YHN 3:5 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object, red:negative.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone would be born from water and Spirit, he is not able to enter into the kingdom of God.

UST Jesus answered, “I am telling you the truth: no one can enter where God rules unless he is born again by water and the Spirit.

BSB Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and [the] Spirit.

BLB Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless anyone be born of water and of the Spirit, he is not able to enter into the kingdom of God.

AICNT Jesus answered, “Truly, [truly,][fn] I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot {enter}[fn] the kingdom of {God}.[fn]

3:5, truly: Absent from A(02).

3:5, enter: Some manuscripts read “see.” BYZ TR

3:5, God: Some manuscripts read “the heavens.” ℵ(01) Latin(e)

OEB ‘In truth I tell you,’ answered Jesus, ‘unless a person owes their birth to water and Spirit, they cannot enter the kingdom of God.

LSB Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

WEBBE Jesus answered, “Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born of water and Spirit, he can’t enter into God’s Kingdom.

WMBB Yeshua answered, “Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born of water and Spirit, he can’t enter into God’s Kingdom.

NET Jesus answered, “I tell you the solemn truth, unless a person is born of water and spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

LSV Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone may not be born of water and the Spirit, he is not able to enter into the Kingdom of God;

FBV “I tell you the truth, you can't enter God's kingdom unless you are born of water and the Spirit,” Jesus told him.

TCNT Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to yoʋ, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

T4T Jesus answered, “Note this: Being born naturally is not enough; people need to also be born spiritually by God’s Spirit. If that does not happen, they cannot experience God ruling [MET] their lives.

LEB Jesus answered, “Truly, truly I say to you, unless someone is born of water and spirit, he is not able to enter into the kingdom of God.

BBE Jesus said in answer, Truly, I say to you, If a man's birth is not from water and from the Spirit, it is not possible for him to go into the kingdom of God.

Moff Jesus replied, "Truly, truly I tell you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter God's Realm.

Wymth "In most solemn truth I tell you," replied Jesus, "that unless a man is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God.

ASV Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except one be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

DRA Jesus answered: Amen, amen I say to thee, unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

YLT Jesus answered, 'Verily, verily, I say to thee, If any one may not be born of water, and the Spirit, he is not able to enter into the reign of God;

Drby Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except any one be born of water and of Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of [fn]God.

3.5 Elohim

RV Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
(Jesus answered, Verily/Truly, verily/truly, I say unto thee/you, Except a man be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. )

SLT Jesus says to him, Truly, truly, I say to thee, Except any one be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot come into the kingdom of God.

Wbstr Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say to thee, Except a man be born of water, and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

KJB-1769 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
(Jesus answered, Verily/Truly, verily/truly, I say unto thee/you, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. )

KJB-1611 Iesus answered, Uerily, verily I say vnto thee, except a man be borne of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdome of God.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from capitalisation and punctuation)

Bshps Iesus aunswered: Ueryly, veryly, I say vnto thee, except a man be borne of water and of the spirite, he can not enter into the kyngdome of God.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from marking of added words (and possibly capitalisation and punctuation))

Gnva Iesus answered, Verely, verely I say vnto thee, except that a man be borne of water and of the Spirite, hee can not enter into the kingdome of God.
(Yesus/Yeshua answered, Verily/Truly, verily/truly I say unto thee/you, except that a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. )

Cvdl Iesus answered: Verely verely I saye vnto the: Excepte a ma be borne of water and of the sprete, he can not come in to ye kyngdome of God.
(Yesus/Yeshua answered: Verily/Truly verily/truly I say unto them: Except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot come in to ye/you_all kingdom of God.)

TNT Iesus answered: verely verely I saye vnto the: except that a man be boren of water and of the sprete he cannot enter into the kyngdome of god.
(Yesus/Yeshua answered: verily/truly verily/truly I say unto them: except that a man be boren of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of god. )

Wycl Jhesus answeride, Treuli, treuli, Y seie to thee, but a man be borun ayen of watir, and of the Hooli Goost, he may not entre in to the kyngdom of God.
(Yhesus answered, Truly, truly, I say to thee/you, but a man be born again of water, and of the Holy Ghost, he may not enter in to the kingdom of God.)

