Open Bible Data Home  About  News  OET Key

OET OET-RV OET-LV ULT UST BSB MSB BLB AICNT OEB WEBBE WMBB NET LSV FBV TCNT T4T LEB BBE Moff JPS Wymth ASV DRA YLT Drby RV SLT Wbstr KJB-1769 KJB-1611 Bshps Gnva Cvdl TNT Wycl SR-GNT UHB BrLXX BrTr Related Topics Parallel Interlinear Reference Dictionary Search

InterlinearVerse GEN EXO LEV NUM DEU JOB JOS JDG RUTH 1 SAM 2 SAM PSA AMOS HOS 1 KI 2 KI 1 CHR 2 CHR PROV ECC SNG JOEL MIC ISA ZEP HAB JER LAM YNA (JNA) NAH OBA DAN EZE EZRA EST NEH HAG ZEC MAL LAO GES LES ESG DNG 2 PS TOB JDT WIS SIR BAR LJE PAZ SUS BEL MAN 1 MAC 2 MAC 3 MAC 4 MAC YHN MARK MAT LUKE ACTs YAC (JAM) GAL 1 TH 2 TH 1 COR 2 COR ROM COL PHM EPH PHP 1 TIM TIT 1 PET 2 PET 2 TIM HEB YUD (JUD) 1 YHN (1 JHN) 2 YHN (2 JHN) 3 YHN (3 JHN) REV

Yhn C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C9 C10 C11 C12 C13 C14 C15 C16 C17 C18 C19 C20 C21

Yhn 3 V1 V2 V3 V4 V5 V6 V7 V9 V10 V11 V12 V13 V14 V15 V16 V17 V18 V19 V20 V21 V22 V23 V24 V25 V26 V27 V28 V29 V30 V31 V32 V33 V34 V35 V36

