c. In some languages it may be natural to follow the Greek order. Or it may be natural to place the verb in both 1:13a and 1:13c. Most English translations translate the verb in both places. For example:

They did not become his children in any human way—by any human parents or human desire. They were born of God. (NCV)

They were not God’s children by nature or because of any human desires. God himself was the one who made them his children. (CEV)

They did not become God’s children by natural means, that is, by being born as the children of a human father; God himself was their Father. (GNT)

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

οἳ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: οἵ οὐκ ἐξ αἱμάτων οὐδέ ἐκ θελήματος σαρκός οὐδέ ἐκ θελήματος ἀνδρός ἀλλʼ ἐκ Θεοῦ ἐγεννήθησαν)

Here the ones refers to the children of God mentioned in the previous verse. If it would be misunderstood for your readers, you could state this explicitly, as in the UST.

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

οἳ οὐκ ἐξ αἱμάτων & ἐγεννήθησαν

John uses born to describe God changing a person from being spiritually dead to being spiritually alive when they believe in Jesus. John recorded Jesus referring to this change as being “born again” in [3:3](../03/03.md). (See: bornagain) If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an expression that indicates spiritual rebirth rather than physical birth. Alternate translation: [These were born spiritually, not from blood]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

οὐκ ἐξ αἱμάτων & ἐγεννήθησαν

neither of bloods & ˓were˒_born

Here, bloods refers to the bloodlines or genetic contributions of both parents of a child. If this might confuse your readers, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [were not born from human bloodlines] or [were not born from human decent]

ἐξ

Here, from could refer to any of the following: (1) the means by which God’s children are born. Alternate translation, as in the UST: [by] (2) the source from which God’s children are born. Alternate translation: [of] (3) the cause of the birth of God’s children. Alternate translation: [as a result of]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήματος σαρκὸς

John is leaving out some of the words that this phrase would need in many languages in order to be complete. If it would be helpful in your language, you could supply these words from earlier in the sentence. Alternate translation: [nor were they born from the will of the flesh]

ἐκ

Again, from could refer to any of the following: (1) the means by which God’s children are born. Alternate translation, as in the UST: [by] (2) the source from which God’s children are born. Alternate translation: [of] (3) the cause of the birth of God’s children. Alternate translation: [as a result of]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

ἐκ θελήματος σαρκὸς

of will of will of (Some words not found in SR-GNT: οἵ οὐκ ἐξ αἱμάτων οὐδέ ἐκ θελήματος σαρκός οὐδέ ἐκ θελήματος ἀνδρός ἀλλʼ ἐκ Θεοῦ ἐγεννήθησαν)

John is using the term flesh to refer to a human being, which is made of flesh. If this might confuse your readers, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [from the human will]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήματος ἀνδρὸς

(Occurrence 2) ἐκ

(Occurrence 2) ἐκ θελήματος ἀνδρὸς

of will of (Some words not found in SR-GNT: οἵ οὐκ ἐξ αἱμάτων οὐδέ ἐκ θελήματος σαρκός οὐδέ ἐκ θελήματος ἀνδρός ἀλλʼ ἐκ Θεοῦ ἐγεννήθησαν)

The term a man used here refers specifically to an adult male person and may also be translated “husband.” In this verse it refers to a father’s desire to have a child like himself. Alternate translation: [from the will of a husband]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

ἀλλ’ ἐκ Θεοῦ

but of God

(Occurrence 3) ἐκ

The word from could refer to any of the following: (1) the means by which God’s children are born. Alternate translation, as in the UST: [by] (2) the source from which God’s children are born. Alternate translation: [of] (3) the cause of the birth of God’s children. Alternate translation: [as a result of]

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.

OET interlinear YHN (JHN) 1:13

SR Greek word order (including unused variant words in grey)