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John 3

New Testament · English Majority Text Version with Greek parallel

John chapter 3 is given here in full, verse by verse, in the English Majority Text Version (EMTV), with the Byzantine Majority Text set beneath each verse. The text follows the Byzantine textual tradition used in the Orthodox Church.

38 patristic excerpts are attached to this chapter, from 4 Fathers — Saint John Chrysostom, Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Saint Augustine of Hippo, and Saint Augustine. The translator's notes for this chapter (2) follow the text.

John 3

1Now there was a man of the Pharisees whose name was Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.Ἦν δὲ ἄνθρωπος ἐκ τῶν Φαρισαίων, Νικόδημος ὄνομα αὐτῷ, ἄρχων τῶν Ἰουδαίων·

2This man came to Him by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”οὗτος ἦλθε πρὸς αὐτὸν νυκτός, καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ, Ῥαββί, οἴδαμεν ὅτι ἀπὸ Θεοῦ ἐλήλυθας διδάσκαλος· οὐδεὶς γὰρ ταῦτα τὰ σημεῖα δύναται ποιεῖν ἃ σὺ ποιεῖς, ἐὰν μὴ ᾖ ὁ Θεὸς μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ.

3Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”Ἀπεκρίθη ὁ Ἰησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ, Ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω σοι, ἐὰν μή τις γεννηθῇ ἄνωθεν, οὐ δύναται ἰδεῖν τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ.

4Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born, being old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?”Λέγει πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ Νικόδημος, Πῶς δύναται ἄνθρωπος γεννηθῆναι γέρων ὤν; Μὴ δύναται εἰς τὴν κοιλίαν τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ δεύτερον εἰσελθεῖν καὶ γεννηθῆναι;

5Jesus answered, “Most assuredly I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.Ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς, Ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω σοι, ἐὰν μή τις γεννηθῇ ἐξ ὕδατος καὶ Πνεύματος, οὐ δύναται εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ.

6That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.Τὸ γεγεννημένον ἐκ τῆς σαρκὸς σάρξ ἐστι· καὶ τὸ γεγεννημένον ἐκ τοῦ Πνεύματος πνεῦμά ἐστι.

7Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born *again.’Μὴ θαυμάσῃς ὅτι εἶπόν σοι, Δεῖ ὑμᾶς γεννηθῆναι ἄνωθεν.

8The †wind blows where it wills, and you hear its sound, but you do not know from where it comes and where it goes. So is everyone who has been born of the Spirit.”Τὸ πνεῦμα ὅπου θέλει πνεῖ, καὶ τὴν φωνὴν αὐτοῦ ἀκούεις, ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ οἶδας πόθεν ἔρχεται καὶ ποῦ ὑπάγει· οὕτως ἐστὶ πᾶς ὁ γεγεννημένος ἐκ τοῦ Πνεύματος.

9Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?”Ἀπεκρίθη Νικόδημος καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ, Πῶς δύναται ταῦτα γενέσθαι;

10Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?Ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ, Σὺ εἶ ὁ διδάσκαλος τοῦ Ἰσραήλ, καὶ ταῦτα οὐ γινώσκεις;

11Most assuredly I say to you, that which We know, We speak, and that which We have seen, We bear witness to, and you do not receive Our witness.Ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω σοι ὅτι ὃ οἴδαμεν λαλοῦμεν, καὶ ὃ ἑωράκαμεν μαρτυροῦμεν· καὶ τὴν μαρτυρίαν ἡμῶν οὐ λαμβάνετε.

12If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?Εἰ τὰ ἐπίγεια εἶπον ὑμῖν καὶ οὐ πιστεύετε, πῶς, ἐὰν εἴπω ὑμῖν τὰ ἐπουράνια, πιστεύσετε;

13And no one has gone up into heaven except He who came down out of heaven, the Son of Man, who is in heaven.Καὶ οὐδεὶς ἀναβέβηκεν εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν, εἰ μὴ ὁ ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καταβάς, ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ὁ ὢν ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ.

