John 3: Born Again or Born from Above?

[Romans922]

1Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him." 3Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." 4Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" 5Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' 8The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."



I know that you can translate "born again" also as "born from above". What are your thoughts of translating this "born from above" instead of "born again"?

Is it possible Jesus was saying "born from above" and Nicodemus heard what he wanted to "born again"?

 

[Whitefield]

I don't view it as an "either/or". I think its "both/and" serves as an example of how a single word can have a profound complexity. In one word we are informed that we must be born again, and that that rebirth can only come from above.

 

[InSlaveryToChrist]

1Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him." 3Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." 4Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" 5Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' 8The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."



I know that you can translate "born again" also as "born from above". What are your thoughts of translating this "born from above" instead of "born again"?

Is it possible Jesus was saying "born from above" and Nicodemus heard what he wanted to "born again"?

I think it's possible that Nicodemus misunderstood Jesus' words, since he thought that to be "born again" means that the old self goes back to the substance, of which it was originally born. But I agree with Lance above that this is a "both/and" matter. The two sentences, "born again" and "born from above" really mean the same, but are easily misinterpreted, if taken individually. Here is what I mean. When someone hears he must be "born again", the natural interpretation is that something must happen to the old self (just as Nicodemus thought). But when the same person hears this actually means to be "born from above", it helps to clarify what "born again" really means. And here is the right view of these words: a brand new creature is born of God. What I mean by "brand new" is that it's not the old self that is regenerated, but rather that a new self is generated. What's the difference? Well, if the old self was regenerated (if that even was possible), then you would never sin again, since you would now be a good and righteous being (anything born of God is precisely that). However, if the old self does not cease to exist, but rather a new self is created, then there are two selves who then live in enmity with each other, since one is evil, and the other is good, one is unable to submit to God's law, and the other is unable to sin. They are, nevertheless, NOT two PERSONS, they are two NATURES. Two natures in one person. That's basically what a born-again Christian is - a complex being, yes, even incomprehensible.