John 3:8 - An Understandable Version (2005 edition)

⁸ The wind blows wherever it wants to, and you can hear the sound of it, without knowing where it came from or where it is going. So it is with everyone who is born from the Holy Spirit.”

More versions

King James Version (Oxford) 1769

⁸ 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.

Amplified Bible - Classic Edition

⁸ The wind blows (breathes) where it wills; and though you hear its sound, yet you neither know where it comes from nor where it is going. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.

American Standard Version (1901)

⁸ The wind bloweth where it will, and thou hearest the voice thereof, but knowest not whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

Common English Bible

⁸ God’s Spirit blows wherever it wishes. You hear its sound, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going. It’s the same with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Catholic Public Domain Version

⁸ The Spirit inspires where he wills. And you hear his voice, but you do not know where he comes from, or where he is going. So it is with all who are born of the Spirit."

Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version

⁸ The Spirit breatheth where he will; and thou hearest his voice, but thou knowest not whence he cometh, and whither he goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

John 3:8 Cross References

John 1:13

[Such people] were born of God, not of blood ties [i.e., from physical descendants], nor of the will of the flesh [i.e., merely from a sexual desire], nor of the will of man [i.e., from a husband’s desire for offspring].

John 3:7

So, do not be surprised that I have said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’ [See note on verse 3].

John 3:9

Then Nicodemus asked Jesus, “How can these things happen?”

Acts 2:2

Suddenly a rushing sound, like a fierce wind blowing, came from the sky above them, and [its noise] filled the entire house where they were sitting.

Acts 4:31

And after they had prayed, the place where they were gathered shook, and these disciples were all filled with [the power of] the Holy Spirit and they were able to speak the message of God with boldness.

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 2:11

For what person knows the thoughts of a man except that man’s [own] spirit which is in him? In the same way, no one knows the thoughts of God except God’s Holy Spirit.

1 John 2:29

If you know that Christ is [truly] righteous [verse 1], then you should also know that everyone who does what is right has been [spiritually] conceived [and eventually born] by God [See 5:18].