14And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,Καὶ καθὼς Μωσῆς ὕψωσε τὸν ὄφιν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, οὕτως ὑψωθῆναι δεῖ τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου·

15that everyone who believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.ἵνα πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων εἰς αὐτὸν μὴ ἀπόληται, ἀλλ᾽ ἔχῃ ζωὴν αἰώνιον.

16For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.Οὕτω γὰρ ἠγάπησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν κόσμον, ὥστε τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ τὸν μονογενῆ ἔδωκεν, ἵνα πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων εἰς αὐτὸν μὴ ἀπόληται, ἀλλ᾽ ἔχῃ ζωὴν αἰώνιον.

17For God did not send His Son into the world so that He might condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.Οὐ γὰρ ἀπέστειλεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν κόσμον ἵνα κρίνῃ τὸν κόσμον, ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα σωθῇ ὁ κόσμος δι᾽ αὐτοῦ.

18“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe has been condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.Ὁ πιστεύων εἰς αὐτὸν οὐ κρίνεται· ὁ δὲ μὴ πιστεύων ἤδη κέκριται, ὅτι μὴ πεπίστευκεν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ μονογενοῦς υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ.

19And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness more than the light, because their works were evil.Αὕτη δέ ἐστιν ἡ κρίσις, ὅτι τὸ φῶς ἐλήλυθεν εἰς τὸν κόσμον, καὶ ἠγάπησαν οἱ ἄνθρωποι μᾶλλον τὸ σκότος ἢ τὸ φῶς· ἦν γὰρ πονηρὰ αὐτῶν τὰ ἔργα.

20For everyone that does evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works be exposed.Πᾶς γὰρ ὁ φαῦλα πράσσων μισεῖ τὸ φῶς, καὶ οὐκ ἔρχεται πρὸς τὸ φῶς, ἵνα μὴ ἐλεγχθῇ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ.

21But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his works may be revealed, that they have been done in God.”Ὁ δὲ ποιῶν τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἔρχεται πρὸς τὸ φῶς, ἵνα φανερωθῇ αὐτοῦ τὰ ἔργα, ὅτι ἐν Θεῷ ἐστιν εἰργασμένα.

22After these things Jesus, along with His disciples, came into the land of Judea, and there He was staying with them and He was baptizing.Μετὰ ταῦτα ἦλθεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς καὶ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν Ἰουδαίαν γῆν· καὶ ἐκεῖ διέτριβε μετ᾽ αὐτῶν καὶ ἐβάπτιζεν.

23Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salem, because there was much water there. And they came and were baptized.Ἦν δὲ καὶ Ἰωάννης βαπτίζων ἐν Αἰνὼν ἐγγὺς τοῦ Σαλήμ, ὅτι ὕδατα πολλὰ ἦν ἐκεῖ· καὶ παρεγίνοντο καὶ ἐβαπτίζοντο.

24(For John was not yet cast into prison).Οὔπω γὰρ ἦν βεβλημένος εἰς τὴν φυλακὴν ὁ Ἰωάννης.

25Then there came to be a dispute between John's disciples and a Jew about purification.Ἐγένετο οὖν ζήτησις ἐκ τῶν μαθητῶν Ἰωάννου μετὰ Ἰουδαίου περὶ καθαρισμοῦ.

26And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified—behold, this Man is baptizing, and all men are coming to Him!”Καὶ ἦλθον πρὸς τὸν Ἰωάννην καὶ εἶπον αὐτῷ, Ῥαββί, ὃς ἦν μετὰ σοῦ πέραν τοῦ Ἰορδάνου, ᾧ σὺ μεμαρτύρηκας, ἴδε οὗτος βαπτίζει, καὶ πάντες ἔρχονται πρὸς αὐτόν.