OET interlinear YHN (JHN) 3:8

◄ ← YHN (JHN) 3:8 ↓ → ► ║ ©

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

    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. Τό
    2. ho
    3. The
    4. -
    5. 35880
    6. E····NNS
    7. the
    8. the
    9. S
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus
    11. 64004
    1. πνεῦμα
    2. pneuma
    3. spirit
    4. -
    5. 41510
    6. N····NNS
    7. spirit
    8. spirit
    9. -
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus; F64007; F64012; F64018; F64022
    11. 64005
    1. ὅπου
    2. hopou
    3. where
    4. -
    5. 36990
    6. C·······
    7. where
    8. where
    9. -
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus
    11. 64006
    1. θέλει
    2. thelō
    3. is wanting
    4. -
    5. 23090
    6. VIPA3··S
    7. ˓is˒ wanting
    8. ˓is˒ wanting
    9. -
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus; R64005
    11. 64007
    1. πνεῖ
    2. pneō
    3. it is blowing
    4. -
    5. 41540
    6. VIPA3··S
    7. ˱it˲ ˓is˒ blowing
    8. ˱it˲ ˓is˒ blowing
    9. -
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus
    11. 64008
    1. καί
    2. kai
    3. and
    4. but
    5. 25320
    6. C·······
    7. and
    8. and
    9. -
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus
    11. 64009
    1. τήν
    2. ho
    3. the
    4. -
    5. 35880
    6. E····AFS
    7. the
    8. the
    9. -
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus
    11. 64010
    1. φωνήν
    2. fōnē
    3. sound
    4. sound
    5. 54560
    6. N····AFS
    7. sound
    8. sound
    9. -
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus
    11. 64011
    1. αὐτοῦ
    2. autos
    3. of it
    4. its
    5. 8460
    6. R···3GNS
    7. ˱of˲ it
    8. ˱of˲ it
    9. -
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus; R64005
    11. 64012
    1. ἀκούεις
    2. akouō
    3. you are hearing
    4. hear
    5. 1910
    6. VIPA2··S
    7. ˱you˲ ˓are˒ hearing
    8. ˱you˲ ˓are˒ hearing
    9. -
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus; R63925
    11. 64013
    1. ἀλλʼ
    2. alla
    3. but
    4. -
    5. 2350
    6. C·······
    7. but
    8. but
    9. -
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus
    11. 64014
    1. οὐκ
    2. ou
    3. not
    4. can't
    5. 37560
    6. D·······
    7. not
    8. not
    9. -
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus
    11. 64015
    1. οἶδας
    2. eidō
    3. you have known
    4. -
    5. 14920
    6. VIEA2··S
    7. ˱you˲ ˓have˒ known
    8. ˱you˲ ˓have˒ known
    9. -
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus; R63925
    11. 64016
    1. πόθεν
    2. pothen
    3. from where
    4. -
    5. 41590
    6. D·······
    7. from_where
    8. from_where
    9. -
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus
    11. 64017
    1. ἔρχεται
    2. erχomai
    3. it is coming
    4. coming
    5. 20640
    6. VIPM3··S
    7. ˱it˲ ˓is˒ coming
    8. ˱it˲ ˓is˒ coming
    9. -
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus; R64005
    11. 64018
    1. ἤ
    2. ē
    3. -
    4. -
    5. 22280
    6. C·······
    7. or
    8. or
    9. -
    10. -
    11. 64019
    1. καί
    2. kai
    3. and
    4. -
    5. 25320
    6. C·······
    7. and
    8. and
    9. -
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus
    11. 64020
    1. ποῦ
    2. pou
    3. where
    4. -
    5. 42260
    6. D·······
    7. where
    8. where
    9. -
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus
    11. 64021
    1. ὑπάγει
    2. hupagō
    3. it is going
    4. going
    5. 52170
    6. VIPA3··S
    7. ˱it˲ ˓is˒ going
    8. ˱it˲ ˓is˒ going
    9. -
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus; R64005
    11. 64022
    1. οὕτως
    2. houtōs
    3. thus
    4. -
    5. 37790
    6. D·······
    7. thus
    8. thus
    9. -
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus
    11. 64023
    1. ἐστίν
    2. eimi
    3. is
    4. -
    5. 15100
    6. VIPA3··S
    7. is
    8. is
    9. -
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus
    11. 64024
    1. πᾶς
    2. pas
    3. everyone
    4. everyone
    5. 39560
    6. S····NMS
    7. everyone
    8. everyone
    9. -
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus
    11. 64025
    1. ὁ
    2. ho
    3. which
    4. -
    5. 35880
    6. R····NMS
    7. ¬which
    8. ¬which
    9. -
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus
    11. 64026
    1. γεγεννημένος
    2. gennaō
    3. having been born
    4. -
    5. 10800
    6. VPEP·NMS
    7. ˓having_been˒ born
    8. ˓having_been˒ born
    9. -
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus
    11. 64027
    1. ἐκ
    2. ek
    3. of
    4. -
    5. 15370
    6. P·······
    7. of
    8. of
    9. -
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus
    11. 64028
    1. τοῦ
    2. ho
    3. -
    4. -
    5. 35880
    6. E····GNS
    7. the
    8. the
    9. -
    10. -
    11. 64029
    1. ὕδατος
    2. udōr
    3. -
    4. -
    5. 52040
    6. N····GNS
    7. water
    8. water
    9. -
    10. -
    11. 64030
    1. καί
    2. kai
    3. -
    4. -
    5. 25320
    6. C·······
    7. and
    8. and
    9. -
    10. -
    11. 64031
    1. τοῦ
    2. ho
    3. the
    4. -
    5. 35880
    6. E····GNS
    7. the
    8. the
    9. -
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus
    11. 64032
    1. Πνεύματος
    2. pneuma
    3. spirit
    4. -
    5. 41510
    6. N····GNS
    7. spirit
    8. Spirit
    9. GN
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus; Person=Holy_Spirit
    11. 64033

OET (OET-LV) The spirit it_is_blowing where is_wanting, and you_are_hearing the sound of_it, but you_have_ not _known from_where it_is_coming, and where it_is_going, thus is everyone which having_been_born of the spirit.

