John 3:27
25 Then a dispute arose between John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the issue of ceremonial washing.
26 So John’s disciples came to him and said, “Look, Rabbi, the One who was with you beyond the Jordan, the One you testified about—He is baptizing, and everyone is going to Him.”
John replied, “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven.
28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but am sent ahead of Him.’
29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom stands and listens for him, and is overjoyed to hear the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- John replied, “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven.
- KJV
- John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.
- WEB
- John answered, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven.
- ASV
- John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it have been given him from heaven.
- DARBY
- John answered and said, A man can receive nothing unless it be given him out of heaven.
- BLB
- John answered and said, “A man is not able to receive one [thing] unless it shall be given to him from heaven.
- ÅB
- Johannes svarte og sa: Et menneske kan ikke få noe uten at det er gitt ham fra himmelen.
- OTB
- Johannes svarte: «Et menneske kan ikke få noe uten at det er gitt dem fra himmelen.
- B1930
- Johannes svarte og sa: Et menneske kan ikke få noget uten at det er gitt ham fra himmelen.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
James 1:17
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.
Read in context1 Corinthians 4:7
For who makes you so superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?
Read in context1 Corinthians 15:10
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not in vain. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.
Read in context1 Peter 4:10–11
As good stewards of the manifold grace of God, each of you should use whatever gift he has received to serve one another.
Read in contextAmos 7:15
But the LORD took me from following the flock and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to My people Israel.’
Read in context1 Corinthians 2:12–14
We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.
Read in contextJeremiah 1:5
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
Read in contextMatthew 25:15
To one he gave five talents, to another two talents, and to another one talent—each according to his own ability. And he went on his journey.
Read in context