Luth JEsus antwortete: Wahrlich, wahrlich, ich sage dir: Es sei denn, daß jemand geboren werde aus dem Wasser und Geist, so kann er nicht in das Reich Gottes kommen.
(Yesus replied: Truly, truly, I said you/to_you(sg): It be because/than, that someone born become out_of to_him water and spirit, so can he not in the kingdom God’s coming.)

ClVg Respondit Jesus: Amen, amen dico tibi, nisi quis renatus fuerit ex aqua, et Spiritu Sancto, non potest introire in regnum Dei.[fn]
(Respondit Yesus: Amen, amen I_mean/say to_you, except who/any renatus has_been from water, and By_Spirit Holy, not/no can to_enter in/into/on kingdom of_God. )

3.5 Ex aqua. Ex aqua visibili sacramento, et spiritu, invisibili intellectu, ut symbolum baptismi visibiliter accipiat, et spiritualem intellectum ipsius symboli perficiat. Vel ex aqua visibili et Spiritu sancto.

3.5 From water. From water visibili sacrament, and in_spirit, invisibili with_understanding, as symbolum baptism visibiliter let_him_accept, and spiritual understanding of_his/her_own symboli perficiat. Or from water visibili and By_Spirit holy.

UGNT ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς, ἀμὴν, ἀμὴν, λέγω σοι, ἐὰν μή τις γεννηθῇ ἐξ ὕδατος καὶ Πνεύματος, οὐ δύναται εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν Βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ.
(apekrithaʸ Yaʸsous, amaʸn, amaʸn, legō soi, ean maʸ tis gennaʸthaʸ ex hudatos kai Pneumatos, ou dunatai eiselthein eis taʸn Basileian tou Theou.)

SBL-GNT ⸀ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς· Ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω σοι, ἐὰν μή τις γεννηθῇ ἐξ ὕδατος καὶ πνεύματος, οὐ δύναται εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ.
(⸀apekrithaʸ Yaʸsous; Amaʸn amaʸn legō soi, ean maʸ tis gennaʸthaʸ ex hudatos kai pneumatos, ou dunatai eiselthein eis taʸn basileian tou theou.)

RP-GNT Ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς, Ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω σοι, ἐὰν μή τις γεννηθῇ ἐξ ὕδατος καὶ πνεύματος, οὐ δύναται εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ.
(Apekrithaʸ Yaʸsous, Amaʸn amaʸn legō soi, ean maʸ tis gennaʸthaʸ ex hudatos kai pneumatos, ou dunatai eiselthein eis taʸn basileian tou theou.)

TC-GNT Ἀπεκρίθη [fn]Ἰησοῦς, Ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω σοι, ἐὰν μή τις γεννηθῇ ἐξ ὕδατος καὶ πνεύματος, οὐ δύναται εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ.
(Apekrithaʸ Yaʸsous, Amaʸn amaʸn legō soi, ean maʸ tis gennaʸthaʸ ex hudatos kai pneumatos, ou dunatai eiselthein eis taʸn basileian tou Theou. )

3:5 ιησους 82.2% ¦ ο ιησους TR WH 16.7%

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN 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.

3:5a

Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I tell you,

Jesus answered him, “I tell/assure you^(sing) of this truth:
Jesus told him, “Listen^(sing) to me carefully.

Truly, truly, I tell you: Jesus used these words to introduce a statement that he wanted to emphasize. The pronoun you is singular here. See the note on 3:3a, where the same expression is used.

3:5b

no one can enter the kingdom of God

nobody can live in God’s kingdom
Everyone who wants God to rule him/them

no one can enter the kingdom of God: This expression introduces a necessary condition for entering the kingdom of God. In order to enter the kingdom of God, the following condition (which is stated in 3:5c) must be met. Consider how it is natural to introduce this condition. For example:

If anyone wants to enter the kingdom of God

If you are going to enter the kingdom of God

In order to enter the kingdom of God

enter the kingdom of God: This expression means the same thing as “see the kingdom of God” in 3:3b. See the note there. The expression means to become one of God’s people, people who confess that God is their king and obey him. It refers to experiencing or living in God’s kingdom, under God’s rule.

the kingdom of God: This phrase refers to God’s rule. God rules as a good and just king who loves, protects, and blesses his people. See how you translated this expression at 3:3b.

