Parallel Verses
An Understandable Version
John replied to them, "A person cannot receive anything, unless it has been given to him from [God in] heaven.
New American Standard Bible
John answered and said, “
King James Version
John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.
Holman Bible
John responded, “No one can receive a single thing unless it’s given to him from heaven.
International Standard Version
John replied, "No one can receive anything unless it has been given to them from heaven.
A Conservative Version
John answered and said, A man can receive nothing unless it is given to him from heaven.
American Standard Version
John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it have been given him from heaven.
Amplified
John replied, “A man can receive nothing [he can claim nothing at all] unless it has been granted to him from heaven [for there is no other source than the sovereign will of God].
Anderson New Testament
John answered and said: A man can receive nothing unless it be given to him from heaven.
Bible in Basic English
And this was John's answer: A man is unable to have anything if it is not given to him from heaven.
Common New Testament
John answered, "A man can receive only what is given to him from heaven.
Daniel Mace New Testament
but John made them this answer, a man can have no authority, but what he derives from heaven.
Darby Translation
John answered and said, A man can receive nothing unless it be given him out of heaven.
Godbey New Testament
John responded and said, No man is able to receive anything, unless it may have been given unto him from heaven.
Goodspeed New Testament
John answered, "A man cannot get anything unless it is given to him from heaven.
John Wesley New Testament
John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, unless it be given him from heaven.
Julia Smith Translation
John answered and said, No man can receive anything except it be given him from heaven.
King James 2000
John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.
Lexham Expanded Bible
John answered and said, "A man can receive not one [thing] unless it is granted to him from heaven!
Modern King James verseion
And John answered and said, A man can receive nothing unless it is given to him from Heaven.
Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale
John answered, and said, "A man can receive nothing at all except it be given him from heaven.
Moffatt New Testament
John answered, "No one can receive anything except as a gift from heaven.
Montgomery New Testament
In reply John said: "A man cannot obtain anything unless it has been granted to him from heaven.
NET Bible
John replied, "No one can receive anything unless it has been given to him from heaven.
New Heart English Bible
John answered, "A man can receive nothing, unless it has been given to him from heaven.
Noyes New Testament
John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, unless it be given him from heaven.
Sawyer New Testament
John answered and said, A man can receive nothing unless it is given him from heaven.
The Emphasized Bible
John answered, and said - A man can receive, nothing, except it have been given him out of heaven.
Thomas Haweis New Testament
John answered and said, A man cannot assume any thing, except it be given him from heaven.
Twentieth Century New Testament
John's answer was--"A man can gain nothing but what is given him from Heaven.
Webster
John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.
Weymouth New Testament
"A man cannot obtain anything," replied John, "unless it has been granted to him from Heaven.
Williams New Testament
John answered, "A man cannot get anything, unless it is given to him from heaven.
World English Bible
John answered, "A man can receive nothing, unless it has been given him from heaven.
Worrell New Testament
John answered and said, "A man can receive nothing, unless it has been given to him from Heaven.
Worsley New Testament
John answered and said, A man can take nothing upon him, unless it be given him from heaven.
Youngs Literal Translation
John answered and said, 'A man is not able to receive anything, if it may not have been given him from the heaven;
Themes
Dependence » Human weakness renders men dependent upon God
Gifts » From God » He the only source of
John » Testifies to the messiahship of jesus
John the baptist » John the baptist being sent to prepare the way for jesus Christ
Interlinear
Oudeis
me
References
Easton
Fausets
Word Count of 37 Translations in John 3:27
Verse Info
Context Readings
Additional Testimony By John The Baptist About Jesus
26 These disciples went to John and said to him, "Rabbi, look, that man who was with you on the east side of the Jordan River [i.e., Jesus], whom you testified about, is immersing people and everyone is going to him." [Note: Actually, it was Jesus' disciples who did the immersing. See 4:2]. 27 John replied to them, "A person cannot receive anything, unless it has been given to him from [God in] heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, 'I am not the Christ [i.e., God's specially chosen one] but [rather] that I was sent [by God] ahead of Him.'
