John 3:31 BSB — MannaFest

John 3:31

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.

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

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.

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.

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Commentary

2 voices

Cyril of Alexandria

Commentary on the Gospel of John, Book 2 (444)

CHAPTER II. That the Son is not in the number of things originate, but above all, as God of God. He That cometh from above is above all. No great thing is it, saith he, nor exceeding wonderful, if Christ surpass the glory of human nature: for not thus far doth He set the bounds of His own glory, but is over all creation, as God, is above all things made, not as numbered among all, but as excepted from all, and Divinely set over all. He adds the reason, shaming the gainsayer, and silencing the opposer.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices

John Gill

1697–1771

Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748)

He that cometh from above,.... Meaning Christ; not that he brought his human nature with him from heaven, or that that is of a celestial nature; but he came from heaven in his divine person, not by change of place, he being God immense and infinite, but by assumption of human nature; which he took upon him, in order to do in it his Father's will, and the work of our salvation.

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1755)

It is not improbable, that what is added, to the end of the chapter, are the words of the evangelist, not the Baptist. He that is of the earth - A mere man; of earthly original, has a spirit and speech answerable to it.

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

Albert Barnes

1798–1870

Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)

He that cometh from above - The Messiah, represented as coming down from heaven. See Joh 3:13; Joh 6:33; Joh 8:23. It has been doubted whether the remainder of this chapter contains the words of “John the Baptist” or of “the evangelist.” The former is the more probable opinion, but it is difficult to decide it, and it is of very little consequence.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

And who does not perceive it? The words of prophets and apostles are undeniable and most precious truth; but in the words of Christ we hear a voice as from the excellent Glory, the Eternal Word making Himself heard in our own flesh.

Voices on this verse

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Original language & word study

28 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
ὁ	ho	The [One]	G3588 →
ἄνωθεν	anōthen	from above	G509 →
ἐρχόμενος	erchomenos	coming	G2064 →
ἐπάνω	epanō	above	G1883 →
πάντων	pantōn	all	G3956 →
ἐστίν.	estin	is.	G1510 →
ὁ	ho	The [one]	G3588 →
ὢν	ōn	being	G1510 →
ἐκ	ek	from	G1537 →
τῆς	tēs	the	G3588 →
γῆς	gēs	earth	G1093 →
ἐκ	ek	from	G1537 →
τῆς	tēs	the	G3588 →
γῆς	gēs	earth	G1093 →
ἐστιν	estin	is	G1510 →
καὶ	kai	and	G2532 →
ἐκ	ek	from	G1537 →
τῆς	tēs	the	G3588 →
γῆς	gēs	earth	G1093 →
λαλεῖ.	lalei	speaks.	G2980 →
ὁ	ho	The [One]	G3588 →
ἐκ	ek	from	G1537 →
τοῦ	tou	<the>	G3588 →
οὐρανοῦ	ouranou	heaven	G3772 →
ἐρχόμενος	erchomenos	coming	G2064 →
ἐπάνω	epanō	above	G1883 →
πάντων	pantōn	all	G3956 →
ἐστίν·	estin	is;	G1510 →

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
Matthew 28:18
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.
leads to
- John 3:35
  The Father loves the Son and has placed all things in His hands.
- 1 Peter 3:22
  who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers subject to Him.
- Matthew 11:27
  All things have been entrusted to Me by My Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses…
- Ephesians 1:20–22
  which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms,
- Hebrews 2:8
  and placed everything under his feet.” When God subjected all things to him, He left nothing outside of his control. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to him.
Through
Romans 9:5
Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them proceeds the human descent of Christ, who is God over all, forever worthy of praise! Amen.
leads to
- John 10:30
  I and the Father are one.”
- Colossians 1:16–19
  For in Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things were created through Him and for Him.
- John 1:1–3
  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

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About John

The Word Made Flesh — Gustave Doré (engraving, public domain)

John: the study guide →Read chapter 3 →The featured study →

Continue: John 3 →

01Commentary

The record, by era

Voices on this verse

02Original language & word study

03The walk

Where the connections lead

04Related verses

05Featured studies on this passage

06About John

The record, by era

Where the connections lead

Commentary

Original language & word study

The walk

Related verses

Featured studies on this passage

About John