John 3 · Verse 6

John 3:6

That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

John 3:6, King James Version

John 3:6 in other translations

BSB	Flesh is born of flesh, but spirit is born of the Spirit.
WEB	That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
ASV	That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
YLT	that which hath been born of the flesh is flesh, and that which hath been born of the Spirit is spirit.
DARBY	That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
BBE	That which has birth from the flesh is flesh, and that which has birth from the Spirit is spirit.
Webster	That which is born of the flesh, is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit, is spirit.

What does John 3:6 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 3:6-8

6-8. That which is born, &c.--A great universal proposition; "That which is begotten carries within itself the nature of that which begat it" [Olshausen]. flesh--Not the mere material body, but all that comes into the world by birth, the entire man; yet not humanity simply, but in its corrupted, depraved condition, in complete subjection to the law of the fall (Ro 8:1-9). So that though a man "could enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born," he would be no nearer this "new birth" than before (Job 14:4; Psa 51:5). is spirit--"partakes of and possesses His spiritual nature."

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

Barnes' Notes

Verse 6. That which is born of the flesh. To show the necessity of this change, the Saviour directs the attention of Nicodemus to the natural condition of man. By that which is born of the flesh he evidently intends man as he is by nature, in the circumstances of his natural birth. Perhaps, also, he alludes to the question asked by Nicodemus, whether a man could be born when he was old? Jesus tells him that if this could be, it would not answer any valuable purpose; he would still have the same propensities and passions. Another change was therefore indispensable.

Is flesh. Partakes of the nature of the parent. Comp. Gen 5:3. As the parents are corrupt and sinful, so will be their descendants. See Job 14:4. And as the parents are wholly corrupt by nature, so their children will be the same. The word flesh here is used as meaning corrupt, defiled, sinful. The flesh in the Scriptures is often used to denote the sinful propensities and passions of our nature, as those propensities are supposed to have their seat in the animal nature.

"The works of the flesh are manifest, which are these:
adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness," &c.,

Gal 5:19,20. See also Eph 2:3, 1Pet 3:21, 2:18, 1Jn 2:16, Rev 8:5

Is born of the Spirit. Of the Spirit of God, or by the agency of the Holy Ghost.

Is spirit. Is spiritual, like the spirit, that is, holy, pure. Here we learn,

1st. That all men are by nature sinful.

2nd. That none are renewed but by the Spirit of God. If man did the work himself, it would be still carnal and impure.

3rd. That the effect of the new birth is to make men holy. And,

4th. That no man can have evidence that he is born again who is not holy, and just in proportion as he becomes pure in his life will be the evidence that he is born of the Spirit.

(g) "That which is born of the Spirit" 1Cor 15:47-49, 2Cor 5:17

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh - This is the answer to the objection made by Nicodemus in Joh 3:4. Can a man enter the second time into his mother's womb and be born? Our Lord here intimates that, were even this possible, it would not answer the end; for the plant will ever be of the nature of the seed that produces it - like will beget its like. The kingdom of God is spiritual and holy; and that which is born of the Spirit resembles the Spirit; for as he is who begat, so is he who is begotten of him. Therefore, the spiritual regeneration is essentially necessary, to prepare the soul for a holy and spiritual kingdom.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 3:1-8

Nicodemus was afraid, or ashamed to be seen with Christ, therefore came in the night. When religion is out of fashion, there are many Nicodemites. But though he came by night, Jesus bid him welcome, and hereby taught us to encourage good beginnings, although weak. And though now he came by night, yet afterward he owned Christ publicly. He did not talk with Christ about state affairs, though he was a ruler, but about…

Read the full comment on John 3:1-8 →

John 3:6 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.

ΤὸToThatG3588

γεγεννημένονgegennēmenonbornG1080

ἐκekofG1537

τῆςtēstheG3588

σαρκὸςsarkosfleshG4561

σάρξsarxfleshG4561

ἐστιν,estinis,G1510

καὶkaiandG2532

τὸtothatG3588

γεγεννημένονgegennēmenonbornG1080

ἐκekofG1537

τοῦtoutheG3588

πνεύματοςpneumatosSpiritG4151

πνεῦμάpneumaspiritG4151

ἐστιν.estinis.G1510

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

Cross references for John 3:6

Galatians 5:16-21
This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, …
Ezekiel 36:26-27
A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
Romans 8:4-9
That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. …
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
1 Corinthians 15:47-50
The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
1 Corinthians 6:17
But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
Romans 7:18
For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
1 John 3:9
Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
Genesis 6:12
And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
Romans 8:13
For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
Job 14:4
Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.
Psalms 51:10
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

born of the flesh.
Ge 5:3; 6:5,12; Job 14:4; 15:14-16; 25:4; Ps 51:10; Ro 7:5,18,25
Ro 8:1,4,5-9,13; 1Co 15:47-49; 2Co 5:17; Ga 5:16-21,24; Eph 2:3
Col 2:11
that.
Eze 11:19,20; 36:26,27; Ro 8:5,9; 1Co 6:17; Ga 5:17; 1Jo 3:9

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

Context

John 3:5
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.
John 3:6
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
John 3:7
Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

Read all of John 3

John 3:6 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Lo que es nacido de la carne, carne es; y lo que es nacido del Espíritu, espíritu es.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Ce qui est né de la chair est chair; et ce qui est né de l’Esprit est esprit.
German Elberfelder 1871	Was aus dem Fleische geboren ist, ist Fleisch, und was aus dem Geiste geboren ist, ist Geist.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Quod natum est ex carne, caro est: et quod natum est ex spiritu, spiritus est.