OET (OET-RV) The wind blows wherever it wants, and you can hear its sound but you can’t actually see where it’s coming from or where it’s going to. So too with everyone who’s born from God’s spirit.”

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 3:1–21: A Pharisee named Nicodemus questioned Jesus

This section tells about how a Pharisee called Nicodemus went to visit Jesus. Jesus told Nicodemus that all people need God to change them. Nicodemus could be sure that Jesus was speaking the truth because Jesus came from God.

Here are some other possible section headings:

Jesus told a Pharisee that he needed to change

Everyone must be born again

All people need God to give them a new birth/life

Paragraph 3:3–8

Jesus told Nicodemus that he needed to be born again; that is, he needed God to give him new life. Nicodemus did not understand what he meant.

3:8a–d

The wind blows where it wishes…So it is with everyone born of the Spirit: This is a comparison. The action of the Holy Spirit is first described in a metaphor as The wind blowing. Then the metaphor is explained. Here are ways that the Spirit can be compared to The wind:

  1. Both come and go freely.

  2. No one knows where they will come from or where they will go.

  3. However, there is evidence that they are active and change or affect things or people.

Here are other ways to translate this comparison:

Even though people cannot understand how someone is born again, it still happens. It is like the wind. We do not know where it comes from and where it goes, because it decides where it goes, but we hear it anyway. It’s the same with all who are born by the Holy Spirit.

The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit. (NLT)

In some languages you may want to reverse these parts of the verse. See the General Comment after 3:8d.

wind…Spirit: The Greek word that the BSB translates as wind here refers to the movement of air. In Greek (and Hebrew) the words for wind and Spirit/“spirit” are the same. So in the original Greek this comparison involved a play on words (using a word with more than one meaning). In most languages it will not be possible to translate this play on words. However, a footnote may help by saying that in Greek the words for wind and Spirit are the same.

3:8a

The wind blows where it wishes.

The wind blows where it wishes: The Greek verb that the BSB translates as wishes is more literally “wants.” In some languages, people cannot say that the wind wants or chooses something. So it may be necessary to translate this clause a different way. For example:

The wind blows anywhere/freely.

No one tells the wind where to blow.

3:8b

You hear its sound,

You hear its sound: This is part of the metaphor or comparison. People hear the noise the wind makes when it blows, as it affects things in the world. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

you can hear the wind (NLT)

You can hear its sound (NJB)

you hear the sound it makes (NET)

You: The singular pronoun You here is indefinite and does not refer to any particular person. In some languages it may be more natural to say:

One hears its sound

People hear its sound

3:8c

but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going.

but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going: In your translation, you should probably use the same subject (in the BSB you) that you used in 3:8b. So if you followed one of the last examples in 3:8b, here are ways to translate this clause:

but no one can tell where it comes from or where it is going

but people do not know where it came from or where it goes

or: People do not know either the source or the destination (place it goes to) of the wind. Both are unknown. So in some languages it may be natural to translate or as “and.” For example:

but do not know where it comes from and where it is going (NET)

General Comment on 3:8b–c

The verbs “you hear” and “you do not know” are both active. However, the subject is indefinite. So in some languages it may be more natural to use a passive verb for one or both of these verbs. For example:

Its sound is heard, but its source and destination are unknown.

3:8d

So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

So it is with everyone born of the Spirit: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as So it is means “in the same way.” This sentence compares the way the wind blows to the way God changes people. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

It is like that with people to whom God’s Spirit gives new life.

