A Brighter Day Begins with His Word.

BIBLE QUESTION DOSSIER

What does “born again” mean in Greek?

Short answer

In John 3, the Greek phrase uses γεννάω (to beget/give birth) with ἄνωθεν, a word that can mean “again” or “from above.” John appears to exploit that double meaning in Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus.

Nicodemus hears a second physical birth, while Jesus moves the conversation toward birth by the Spirit and a birth whose source is “above.” Comparing John’s other uses of ἄνωθεν helps show why English translations differ.

1. What do the English translations actually say?

The five translations below are stored locally on Born Again Daily, so you can see the wording before anyone tells you what to think about it.

John 3:3-8

Jesus and Nicodemus discuss being born anōthen and born of the Spirit.

KJV

3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? 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. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

BSB

3 Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” 4 “How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Can he enter his mother’s womb a second time to be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh is born of flesh, but spirit is born of the Spirit. 7 Do not be amazed that I said, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes. You hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

WEB

3 Jesus answered him, “Most certainly, I tell you, unless one is born anew, he can’t see the Kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus 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?” 5 Jesus answered, “Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born of water and spirit, he can’t enter into the Kingdom of God! 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Don’t marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born anew.’ 8 The wind blows where it wants to, and you hear its sound, but don’t know where it comes from and where it is going. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

ASV

3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except one be born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4 Nicodemus saith unto 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? 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except one be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born anew. 8 The wind bloweth where it will, and thou hearest the voice thereof, but knowest not whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

YLT

3 Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Verily, verily, I say to thee, If any one may not be born from above, he is not able to see the reign of God;’ 4 Nicodemus saith unto him, ‘How is a man able to be born, being old? is he able into the womb of his mother a second time to enter, and to be born?’ 5 Jesus answered, ‘Verily, verily, I say to thee, If any one may not be born of water, and the Spirit, he is not able to enter into the reign of God; 6 that which hath been born of the flesh is flesh, and that which hath been born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 ‘Thou mayest not wonder that I said to thee, It behoveth you to be born from above; 8 the Spirit where he willeth doth blow, and his voice thou dost hear, but thou hast not known whence he cometh, and whither he goeth; thus is every one who hath been born of the Spirit.’

John 3:31

The same word anōthen clearly means “from above.”

KJV

He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.

BSB

The One who comes from above is above all. The one who is from the earth belongs to the earth and speaks as one from the earth. The One who comes from heaven is above all.

WEB

He who comes from above is above all. He who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.

ASV

He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is of the earth, and of the earth he speaketh: he that cometh from heaven is above all.

YLT

he who from above is coming is above all; he who is from the earth, from the earth he is, and from the earth he speaketh; he who from the heaven is coming is above all.

James 1:17

Anōthen is used for gifts coming “from above.”

KJV

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

BSB

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow.

WEB

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, nor turning shadow.

ASV

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, neither shadow that is cast by turning.

YLT

every good giving, and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the lights, with whom is no variation, or shadow of turning;

2. What do the Hebrew and Greek words say?

Important: a lexicon gives a word’s possible senses and usage; it does not magically choose the correct sense without context. “The true meaning” of a biblical word is the meaning it carries in its actual sentence and historical usage.

γεννάω (gennaō)

To beget, give birth, or cause to be born.

G1080 • γεννάωgennaō — to beget

γεννάω, -ῶ (γέννα, poët. for γένος), [in LXX chiefly for ילד ;] 1. of the father, to beget: with accusative, Mat.1:1-16, Act.7:8, 29; before ἐκ, Mat.1:3, 5, 6. 2. Of the mother, to bring forth, bear: Luk.1:13, 57 23:29, Jhn.16:21; εἰς δουλείαν, Gal.4:24. Pass. (1) to be begotten: Mat.1:20; (2) to be born: Mat.2:1, 4 19:12 26:24, Mrk.14:21, Luk.1:35, Jhn.3:4, Act.7:20, Rom.9:11, Heb.11:23; before εἰς, Jhn.16:21 18:37, 2Pe.2:12; ἐν, Act.2:8 22:3, (ἁμαρτίαις), Jhn.9:34; ἀπό, Heb.11:12 (WH, mg., ἐγεν-); ἐκ, Jhn.1:13 3:6 8:41; with adj., τυφλὸς γ., Jhn.9:2; [Ῥωμαῖος ], Act.22:28; κατὰ σάρκα: κ. πνεῦμα: Gal.4:29. Metaphorical; μάχας, 2Ti.2:23; ὑμᾶς ἐγέννησα, 1Co.4:15, (ὅν), Phm 10; in quotation, Psa.2:7 (LXX), Act.13:33, Heb.1:5 5:5; of Christians as begotten of God, born again: Jhn.1:13 3:3, 5-8, 1Jn.2:29 3:9 4:7 5:1, 4, 18 (cf. ἀνα-γεννάω); (Cremer, 146). (AS)

ἄνωθεν (anōthen)

Can mean from above, from the beginning, or again depending on context.

G509 • ἄνωθενanōthen — from above/again

ἄνωθεν adv (ἄνω), (a) from above: ἀπὸ ἄ., Mat.27:51, Mrk.15:38; ἐκ τῶν ἄ., Jhn.19:28; meaning, from heaven: Jhn.3:31 19:11, Jas.1:17 3:15, 17 . (b) from the first, from the beginning: Luk.1:3, Act.26:5; whence (with) anew, again: Jhn.3:3, 7, (so most, but see Meyer, in l; cf. Field, Notes, 86 f.); πάλιν ἄ., Gal.4:9 (MM, VGT, see word).† (AS)

3. Where interpretation begins

“Born again” emphasis

Many evangelical traditions stress the personal new beginning and conversion implied by the phrase.

“Born from above” emphasis

Many scholars emphasize heavenly origin: the new birth comes from God through the Spirit.

Both senses in John

Because John often uses words with deliberate double meanings, many interpreters see “again” and “from above” working together.

4. A careful conclusion

“Born again” is not a bad translation, but it does not exhaust the Greek. John’s wording also points to birth “from above”: a new life whose source is God and the Spirit.

Further study

Compare historical commentaries on John 3:3-8 →

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