John 1:13
who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This verse powerfully dismantles any idea that becoming a child of God is a matter of human effort, ancestry, or natural birth. The repeated "not of..." emphasizes that divine sonship originates solely from God's supernatural act of regeneration, not from any human source or desire.
In the preceding verses, John declares that Jesus is the true Light, who came into the world and was rejected by his own people. However, to those who did receive Him, Jesus gave the authority or right to become children of God. This verse then explains the divine origin of this new identity, clarifying that this transformation isn't based on human lineage or effort, but is a direct gift from God.
Ever felt like you 'earned' your place or deserved something because of who you are or who your family is? This verse cuts through that idea powerfully.
The verse emphatically states that becoming a child of God isn't about your earthly connections. The phrases 'not of blood' and 'nor of the will of man' directly counter the idea that lineage or human choice can grant this status.
Debunking Natural Descent
For the Jewish audience John was writing to, descent from Abraham was a source of pride and a claim to God's favor. This verse says that kind of 'bloodline' status is irrelevant for becoming God's child. It's not about tracing your family tree back to pious ancestors.
Human Will Isn't the Source
'Nor of the will of man' also pushes back against the idea that a human decision—whether your own choice to try and be good, or someone else deciding to 'adopt' you into a spiritual family—can make you a child of God. It's not a human decision, either by you or by others, that initiates this relationship.
We often talk about our 'gut feelings' or 'natural desires.' This verse names that entirely – and says it's not the source of spiritual life.
The phrase 'nor of the will of the flesh' speaks to our inherent, natural desires and impulses as humans, often driven by our fallen nature. It's about the inclinations that come from simply being born into this world, apart from God's direct intervention.
Beyond Instincts and Impulses
This isn't about denying that we have physical needs or desires. Instead, it's highlighting that the deep, spiritual transformation required to become God's child doesn't originate from our innate human programming or any 'fleshly' impulse. It’s the very thing that separates us from God and needs to be overcome.
A Universal Limitation
John uses this phrase to show that no one, regardless of their background or desires, can achieve this spiritual birth through their own natural capabilities. Our 'flesh' has a will, but it's a will that is contrary to God's and incapable of producing spiritual life.
Understand the original words
gennaō · Greek Verb
A spiritual transformation or 'new birth' initiated solely by God, by which a person is brought into the family of God through faith.
This passage echoes John 1:13 by explaining that believers are 'born anew, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God,' highlighting the spiritual, not natural, origin of new life in Christ.
Romans 8:29Romans 8:29 speaks of God's predestining purpose to make believers 'conformed to the image of his Son,' which aligns with John 1:13's declaration that true sonship comes 'of God' and not by human will or effort.
Galatians 3:26This verse states, 'for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith,' directly connecting belief in Jesus with becoming God's children, just as John 1:12-13 links receiving Him to this new birth.
Titus 3:5Titus 3:5 clarifies that salvation comes 'not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,' mirroring John 1:13's contrast between human effort and divine origin.
1 John 5:1This verse declares, 'Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God,' reinforcing the idea presented in John 1:13 that spiritual birth, and thus sonship with God, originates solely from faith in Jesus.
ellicottJohn 1:13: "Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."
(13) Which were born. —The result of receiving Him remains to be explained. How could they become “sons of God?” The word which has been used ( John 1:12 ) excludes the idea of adoption, and asserts the natural relation of child to father. The nation claimed this through its descent from Abraham. But they are Abraham’s children who are of Abraham’s faith. There is a higher generation, w…
vincentJohn 1:13: "Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."
Which (ὃι)Referring to children of God.Were born (ἐγεννήθνσαν)Literally, were begotten. The phrase γεννηθήναι ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ, to be born or begotten of God, occurs only here in the Gospel, and several times in the First Epistle. It is peculiar to John.There is a progress of thought in the three following clauses, describing the proper origin of a believer's new life. Children of Go…
This verse powerfully dismantles any idea that becoming a child of God is a matter of human effort, ancestry, or natural birth. The repeated "not of..." emphasizes that divine sonship originates solely from God's supernatural act of regeneration, not from any human source or desire.
In the preceding verses, John declares that Jesus is the true Light, who came into the world and was rejected by his own people. However, to those who did receive Him, