John 3:8

“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.”
King James Version (KJV)

Other Translations of John 3:8

The winde bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tel whence it commeth, and whither it goeth: So is euery one that is borne of the Spirit.
- King James Version (1611) - Compare to scan of original John chapter 3

"The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit."
- New American Standard Version (1995)

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.
- American Standard Version (1901)

The wind goes where its pleasure takes it, and the sound of it comes to your ears, but you are unable to say where it comes from and where it goes: so it is with everyone whose birth is from the Spirit.
- Basic English Bible

The wind blows where it will, and thou hearest its voice, but knowest not whence it comes and where it goes: thus is every one that is born of the Spirit.
- Darby Bible

The Spirit breatheth where he will; and thou hearest his voice, but thou knowest not whence he cometh, and whither he goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
- Douay Rheims Bible

The wind bloweth where it will, and thou hearest the sound of it, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
- Webster's Bible

The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going. So is it with every one who has been born of the Spirit."
- Weymouth Bible

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."
- World English Bible

The spirit brethith where he wole, and thou herist his vois, but thou wost not, fro whennus he cometh, ne whidir he goith; so is ech man that is borun of the spirit.
- Wycliffe Bible

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.'
- Youngs Literal Bible

Chris's comment on 2021-01-10 14:45:55:

That was a great statement of Truth & your belief on salvation & the Christian life that you shared, & it certainly augers well for your Pastor Bryce in his clear ministry to each of you who meet there. And we can take confidence in the fact that its "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost" (Titus 3:5). There was nothing, absolutely nothing, we could do to contribute to this great Work of Salvation gifted to us through Jesus Christ. It's all of Grace made effectual by faith: and this whole 'deal' (i.e. grace through faith) is God's Gift to us. We needed both from Him: His Grace & His Gift of Faith - nothing we could generate from our corrupt sinful selves - it's all from Him and all for Him.

Walk confidently & in holiness, in the joy of your Lord, my dear sister.

Sarah's comment on 2021-01-10 11:04:41:

What I believe about salvation is this. It's like what my pastor said, which you can look him on YouTube or Facebook, Bryce Vandiver, unless you live in Granbury then go visit Bible Baptist Church in Granbury on Wednesday nights and Sunday morning s at 10 An Sunday school, 11 AM morning service and 2pm in the afternoons and 7pm on Wednesday nights, but it's like he said that we can not earn our way into heaven by our good works. I believe when I was a sinner that The Holy Spirit, God, or Jesus told me I wasn't saved and I believed I wasn't and came to Christ. Then, as a newborn baby in Him, I wanted to do everything Godly and righteous. I do believe there is no such thing as a second chance, but I do believe God gives us so many opportunities to accept His son and then there comes one last opportunity that He speaks to our hearts and we either take it or don't. I can say I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, but it doesn't mean anything unless on purpose I act on faith by saying what I believe. The scriptures says It is by faith through grace we are saved. But it also says to be a doer and not hearer only. Now, we are not perfect because we are not God, but I believe we should try to make ammends with God and the people we have failed. And people we love fail us too. So let's forgive, forget, move ahead and remember God is judge.

Johnny's comment on 2020-11-14 04:26:16:

Is. 7:14 a sign is given by the lord himself a virgin shall conceive and bear a son and his name shall be called Immanuel.

The born again experience is the sign that you are born from above. As Jesus spoke of course he is the pattern man and he come to full fill scripture so are we as imitators of God, he's said the spirit moves were is wishes.....you hear the voice of it but you don't know where and how it comes, So is EVERYONE BORN OF SPIRIT.

The virgin Birth is experienced by EVERYONE BORN IN SPIRIT, as it not born of a flesh of a women but is a spiritual birth( virgin birth).

It did not just happen 2000 years ago to the patterned man (son of man) but is being happening and experiencing in the now today. I have experienced it my daughter has experienced it my mother and a few others I have spoken to.

Paul calls our religion a mystery not history. For history are known facts recorded you may like them or not but it's history, a mystery is something to be discovered and experienced. The mystery of the new birth or born again or I sum it up as being born from above is this , you are the Virgin Mary your skull is the holy womb of man.

The child (THE SIGN) is literally born from above and from the skull. It is spiritual and when it happens it will happen in a dream or in vision.the sound of wind is heard or loud voices as my daughter experienced it. She is 12 yrs old by the way, she said it was so loud the voices or wind it was irritating and you can't stop it, then pop out comes the child wrapped in a blanket there are people around watching you as witnesses people you know are there, she picked up the child and walked away and the dream or vision vanish. It is invisible but afterwards the change in that person is undoubtedly and undisputed and undeniable changed. The righteous man is born in him. This Born from above or born again experienced and the sign that it happens is a child is born from a virgin. The lord himself gives the sign.