The same is also true with a person who is born from/by the power of the Spirit of God.

everyone born of the Spirit: This is a passive expression. There are at least two ways to translate it:

the Spirit: As in 3:5c, this refers to God’s Spirit, the Holy Spirit.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

τὸ πνεῦμα ὅπου θέλει, πνεῖ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Τό πνεῦμα ὅπου θέλει πνεῖ καί τήν φωνήν αὐτοῦ ἀκούεις ἀλλʼ οὐκ οἶδας πόθεν ἔρχεται καί ποῦ ὑπάγει οὕτως ἐστίν πᾶς ὁ γεγεννημένος ἐκ τοῦ Πνεύματος)

The word translated wind can also mean spirit. Jesus here speaks of the Holy Spirit, as if he were wind. Just like people in Jesus’ time could not understand how the wind blew but could observe the effects of the wind, people cannot understand how the Holy Spirit works but can witness the effects of his work. If this might confuse your readers, you could express this with a simile. Alternate translation: [The Holy Spirit is like the wind that blows wherever it wants]

οὕτως ἐστὶν

thus (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Τό πνεῦμα ὅπου θέλει πνεῖ καί τήν φωνήν αὐτοῦ ἀκούεις ἀλλʼ οὐκ οἶδας πόθεν ἔρχεται καί ποῦ ὑπάγει οὕτως ἐστίν πᾶς ὁ γεγεννημένος ἐκ τοῦ Πνεύματος)

This phrase connects this sentence with the previous sentence. In the same way that people cannot understand the wind but recognize its effects, people who are not born from the Spirit cannot understand those who are born from the Spirit but can recognize the effects of the new birth. Alternate translation: [So it is with] or [So it happens with]

ὁ γεγεννημένος ἐκ τοῦ Πνεύματος

¬which ˓having_been˒_born of the Spirit

See how you translated this phrase in [3:6](../03/06.md).

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

τοῦ Πνεύματος

the Spirit

Here, the Spirit refers to the Holy Spirit, who enables people to be born again. If this might confuse your readers, you could express the meaning explicitly. Alternate translation: [the Holy Spirit]

TSN Tyndale Study Notes:

3:8 Wind translates the same word in Greek as spirit (Greek pneuma). The wind is an apt image for the Spirit, who is sent from heaven and cannot be contained or controlled.

