John Chapter 3 verse 27 Holy Bible

ASV John 3:27

John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it have been given him from heaven.
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BBE John 3:27

And this was John's answer: A man is unable to have anything if it is not given to him from heaven.
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DARBY John 3:27

John answered and said, A man can receive nothing unless it be given him out of heaven.
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KJV John 3:27

John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.
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WBT John 3:27


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WEB John 3:27

John answered, "A man can receive nothing, unless it has been given him from heaven.
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YLT John 3:27

John answered and said, `A man is not able to receive anything, if it may not have been given him from the heaven;
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Pulpit Commentary

Pulpit CommentaryVerses 27-32. - (2) The earthly and heavenly commission. Verse 27. - John answered and said, A man can receive nothing - neither office, function, faculty, nor life work, in the kingdom of God - except it has been given him from heaven. The raying is broad, general, comprehensive, sustaining. It is not the glorification of success, but an explanation of the ground of high service. All good service, all high faculty, all holy mission, all sacred duty, are assigned to us by Heaven. "No man taketh this honour unto himself, unless he be called of God." Commentators have ranged themselves into three groups as to the primary application of the words. (1) Those who have limited the mental reference to John himself. "My function is, as I am about to explain, a subordinate one," "I have received that and nothing else from heaven." "I cannot make myself into the Bridegroom of the Church, or the Light of the world, or the Baptizer with the Holy Ghost." "I have received that only which is given and assigned to me by God." (So Bengel, Calvin, Hengstenberg, and at one time Godet.) (2) Those who regard it as being a distinct reference to Christ, and as a vindication of Jesus from the complaint of John's own disciples. The high activity and present position of Jesus is declared by John to have been conferred on Christ "from heaven." He would not, could not, have taken it upon himself apart from the Divine order. (So Godet, Meyer, Watkins, Thorns.) . . .

Ellicott's Commentary

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(27) A man can receive nothing . . .--Do these words apply to the Baptist himself, or to Christ? Do they mean "I cannot assume this higher position which you wish to give me, because it is not given me by heaven;" or, "His work, with its influence over men, ought to convince you that His mission is divine "? Expositors have given, now this, now that answer. The immediate connection with John 3:26 points to the latter view as the correct one (but see Alford's Note on the other side). The power that had shown itself in word and work, teaching as none ever taught before, binding men--aye, some of their own brotherhood--to Himself, convincing men whose minds were open to the truth that He was the very Christ--all this could only have been received from heaven. Did they feel the movement around them? Let them recognise it as divine, and seek to be borne with it. (See Note on John 6:36.)