Andrew's comment on 2015-07-09 05:22:23:

A righteous man is like the wind, you can 'nt say this way or that way. But one thing is certain, His coming.

ken's comment on 2015-03-02 08:04:04:

the wind blow where ever it want thats freedom...if you got to be born again that means you got to be free like the wind and mark-you what Jesus says the truth will set you free...so if you got to be born again you have to accept the truth bout life in general we need to dig into life,s concepts that are proven 100 now thats the truth and none can chance it the truth about ourselves who we really are lets not classify ourselves into groups but focus on ourselves for example you can be good,bad ,quiet ,loud trust me nature is balanced and you cant change these traits but you can co exit with the really well if you accept them because that what they are now that the truth you got to accept but if you don,t then you can never be free like the wind

Arogundade Tolulope's comment on 2014-10-29 13:12:55:

No one can basically say how we get born again but we know we are. No one can tell the source of the wind too but we know it comes from somewhere and it exists! Indescribable but Undeniable...dat about sums it up!

Javid's comment on 2014-10-09 06:52:25:

In the end, the only conformation of being blown upon by the spirit of the most high God is a constant submissive lifestyle towards Him, recognising you 're but trees before Him, dead, without use and importance. And that God has given you the ability to put sense to your life. If you have any other idea of who you 're and were, your need is to lament before the Lord and ask Him to save you...

Tim's comment on 2014-09-06 00:25:08:

Richard 's comments fly in the face of the Greek. The Lord never wished to refer to the wind in this utterance merely to the Spirit of God. Spirit and Wind are denoted by different words in the Greek either Pneuma or Anemos respectively as we are informed in the Notes. Further, the old English word "listeth " does not mean to move, but to wish. Thus, the Spirit moves wherever It wishes.

Angel's comment on 2013-12-04 06:30:56:

I would like to thank Richard for his insight on this verse. He put a entirely new way of explaining it that is detailed and yet so easy to understand in a much easier way. I knew basically what the verse meant but could not put it into words but the way he worded it and the examples given is so clear. Thank you.

DANIEL's comment on 2013-03-12 09:24:45:

larry richards's comment on 2013-03-09 09:24:15:

There is but one reason that we hear the wind blow but know not where it goes. Wind (air in motion) is INVISIBLE. And so, He says, those who are born again are invisible. After, yes after, one is born of the spirit of God, he sees and enters into the kingdom of God, in a form which is invisible to (then) Nicodemus and we on earth now. Little wonder that Nicodemus responded: "How can these things be?" Even now, this can be hard for one to understand.

richard's comment on 2012-10-31 03:45:06:

Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. It rains on the just and the unjust. One is not a child of GOD until after faith has been placed in Christ being the only begotten Son of God. The wind listeth, meaning its movement. This moving of the Spirit is not under order or control of men. The Spirit moves as the wind effects objects for God's intended purpose, but men have a will to either yield to that purpose or withstand it. Men hear the sound of the wind as it bristles through the trees. Just as men are trees and the Spirit of God working in men's lives we see and hear the results yet not knowing the when and where the Spirit is going to move upon a person. We don't see the wind working but only by the results of it blowing. Jesus told us his words are spirit. This idea correlates to the effects of the wind. It is His words which affected the hearts of men. Either in receiving His words or those same words rejected infuriated those religious leaders. His words always stirring the soul and directing towards belief, just as the wind blows in many directions, yet when the Spirit moves it is in a specific direction with purpose. Jesus spoke to a people familiar with sailing. A variable wind isn't reliable and indicates a storm approaching. Storms in life often bring confusion and contrary winds of adversity, yet again when the Spirit moves it is intended to fill the sails allowing the ship to move in the right direction and reach the intended shore making it to the other side. The Spirit does not always move pleasantly, and Satan's imitation of the Spirit brings adversity in the midst of storms, yet we by faith can see that the stormy winds are either for our chastisement or God proving us and to us He has control and turns that evil purpose of Satan's adverse winds into good. We have Eurocledon, truly a wind meant to destroy ships and drown sailors in the sea, but we see direction and purpose turn that wind into good for Paul and all aboard. We see Jesus walking on the water rebuking the winds of adversity and bringing calm in our lives as children of God. Hurricane Sandy brought great destruction to the North East of United States. I would have to say this example is one where mankind will come together to help each other and rebuild and repair the damage caused by Sandy. People will have work where they had no work. Great stories of survival and rescue will be told. Those who give God the deserved glory will have effect on the hearers to either place faith in God or in humanity; one receiving God, the other receiving humanity and missing the purpose of God. John 3:8 is Jesus giving analogy comparing the wind and The Holy Ghost. We only skim the surface of all the meaning found in the word of God as found in the King James Bible. Some would dare to limit and make lifeless God's word and thus provide a private interpretation. The word of God is to excite the mind, cause deep reflection into its meaning and affect our hearts to bring us into the will of God beginning first at salvation. The word of God is alive and not trapped in the confines of intellectualism and dogmatic interpretations, but will always be found in perfect harmony just as it is found right in the King James Bible. It brings life to the hearers and refreshing just as the wind can and does.

Ricky's comment on 2012-07-27 20:27:38:

I have to say this verse never made much sense to me until I read peoples bible notes above and now it goes with the rest of the chapter. No one sees the wind but the evidence of it leaves blowing, a flag waving etc. Believing in Christ is not what causes the wind to blow or the spirit to move but the opposite. The spirit moves on or in the elected child of God then faith appears.

Add your comment

Viewing Mobile Version.
Switch to desktop version.