27John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven.Ἀπεκρίθη Ἰωάννης καὶ εἶπεν, Οὐ δύναται ἄνθρωπος λαμβάνειν οὐδέν, ἐὰν μὴ ᾖ δεδομένον αὐτῷ ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ.

28You yourselves bear witness that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah,’ but, ‘I have been sent before Him.’Αὐτοὶ ὑμεῖς μαρτυρεῖτε ὅτι εἶπον, Οὐκ εἰμὶ ἐγὼ ὁ Χριστός, ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι Ἀπεσταλμένος εἰμὶ ἔμπροσθεν ἐκείνου.

29He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the voice of the bridegroom. Therefore my joy has been fulfilled.Ὁ ἔχων τὴν νύμφην, νυμφίος ἐστίν· ὁ δὲ φίλος τοῦ νυμφίου, ὁ ἑστηκὼς καὶ ἀκούων αὐτοῦ, χαρᾷ χαίρει διὰ τὴν φωνὴν τοῦ νυμφίου· αὕτη οὖν ἡ χαρὰ ἡ ἐμὴ πεπλήρωται.

30He must increase, but I must decrease.Ἐκεῖνον δεῖ αὐξάνειν, ἐμὲ δὲ ἐλαττοῦσθαι.

31He who comes from above is above all; he who is from the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.Ὁ ἄνωθεν ἐρχόμενος ἐπάνω πάντων ἐστίν. Ὁ ὢν ἐκ τῆς γῆς, ἐκ τῆς γῆς ἐστι, καὶ ἐκ τῆς γῆς λαλεῖ· ὁ ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἐρχόμενος ἐπάνω πάντων ἐστί.

32And what He has seen and heard, that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony.Καὶ ὃ ἑώρακε καὶ ἤκουσε, τοῦτο μαρτυρεῖ· καὶ τὴν μαρτυρίαν αὐτοῦ οὐδεὶς λαμβάνει.

33He who receives His testimony has certified that God is true.Ὁ λαβὼν αὐτοῦ τὴν μαρτυρίαν ἐσφράγισεν ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς ἀληθής ἐστιν.

34For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure.Ὃν γὰρ ἀπέστειλεν ὁ Θεός, τὰ ῥήματα τοῦ Θεοῦ λαλεῖ· οὐ γὰρ ἐκ μέτρου δίδωσιν ὁ Θεὸς τὸ Πνεῦμα.

35The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand.Ὁ πατὴρ ἀγαπᾷ τὸν υἱόν, καὶ πάντα δέδωκεν ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ.

36He who believes in the Son has eternal life; and he who does not believe the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”Ὁ πιστεύων εἰς τὸν υἱὸν ἔχει ζωὴν αἰώνιον· ὁ δὲ ἀπειθῶν τῷ υἱῷ, οὐκ ὄψεται τὴν ζωήν, ἀλλ᾽ ἡ ὀργὴ τοῦ Θεοῦ μένει ἐπ᾽ αὐτόν.

Translator's Notes

These notes come from the printed edition of the English Majority Text Version (EMTV), and record where the Greek differs from the English rendering or admits more than one reading.

The Fathers on John 3

Saint John Chrysostom, Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Saint Augustine of Hippo, and Saint Augustine comment on this chapter. Each excerpt below is drawn from the full text held in the Fathers Library; follow the link on any entry to read the whole work.

On John 3:5
Saint John Chrysostom
Eastern Fathers · c. 390 AD · Homilies on the Gospel of John

“Verily I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God.”

Read Homilies on the Gospel of John →
On John 3:5
Saint Cyril of Alexandria
Eastern Fathers · 5th century · Commentary on John, Book II

5 How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter a second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Nicodemus is convicted hereby of being still carnal, and therefore no way receiving the things of the Spirit of God. For he thinketh that this so dread and illustrious Mystery is foolishness. And hea...

