John 3:27

An Understandable Version (2005 edition)

John replied to them, “A person cannot receive anything, unless it has been given to him from [God in] heaven.

Cross References

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 $1,400,000 in 2005 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 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].

John 10:41

Many people came to Him and were saying, “It is true that John did not perform any [miraculous] signs, but everything he said about this man was true.”

John 6:65

Then He said, “This is the reason I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father gives him [the opportunity. See verse 44]. ”

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 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].

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 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]?

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 is 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 (?)].

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).

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].