John 3 · Verse 11

John 3:11

Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.

John 3:11, King James Version

John 3:11 in other translations

BSB	Truly, truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, and yet you people do not accept our testimony.
WEB	Most certainly I tell you, we speak that which we know and testify of that which we have seen, and you don’t receive our witness.
ASV	Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that which we know, and bear witness of that which we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.
YLT	‘Verily, verily, I say to thee--What we have known we speak, and what we have seen we testify, and our testimony ye do not receive;
DARBY	Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that which we know, and we bear witness of that which we have seen, and ye receive not our witness.
BBE	Truly, I say to you, We say that of which we have knowledge; we give witness of what we have seen; and you do not take our witness to be true.
Webster	Verily, verily, I say to thee, We speak what we know, and testify what we have seen; and ye receive not our testimony.

What does John 3:11 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 3:11-13

11-13. We speak that we know, and ... have seen--that is, by absolute knowledge and immediate vision of God, which "the only-begotten Son in the bosom of the Father" claims as exclusively His own (Joh 1:18). The "we" and "our" are here used, though Himself only is intended, in emphatic contrast, probably, with the opening words of Nicodemus, "Rabbi, we know.", &c. ye receive not, &c.--referring to the class to which Nicodemus belonged, but from which he was beginning to be separated in spirit.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 11. We speak. Jesus here speaks in the plural number, including himself and those engaged with him in preaching the gospel. Nicodemus had said (Jn 3:2), "We know that thou art," &c., including himself and those with whom he acted. Jesus in reply said, We, who are engaged in spreading the new doctrines about which you have come to inquire, speak what we know. We do not deliver doctrines which we do not practically understand. This is a positive affirmation of Jesus, which he had a right to make about his new doctrine. He knew its truth, and those who came into his kingdom knew it also. We learn here,

1st. That the Pharisees taught doctrines which they did not practically understand. They taught much truth (Mt 23:2), but they were deplorably ignorant of the plainest matters in their practical application.

2nd. Every minister of the gospel ought to be able to appeal to his own experience, and to say that he knows the truth which he is communicating to others.

3rd. Every Sunday-school teacher should be able to say, "I know what I am communicating; I have experienced what is meant by the new birth, and the love of God, and the religion which I am teaching."

Testify. Bear witness to.

That we have seen. Jesus had seen by his omniscient eye all the operations of the Spirit on the hearts of men. His ministers have seen its effects as we see the effects of the wind, and, having seen men changed from sin to holiness, they are qualified to bear witness to the truth and reality of the change. Every successful minister of the gospel thus becomes a witness of the saving power of the gospel.

Ye receive not. Ye Pharisees. Though we give evidence of the truth of the new religion; though miracles axe wrought, and proof is given that this doctrine came from heaven, yet you reject it.

Our witness. Our testimony. The evidence which is furnished by miracles and by the saving power of the gospel. Men reject revelation though it is attested by the strongest evidence, and though it is constantly producing the most desirable changes in the hearts and lives of men.

(i) "We speak that we do know" 1Jn 1:1-8.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 11 We speak that we do know - I and my disciples do not profess to teach a religion which we do not understand, nor exemplify in our conduct. A strong but delicate reproof to Nicodemus, who, though a master of Israel, did not understand the very rudiments of the doctrine of salvation. He was ignorant of the nature of the new birth. How wretched is the lot of that minister, who, while he professes to recommend the salvation of God to others, is all the while dealing in the meagre, unfruitful traffic of an unfelt truth! Let such either acquire the knowledge of the grace of God themselves, or cease to proclaim it. Ye receive not our witness - It was deemed criminal among the Jews to question or depart from the authority of their teachers. Nicodemus grants that our Lord is a teacher come from God, and yet scruples to receive his testimony relative to the new birth, and the spiritual nature of the Messiah's kingdom.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

John 3:11 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἀμὴνamēnAmenG281

λέγωlegōI sayG3004

σοιsoito youG4771

ὅτιhotithatG3754

ὃhowhatG3739

οἴδαμενoidamenwe know

λαλοῦμενlaloumenwe speakG2980

καὶkaiandG2532

ὃhowhatG3739

ἑωράκαμενhe'ōrakamenwe have seenG3708

μαρτυροῦμεν,marturoumenwe bear witness to,G3140

καὶkaiandG2532

τὴνtēntheG3588

μαρτυρίανmarturianwitnessG3141

ἡμῶνhēmōnof usG3165

οὐounotG3756

λαμβάνετε.lambaneteyou people receive.G2983

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for John 3:11

John 8:38
I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.
1 John 5:6-12
This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. …
John 12:49
For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.
John 8:14
Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go.
John 1:18
No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
John 14:24
He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.
John 8:28-29
Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.
John 7:16
Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.
John 3:32-34
And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony. He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true. For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.
Acts 28:23-27
And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening. And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not. And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers, Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive: …
2 Corinthians 4:4
In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
Isaiah 53:1
Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

verily.
3,5
We speak.
13,32-34; 1:18; 7:16; 8:14,28,29,38; 12:49; 14:24; Isa 55:4; Mt 11:27
Lu 10:22; 1Jo 1:1-3; 5:6-12; Re 1:5; 3:14
ye.
32; 1:11; 5:31-40,43; 12:37,38; Isa 50:2; 53:1; 65:2; Mt 23:37
Ac 22:18; 28:23-27; 2Co 4:4

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

John 3:10
Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
John 3:11
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.
John 3:12
If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?

Read all of John 3

John 3:11 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	De cierto, de cierto te digo, que lo que sabemos hablamos, y lo que hemos visto, testificamos; y no recibís nuestro testimonio.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	En vérité, en vérité, je te dis: Nous disons ce que nous connaissons, et nous rendons témoignage de ce que nous avons vu, et vous ne recevez pas notre témoignage.
German Elberfelder 1871	Wahrlich, wahrlich, ich sage dir: Wir reden, was wir wissen, und bezeugen, was wir gesehen haben, und unser Zeugnis nehmet ihr nicht an.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Amen, amen dico tibi, quia quod scimus loquimur, et quod vidimus testamur, et testimonium nostrum non accipitis.