Read Commentary on John, Book II →
On John 3:1–5
Saint Augustine of Hippo
Latin Fathers · c. 406-420 AD · Tractates on the Gospel of John

1. Opportunely has the Lord procured for us that this passage should occur in its order to day: for I suppose you have observed, beloved, that we have undertaken to consider and explain the Gospel according to John in due course. Opportunely then it occurs, that today you should hear from the Gospel, that, “Unless a...

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On John 3:6
Saint John Chrysostom
Eastern Fathers · c. 390 AD · Homilies on the Gospel of John

“That which is born of the flesh is flesh: and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”

Read Homilies on the Gospel of John →
On John 3:6
Saint Cyril of Alexandria
Eastern Fathers · 5th century · Commentary on John, Book II

6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. By another argument again He persuades him to mount up to a higher understanding, and on hearing of spiritual birth, not to think of the properties of bodies. For as it is altogether necessary, saith He, that the offspring of f...

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On John 3:6–21
Saint Augustine of Hippo
Latin Fathers · c. 406-420 AD · Tractates on the Gospel of John

1. We observe, beloved, that the intimation with which we yesterday excited your attention has brought you together with more alacrity, and in greater number than usual; but meanwhile let us, if you please, pay our debt of a discourse on the Gospel Lesson, which comes in due course. You shall then hear, beloved, as...

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On John 3:12–13
Saint John Chrysostom
Eastern Fathers · c. 390 AD · Homilies on the Gospel of John

“If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but He that came down from heaven, even the Son of Man which is in heaven.”

Read Homilies on the Gospel of John →
On John 3:12–13
Saint Cyril of Alexandria
Eastern Fathers · 5th century · Commentary on John, Book II

12, 13 If I have told you earthly things and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but He that came down from heaven, the Son of man Which is in heaven. A doctrine, saith He, not exceeding the understanding befitting man, ye from your extreme fol...

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On John 3:13
Saint Augustine
Latin Fathers · c. 391–430 AD · Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament

The lesson of the Gospel hath set before me a subject whereof to speak to you, beloved, as though by the Lord’s command, and by His command in very deed.

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On John 3:17
Saint John Chrysostom
Eastern Fathers · c. 390 AD · Homilies on the Gospel of John

[1.] Many of the more careless sort of persons, using the lovingkindness of God to increase the magnitude of their sins and the excess of their disregard, speak in this way, “There is no hell, there is no future punishment, God forgives us all sins.” To stop whose mouths a wise man says, “Say not, His mercy is great, He will be pacified for the multitude of my sins; for mercy and wrath come from Him, and His indignation resteth upon sinners” ( Ecclus. v. 6 ): and again, “As His mercy is great, so is His correcti...

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On John 3:17
Saint Cyril of Alexandria
Eastern Fathers · 5th century · Commentary on John, Book II

17 For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. Having plainly called Himself the Son of God the Father, He thought not good to leave the word without witness, but brings forward proof from the quality, so to say, of the things themselves, making the hear...

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On John 3:22
Saint John Chrysostom
Eastern Fathers · c. 390 AD · Homilies on the Gospel of John

“And He came and His disciples into the land of Judæa, and there He tarried with them (and baptized).”

Read Homilies on the Gospel of John →
On John 3:22–24
Saint Cyril of Alexandria
Eastern Fathers · 5th century · Commentary on John, Book II

22, 23, 24 After these things came Jesus and His disciples into the land of Judaea. And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there; and they came, and were baptized. For John was not yet cast into prison. After the conversation with Nicodemus had now reached its conclusion, the...

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On John 3:22–29
Saint Augustine of Hippo
Latin Fathers · c. 406-420 AD · Tractates on the Gospel of John

1. The course of reading from the Gospel of John, as those of you who are concerned for your own progress may remember, so proceeds in regular order, that the passage which has now been read comes before us for exposition today. You remember that we have expounded it, in the preceding discourses, from the very...

