Anakalypsis / Unveiling the Word

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.

KJV

τὸ πνεῦμα ὅπου θέλει πνεῖ, καὶ τὴν φωνὴν αὐτοῦ ἀκούεις, ἀλλ’ οὐκ οἶδας πόθεν ἔρχεται καὶ ποῦ ὑπάγει· οὕτως ἐστὶν πᾶς ὁ γεγεννημένος ἐκ τοῦ πνεύματος.

Greek NT

Spiritus ubi vult spirat, et vocem ejus audis, sed nescis unde veniat, aut quo vadat : sic est omnis qui natus est ex spiritu.

Vulgate

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.

ASV

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

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In this verse

Symbols Wind

In the original Greek

21 distinct Greek words appear in this verse.

αὐτός
autos
pronoun · 5564×
γεννάω
gennao
verb · 97×
εἰμί
eimi
verb · 2461×
εἴδω
eido
verb · 317×
θέλω
thelo
verb · 208×
καί
kai
conjunction · 8973×
οὐ
ou
particle · 1626×
οὕτω
outo
adverb · 208×
πνέω
pneo
verb · 7×
πνεῦμα
pneuma
noun · 379×
ποῦ
pou
adverb · 45×
πόθεν
pothen
adverb · 29×
πᾶς
pas
adjective · 1226×
φωνή
phone
noun · 139×
ἀκούω
akouo
verb · 427×
ἀλλά
alla
conjunction · 636×
ἐκ
ek
preposition · 915×
ἔρχομαι
erchomai
verb · 627×
ὁ
o
article · 19778×
ὅπου
opou
adverb · 82×
ὑπάγω
upago
verb · 81×

Historic Christian voices

12 passages from patristic writers, Reformers, and church catechisms citing this verse.

§728Jesus does not reveal the Holy Spirit fully, until he himself has been glorified through his Death and Resurrection. Nevertheless, little by little he alludes to him even in his teaching of the multitudes, as when he reveals that his own flesh will be food for the life of the world.110 He also alludes to the Spirit in speaking to Nicodemus,111 to the Samaritan woman,112 and to …
§1287This fullness of the Spirit was not to remain uniquely the Messiah's, but was to be communicated to the whole messianic people.93 On several occasions Christ promised this outpouring of the Spirit,94 a promise which he fulfilled first on Easter Sunday and then more strikingly at Pentecost.95 Filled with the Holy Spirit the apostles began to proclaim "the mighty works of God," a…
2. Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant; calling the signs spiritual, because they are the works of the Spirit alone, human effort contributing nothing to the working such wonders. And intending to discourse concerning them, first, as I said, he lays down the difference between soothsaying and prophecy, thus saying, You know that when you were…
For, though some would have deceived me according to the flesh, yet the Spirit, as being from God, is not deceived. For it knows both whence it comes and whither it goes, and detects the secrets of the heart.
Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Calvin shows that regeneration is absolutely necessary — not merely an improvement of nature but an entirely new birth. This new birth is from above, by the Spirit, and is as mysterious and sovereign as the wind. The lifting up of the serpent in the wilderness is a type of Christ's crucifixion: as Moses lifted up the…
Is charity in the will as its subject? Is charity caused in man by preceding acts or by a Divine infusion? Is it infused according to the capacity of our natural gifts? Does it increase in the person who has it? Does it increase by addition? Does it increase by every act? Does it increase indefinitely? Can the charity of a wayfarer be perfect? The various degrees of charity Can…
Canons of Dort · 2 passages
Moreover, when God carries out this good pleasure in the elect and works true conversion in them, God not only has the gospel outwardly preached to them and enlightens their minds powerfully by the Holy Spirit so that they may rightly understand and discern the things of the Spirit of God, but by the effective operation of the same regenerating Spirit, God also penetrates into …
The way this work of God is carried out cannot be fully grasped by believers in this life. But meanwhile they rest content with knowing and experiencing that by this grace of God they do believe with the heart and love their Savior.
"Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts." Spurgeon teaches that all true spiritual work — conversion, sanctification, revival, gospel preaching — is accomplished not by human eloquence or organizational skill but by the sovereign power of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit alone can raise the dead, open blind eyes, and soften hard hearts. Without the Spir…

Cross-references

  • 1Cor 2:11 — For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
  • 1Cor 12:11 — But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
  • 1John 2:29 — If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.
  • 1John 3:8 — He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
  • Acts 2:2 — And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
  • Acts 2:2 — And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
  • Acts 4:31 — And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
  • Eccl 1:6 — The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits.
  • Eccl 11:4 — He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.
  • Eccl 11:5 — As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.
  • Ezek 37:9 — Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.
  • Ezek 37:9 — Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.
  • Isa 55:9 — For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
  • Job 37:10 — By the breath of God frost is given: and the breadth of the waters is straitened.
  • Job 37:16 — Dost thou know the balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him which is perfect in knowledge?
  • Job 37:21 — And now men see not the bright light which is in the clouds: but the wind passeth, and cleanseth them.
  • John 1:13 — Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
  • John 3:12 — If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?
  • Mark 4:26 — And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;
  • Ps 107:25 — For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.
  • Ps 107:29 — He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.
  • Ps 135:7 — He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain; he bringeth the wind out of his treasuries.
  • Rom 9:16 — So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.