John 3

Can he enter…
This question opens with the Greek negative particle μή (mē), which, according to normal Greek usage, sets an expectation of a negative answer. This is why some translations structure the question, “He cannot…can he?” However, to avoid adding words which do not appear in the Greek, the rhetorical question is simply translated with a familiar English structure. This way, nothing external is added and the force of the rhetorical question remains intact. Thus, the way Nicodemus phrases this question exposes his misunderstanding of Jesus’ assertion. He is completely confounded by the suggestion that someone might be born again, failing to realize the spiritual significance of Jesus’ statement.

has been born
This phrase translates the perfect passive of γεννάω (gennaō). John seems to be indicating the ongoing state of something that has been born, whether old or new. This connects to the broader issue of “birth” in the Gospel of John. People who already exist must be “born again”—not in terms of the existence of a person but in terms of being made alive to God. While every fallen man needs that, Jesus has had it eternally (cf. 3:16).

marvel
“Marvel” consistently translates the term θαυμάζω (thaumazō), which describes someone as being in a state of active wonder. John uses this term regularly to describe how someone responds to Jesus when He does or says something out of the ordinary (cf. 4:27; 5:20; 5:28; 7:15; 7:21).

its sound
The translation “its sound” is a more concise rendering of the genitive construction here (τὴν φονὴν αὐτοῦ; tēn phonēn autou) than the bulkier “the sound of it.”

has been born
Refer to the discussion on verse 6 above.

answered and said
The phrase “answered and said” accurately captures the two words that John used here to describe Nicodemus (ἀπεκρίθη…καὶ εἶπεν; apekrithē…kai eipen). Together, they give the reader stronger cues to emphasize the statement that Nicodemus gave in conscious response to something Jesus had said.

bear witness…witness
The phrases “bear witness” and “witness” translate the verb μαρτυρέω (martyreō) and the noun μαρτυρία (martyria) respectively. This rendering maintains consistency in translating this word, continuing the theme throughout John’s Gospel of the “witness” about Jesus as the Son of God. Believers in Jesus accept this witness while unbelievers reject it.

only begotten
While some have disputed the translation of μονογενής (monogenēs) as “only begotten” in favor of something like “unique” or “one and only,” the most faithful rendering of the term in this context is indeed “only begotten.” John uses μονογενής (monogenēs) in a way that is distinct from the usage of other biblical authors (e.g., Luke 7:12; Heb 11:17). Thus, it is more accurate to translate according to authorial intent rather than simply providing uniform gloss across the entire New Testament. John emphasizes the concept of “birth” in his writing (e.g., the use of γεννάω [gennaō; “bear/give birth”] in 3:3–8). Here, he is playing on the similarity of γεννάω (gennoō) and μονογενής (monogenēs), that is, the idea of “begetting” and of “only begotten.” A person can only experience true spiritual birth through union with the One who is eternally the “only begotten” of the Father who shares the unique, divine nature with God Himself as His Son. This is John’s point by his use of the word in his gospel, and thus, “only begotten” is the correct translation here. Further support for the legitimacy of this understanding is found in the universal attestation of the early church fathers, and also in recent scholarship (e.g., Charles Lee Iron’s book, Retrieving Eternal Generation and Wayne Grudem’s 2nd ed. of his Systematic Theology), as many scholars are moving back towards this more traditional view (cf. KJV) of μονογενής (monogenēs) in John’s writings.

lest
“Lest” translates the Greek construction ἵνα μὴ (hina mē; lit. “so that not”). Evildoers do not come to the Light because if they did, their evil deeds would be exposed. The simplest and clearest way to communicate this in English is to use “lest.”

having been done by God
The participle εἰργασμένα (eirgasmena) is translated here as “done” because the English past participle “wrought” is archaic and less familiar in modern usage. Moreoever, the preposition ἐν (en) in the phrase ἐν θεῷ (en theō) can and should be taken to mean “by” in this context, indicating something done not just “in God” but “by” Him. This better communicates John’s intent, that the light of Christ reveals that any good deeds a true believer does are ultimately done by God Himself.

After these things
“After these things” translates μετὰ ταῦτα (meta tauta). John often uses the phrase as a discourse marker (cf. John 5:1; 6:1; 7:1; 19:38; 21:1), to shift the narrative to a new scene.

debate
While some translations render this term as “discussion,” the rendering here as “debate” provides consistency with its only other occurrences (Acts 15:2, 7). The idea here is that this is a debate in which different parties are seeking an answer. In this case, John’s disciples constitute one party and an unnamed Jew constitutes the other.

between
The Greek phrase here is ἐκ τῶν μαθητῶν Ἰωάννου μετὰ Ἰουδαίου (ek tōn mathētōn meta Ioudaiou; lit. “from the disciples of John with a Jew”). Since a hyper literal translation would not make much sense in English, it is simply translated with the construction “between…and” to communicate the sense of what John is describing. Some translations have “on the part of” for ἐκ (ek), but “between” is preferable because it represents one Greek word with one English word and more simply conveys the idea John intends to communicate.

borne witness
Refer to the discussion on verse 11 above.

bears witness…witness
The phrase “bear witness” translates the Greek verb μαρτυρέω (martyreō), which shares the same root with the noun μαρτυρία (martyria; “witness”) used later in the verse. This translation maintains consistency in translating this root, showing that Christ came to bear witness, and that His witness is something that must either be believed or rejected.

witness
Refer to the discussion on verse 32 above.