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

    1. OET-LV words
    2. OET-RV words
    3. Strongs
    4. Greek word
    5. Greek lemma
    6. Role/Morphology
    7. OET Gloss
    8. VLT Gloss
    9. CAPS codes
    10. Confidence
    11. OET tags
    12. OET word #
    1. The
    2. -
    3. 35880
    4. S
    5. ho
    6. E-····NNS
    7. the
    8. the
    9. S
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus
    11. 64004
    1. spirit
    2. -
    3. 41510
    5. pneuma
    6. N-····NNS
    7. spirit
    8. spirit
    9. -
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus; F64007; F64012; F64018; F64022
    11. 64005
    1. it is blowing
    2. -
    3. 41540
    5. pneō
    6. V-IPA3··S
    7. ˱it˲ ˓is˒ blowing
    8. ˱it˲ ˓is˒ blowing
    9. -
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus
    11. 64008
    1. where
    2. -
    3. 36990
    5. hopou
    6. C-·······
    7. where
    8. where
    9. -
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus
    11. 64006
    1. is wanting
    2. -
    3. 23090
    5. thelō
    6. V-IPA3··S
    7. ˓is˒ wanting
    8. ˓is˒ wanting
    9. -
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus; R64005
    11. 64007
    1. and
    2. but
    3. 25320
    5. kai
    6. C-·······
    7. and
    8. and
    9. -
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus
    11. 64009
    1. you are hearing
    2. hear
    3. 1910
    5. akouō
    6. V-IPA2··S
    7. ˱you˲ ˓are˒ hearing
    8. ˱you˲ ˓are˒ hearing
    9. -
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus; R63925
    11. 64013
    1. the
    2. -
    3. 35880
    5. ho
    6. E-····AFS
    7. the
    8. the
    9. -
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus
    11. 64010
    1. sound
    2. sound
    3. 54560
    5. fōnē
    6. N-····AFS
    7. sound
    8. sound
    9. -
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus
    11. 64011
    1. of it
    2. its
    3. 8460
    5. autos
    6. R-···3GNS
    7. ˱of˲ it
    8. ˱of˲ it
    9. -
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus; R64005
    11. 64012
    1. but
    2. -
    3. 2350
    5. alla
    6. C-·······
    7. but
    8. but
    9. -
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus
    11. 64014
    1. you have
    2. -
    3. 14920
    5. eidō
    6. V-IEA2··S
    7. ˱you˲ ˓have˒ known
    8. ˱you˲ ˓have˒ known
    9. -
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus; R63925
    11. 64016
    1. not
    2. can't
    3. 37560
    5. ou
    6. D-·······
    7. not
    8. not
    9. -
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus
    11. 64015
    1. known
    2. -
    3. 14920
    5. eidō
    6. V-IEA2··S
    7. ˱you˲ ˓have˒ known
    8. ˱you˲ ˓have˒ known
    9. -
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus; R63925
    11. 64016
    1. from where
    2. -
    3. 41590
    5. pothen
    6. D-·······
    7. from_where
    8. from_where
    9. -
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus
    11. 64017
    1. it is coming
    2. coming
    3. 20640
    5. erχomai
    6. V-IPM3··S
    7. ˱it˲ ˓is˒ coming
    8. ˱it˲ ˓is˒ coming
    9. -
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus; R64005
    11. 64018
    1. and
    2. -
    3. 25320
    5. kai
    6. C-·······
    7. and
    8. and
    9. -
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus
    11. 64020
    1. where
    2. -
    3. 42260
    5. pou
    6. D-·······
    7. where
    8. where
    9. -
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus
    11. 64021
    1. it is going
    2. going
    3. 52170
    5. hupagō
    6. V-IPA3··S
    7. ˱it˲ ˓is˒ going
    8. ˱it˲ ˓is˒ going
    9. -
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus; R64005
    11. 64022
    1. thus
    2. -
    3. 37790
    5. houtōs
    6. D-·······
    7. thus
    8. thus
    9. -
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus
    11. 64023
    1. is
    2. -
    3. 15100
    5. eimi
    6. V-IPA3··S
    7. is
    8. is
    9. -
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus
    11. 64024
    1. everyone
    2. everyone
    3. 39560
    5. pas
    6. S-····NMS
    7. everyone
    8. everyone
    9. -
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus
    11. 64025
    1. which
    2. -
    3. 35880
    5. ho
    6. R-····NMS
    7. ¬which
    8. ¬which
    9. -
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus
    11. 64026
    1. having been born
    2. -
    3. 10800
    5. gennaō
    6. V-PEP·NMS
    7. ˓having_been˒ born
    8. ˓having_been˒ born
    9. -
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus
    11. 64027
    1. of
    2. -
    3. 15370
    5. ek
    6. P-·······
    7. of
    8. of
    9. -
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus
    11. 64028
    1. the
    2. -
    3. 35880
    5. ho
    6. E-····GNS
    7. the
    8. the
    9. -
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus
    11. 64032
    1. spirit
    2. -
    3. 41510
    4. GN
    5. pneuma
    6. N-····GNS
    7. spirit
    8. Spirit
    9. GN
    10. Y30; TJesus_and_Nicodemus; Person=Holy_Spirit
    11. 64033

OET (OET-LV) The spirit it_is_blowing where is_wanting, and you_are_hearing the sound of_it, but you_have_ not _known from_where it_is_coming, and where it_is_going, thus is everyone which having_been_born of the spirit.

OET (OET-RV) The wind blows wherever it wants, and you can hear its sound but you can’t actually see where it’s coming from or where it’s going to. So too with everyone who’s born from God’s spirit.”

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 logo mark

◄ ← YHN (JHN) 3:8 ↑ → ► ║ ©