John 3:9

9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.

John 3:9 in Other Translations

9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?

9 Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be? ”

9 “How are these things possible?” Nicodemus asked.

9 Nicodemus asked, "What do you mean by this? How does this happen?"

9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?

9 Nicodemus replied, "How can that be?"

9 "How can these things be?" asked Nicodemus.

9 "How can this be?" Nicodemus asked.

John 3:9 Meaning and Commentary

John 3:9

Nicodemus answered and said unto him
Remaining still as ignorant as ever, though Christ had explained the phrase "born again", at which he stumbled, by a being "born of water and of the Spirit", or of the grace of the Spirit of God; and had illustrated this by the free, powerful, and invisible blowing of the wind:

how can these things be?
The Arabic version reads, "how can this be?" referring either to the last thing said, that a man's being born of the Spirit, is like the blowing of the wind; or to the explanation of the first expression, that a man should be born of water, and of the Spirit; or to the first assertion itself, that a man should be born again; which notwithstanding the explanation and illustration, seemed as impossible, and as impracticable as ever; or rather to them all, and so the Persic version reads, "how can all these things be?"

John 3:9 In-Context

7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’

8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.

10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things?

11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony.

Cross References

• 1. John 6:52,60