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On John 3:31
Saint John Chrysostom
Eastern Fathers · c. 390 AD · Homilies on the Gospel of John

“He that cometh from above is above all; he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth.”

Read Homilies on the Gospel of John →
On John 3:31
Saint Cyril of Alexandria
Eastern Fathers · 5th century · Commentary on John, Book II

CHAPTER II. That the Son is not in the number of things originate, but above all, as God of God. 31 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 cre...

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On John 3:29–36
Saint Augustine of Hippo
Latin Fathers · c. 406-420 AD · Tractates on the Gospel of John

1. This lesson from the holy Gospel shows us the excellency of our Lord Jesus Christ's divinity, and the humility of the man who earned the title of the Bridegroom's friend; that we may distinguish between the man who is man, and the Man who is God. For the Man who is God is our Lord Jesus Christ, God before all ages,...

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On John 3:35–36
Saint John Chrysostom
Eastern Fathers · c. 390 AD · Homilies on the Gospel of John

“The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into His hand. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life, and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”

Read Homilies on the Gospel of John →
On John 3:35
Saint Cyril of Alexandria
Eastern Fathers · 5th century · Commentary on John, Book II

CHAPTER IV. That not by participation are the Properties of God the Father in the Son, but Essentially and by Nature. 35 The Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into His Hand. For since he had said, that it behoved not the Son Who had beamed forth God of God, to be able to use words other than He That bega...

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On John 3:36
Saint Cyril of Alexandria
Eastern Fathers · 5th century · Commentary on John, Book II

36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life. Not simply, nor without examination doth the most wise Baptist testify that to them that believe in Christ is life set forth, as their Reward, but he brings forth to us the proof of it from the very quality so to speak of things. For the Only Begotten is by Nature...

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On John 3:2
Saint Cyril of Alexandria
Eastern Fathers · 5th century · Commentary on John, Book II

Chap. iii, 2 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: the same came to Jesus by night and said unto Him, More ready is Nicodemus to believe, but overcome by no good fear, and not despising the opinion of men, he refuses boldness, and is divided in opinion into two, and halts in purpose,...

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On John 3:4
Saint Cyril of Alexandria
Eastern Fathers · 5th century · Commentary on John, Book II

4 Verily verily I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto Him, Faith consisteth not, O Nicodemus, in what thou thinkest. Speech sufficeth not unto thee for righteousness, neither wilt thou achieve piety by mere words. For not every one that saith unto Me, Lord,...

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On John 3:7–8
Saint Cyril of Alexandria
Eastern Fathers · 5th century · Commentary on John, Book II

7, 8 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth; so is every one that is born of the Spirit. It is the excellence of a teacher, to be able manifoldly to manage the mind of the h...

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On John 3:9–10
Saint Cyril of Alexandria
Eastern Fathers · 5th century · Commentary on John, Book II

9, 10 Nicodemus answered and said unto Him, How can these things be? Jesus answered and said unto him, Long discourse nothing profits him who understandeth not a whit. Wise then is the saying in the book of Proverbs, Well is he that speaketh in the ears of them that will hear. And this the Saviour shewed by trial to b...

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On John 3:11
Saint Cyril of Alexandria
Eastern Fathers · 5th century · Commentary on John, Book II

11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know and testify that we have seen. He finds the man careless of learning and exceedingly uninstructed and, by reason of his great grossness of mind, utterly unable to be led unto the comprehension of Divine doctrines, albeit many words had been expended with man...

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On John 3:14–15
Saint Cyril of Alexandria
Eastern Fathers · 5th century · Commentary on John, Book II

14, 15 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have eternal life. Having explained sufficiently, and set before him the reason, why His Word of teaching does not run forth into the boundless and supernatural,...

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On John 3:16
Saint Cyril of Alexandria
Eastern Fathers · 5th century · Commentary on John, Book II

16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His Only Begotten Son, that whosoever helieveth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. He desireth to shew openly herein, that He is God by Nature, since one must needs deem that He Who came forth from God the Father, is surely God also, not having the honour f...