3:5c

unless he is born of water and the Spirit.

unless he is born again of water and Spirit.
needs to be born again, cleansed by water and the Holy Spirit.

unless he is born of water and the Spirit: This expression states the condition for entering the kingdom of God. A person must be born of water and Spirit. Consider how it is natural to express a condition which must be fulfilled before something else becomes possible. For example:

born of water and the Spirit: There are two main ways to understand the connection between water and Spirit in this phrase:

They refer to the same event. The phrases born of water and born of…the Spirit both refer to how God cleanses and gives new life to people.
They refer to two different events. There are various suggestions as to what these events are. One suggestion is that born of water refers to baptism while born of…the Spirit refers to the new birth. Another suggestion is that born of water refers to physical birth and born of…the Spirit to second or spiritual birth.

Most English translations imply the first interpretation by following the Greek and using the phrase born of only once. It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). That is because the form of the Greek phrase connects the two nouns water and Spirit together.Water is likely a figure of speech representing the cleansing power of the Holy Spirit. Baptism also is a symbol of this cleansing.

born of water: The phrase born of water here means “born by or through water.” This is probably a metaphor that refers to cleansing from sin. See Ezekiel 36:25. Some interpreters think that it refers to baptism, either John’s baptism or Christian baptism. However, it is not recommended that you make this explicit. It is probably implied, because baptism represents cleansing from sin.

born of…the Spirit: The words born of belong with Spirit as well as “with water.” A person must be born of (or “from”) Spirit as well as of (or “from”) water. This probably indicates that it is the Holy Spirit who must give a person new birth, or new life. In some languages it may be necessary to make this explicit. For example:

it is necessary that the Holy Spirit give him a new life

born by means of the power of the God’s Spirit

General Comment on 3:5b–c

In some languages it may be natural to reverse the order of 3:5b–c and state the condition first. For example:

^5aJesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, ^5cunless one is born of water and the Spirit, ^5bhe cannot enter the kingdom of God. (ESV)

3:5b–c contains a double negative, as in 3:3b and 3:2c. See how you translated the double negatives in those verses. In some languages it is more natural to both reorder the clauses and change the double negative to a positive. For example:

^5aJesus said, “I seriously assure you that ^5cyou must be born of/by water and the Spirit ^5bin order to enter God’s kingdom.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / doublet

ἀμὴν, ἀμὴν, λέγω σοι

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς Ἀμήν ἀμήν λέγω σοί ἐάν μή τὶς γεννηθῇ ἐξ ὕδατος καί Πνεύματος οὒ δύναται εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τήν Βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ)

Jesus uses this phrase to emphasize the truth of the statement that follows. See how you translated this phrase in [3:3](../03/03.md).

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

γεννηθῇ ἐξ ὕδατος καὶ Πνεύματος

˓may_be˒_born of water (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς Ἀμήν ἀμήν λέγω σοί ἐάν μή τὶς γεννηθῇ ἐξ ὕδατος καί Πνεύματος οὒ δύναται εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τήν Βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ)

The phrase born from water and Spirit could refer to: (1) spiritual birth that includes cleansing from sin and spiritual transformation by the Holy Spirit. In this case, Jesus’ words would be understood as a reference to Ezekiel 36:25–27, which Nicodemus would have been familiar with. Alternate translation: [would be born again by cleansing and the Spirit.] (2) physical birth and spiritual birth. Alternate translation: [would be born physically and spiritually]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν Βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ

˓to˒_come_in into (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς Ἀμήν ἀμήν λέγω σοί ἐάν μή τὶς γεννηθῇ ἐξ ὕδατος καί Πνεύματος οὒ δύναται εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τήν Βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ)

Jesus uses enter into to refer to experiencing something. The meaning is similar to the meaning of “see” in [3:3](../03/03.md). Alternate translation: [to experience the kingdom of God] or [to participate in the kingdom of God]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

τὴν Βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