3:5 Jesus answered, “I tell you the solemn truth, 1 unless a person is born of water and spirit, 2 he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 3:6 What is born of the flesh is flesh, 3 and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. 3:7 Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must all 4 be born from above.’ 5
1 tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”
2 tn Or “born of water and wind” (the same Greek word, πνεύματος [pneumatos], may be translated either “spirit/Spirit” or “wind”).
3 sn What is born of the flesh is flesh, i.e., what is born of physical heritage is physical. (It is interesting to compare this terminology with that of the dialogue in John 4, especially 4:23, 24.) For John the “flesh” (σάρξ, sarx) emphasizes merely the weakness and mortality of the creature – a neutral term, not necessarily sinful as in Paul. This is confirmed by the reference in John 1:14 to the Logos becoming “flesh.” The author avoids associating sinfulness with the incarnate Christ.
4 tn “All” has been supplied to indicate the plural pronoun in the Greek text.
5 tn Or “born again.” The same Greek word with the same double meaning occurs in v. 3.