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On John 3:18
Saint Cyril of Alexandria
Eastern Fathers · 5th century · Commentary on John, Book II

18 He that believeth on the Son is not condemned; but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the Name of the Only Begotten Son of God. Having proved by facts, that He is both Son of God the Father, and introduceth into the world grace which is more excellent than the ministration o...

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On John 3:19
Saint Cyril of Alexandria
Eastern Fathers · 5th century · Commentary on John, Book II

19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light. He lets not the condemnation of the unbelievers remain without consideration, but recounts its causes, and shews clearly that, according to the words of the Proverbs, Not unjustly is the net spread for the bir...

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On John 3:20
Saint Cyril of Alexandria
Eastern Fathers · 5th century · Commentary on John, Book II

20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. Profitably doth He go over what has been said, and convicts indolence unto things helpful of proceeding from love of evil, and of having its root in unwillingness to learn those things whereby one may bec...

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On John 3:23
Saint Augustine
Latin Fathers · c. 400 AD · The Harmony of the Gospels

Furthermore, we must consider the question how the evangelist John, before there is any mention of the casting of John the Baptist into prison, tells us that Jesus went into Galilee.

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On John 3:25–26
Saint Cyril of Alexandria
Eastern Fathers · 5th century · Commentary on John, Book II

25, 26 Then there arose a question between some of John's disciples and a Jew 7 about purifying. And they came unto John, and said unto him, The Jews being powerless to commend the purifications of the law, and not able to advocate the cleansing through the ashes of an heifer, plan something against John's disciples,...

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On John 3:27
Saint Cyril of Alexandria
Eastern Fathers · 5th century · Commentary on John, Book II

27 Rabbi, He that was with thee beyond Jordan, to Whom thou barest witness, behold, the Same baptizeth, and all men come to Him. John answered and said, The disciples bitten by the words of the Pharisees, and looking to the very nature of the thing, were not able to convict them as liars, but were reasonably at a loss...

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On John 3:28
Saint Cyril of Alexandria
Eastern Fathers · 5th century · Commentary on John, Book II

28 Ye yourselves bear me witness that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before Him. He brings his disciples to the recollection of the words which they have already often heard, partly reproving them rightly, as steeped in forgetfulness of things profitable, and slumbering in respect to this so most drea...

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On John 3:29
Saint Cyril of Alexandria
Eastern Fathers · 5th century · Commentary on John, Book II

29 He That hath the bride is the Bridegroom: but the friend of the Bridegroom, which standeth and heareth Him, rejoiceth greatly because of the Bridegroom's voice; this my joy therefore is fulfilled. The discourse again took its rise from likeness to our affairs, but leads us to the knowledge of subtle thoughts. For t...

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On John 3:30
Saint Cyril of Alexandria
Eastern Fathers · 5th century · Commentary on John, Book II

30 He must increase, but I must decrease. He convicts his disciples of being yet troubled about trifles, and of taking unseasonable offence at what they by no means ought, and of not yet knowing accurately, Who and whence Emmanuel is. For not thus far, saith he, shall His Deeds be marvelled at, nor because more are ba...

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On John 3:33
Saint Cyril of Alexandria
Eastern Fathers · 5th century · Commentary on John, Book II

CHAPTER III. That Christ is God and of God by Nature. 33 He that hath received His testimony hath set to his seal that God is true. In no other way was it possible to shew the impiety of them that believe not, except the glorious achievement of the believers were made known. For by the contrast of good things is the e...

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On John 3:34
Saint Cyril of Alexandria
Eastern Fathers · 5th century · Commentary on John, Book II

34 For He Whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God. The Father then knoweth that His own Son is in Him the Same by Nature (for this I suppose the words, are One, signify, and nothing else), and acknowledgeth Him as Son not creature; Son I mean of His own Essence, and not honoured with the bare name of Sonship. For...

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