Phrases
Cross References
1 Corinthians 4:7
For who makes you different [from each other]? [i.e., with some being viewed as superior and others inferior]. And what do you have that you did not receive [from God]? But if you received it [from Him], then why do you boast as though you did not [receive it as a gift]?
James 1:17
Every good thing that is given and every perfect gift [received] is from above, coming down from the Father of [heavenly] lights, with whom there can be no change or shifting shadow [i.e., God always remains the same].
Matthew 21:25
Where did the immersion of John come from? From heaven or from men?" And they discussed this among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'from heaven,' He will say to us, 'Why then did you not believe his message?'
Matthew 25:15
He gave one servant five talents [Note: This 'talent' was a large sum of money in the form of a certain weight of silver. It was the equivalent of sixty years of a farm laborer's wages, or about $750,000 in income]. He gave two talents to another servant and one talent to another. He gave to each one an amount in keeping with his ability [to invest it wisely], and then left on his trip.
Mark 11:30-31
Was the immersion of John [authorized] from heaven or from men? Give me an answer."
Mark 13:34
It is like a man who left his house on a trip to another country. [Before leaving] he put his servants in charge of his affairs, giving each one a [particular] job to do, then he ordered the gatekeeper to stay alert [i.e., while he was gone].
Romans 1:5
It was through Jesus, and for His name's sake, that we [i.e., I] received God's favor to become an apostle, in order to bring about obedience based on faith from among people of all nations.
Romans 12:6
And we [all] have different gifts, in harmony with the unearned favor [God has] shown us. If our gift is the ability to prophesy [i.e., to speak for God], we should make use of this gift in harmony with the amount of faith we have.
1 Corinthians 1:1
[This letter is from] Paul, who was called by the will of God to be an apostle of Jesus Christ, and [from] our brother Sosthenes;
1 Corinthians 2:12-14
But we [apostles] did not receive the spirit of the world [i.e., human wisdom. See verse 6], but the Holy Spirit from God, so that we could understand what was freely given to us from God [i.e., the gift of inspiration. See verses 9-10].
1 Corinthians 3:5
After all, who is Apollos? And who is Paul? They are [only] servants through whom you believed [in Christ], with each one doing what the Lord gave him to do.
1 Corinthians 12:11
Now all of these [supernatural gifts] are the work of one and the same Holy Spirit, who distributes them to each person individually as He desires.
1 Corinthians 15:10
But I am whatever I am because of God's unearned favor, and the favor He showed me was not for nothing [i.e., Paul made the most of his conversion by being extra diligent in his service to God]. But I worked harder than all the other apostles, yet it was not I, but God's favor on me [that accomplished it].
Galatians 1:1
[This letter is from] Paul, an apostle, (not from [the authority of] men, or through the [agency] of a man, but by [a direct commission from] Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead).
Ephesians 1:1
[This letter is from] Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, according to God's will, [and is being sent] to the saints [i.e., God's holy people] at Ephesus [Note: This was a major city in the western province of Asia Minor, and now a part of Turkey. The words "at Ephesus" are omitted in some manuscripts, suggesting it was a circular letter], and the faithful ones in [fellowship with] Christ Jesus [everywhere else ?].
Ephesians 3:7-8
I was made a minister [of the Gospel] according to the gift of God's unearned favor, which was given to me according to the working of His power.
1 Timothy 2:7
I was appointed to be a preacher [of this testimony] and an apostle and teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles. (I am telling the truth and not lying).
Hebrews 5:4-5
And no one takes on himself the honor [of head priest], but [he is appointed only] when he is called by God, as was the case with Aaron.
1 Peter 4:10-11
As each of you has received a gift [from God], you should make use of it [in the body], so that you will be [good] caretakers of the many unearned ways that God favors you.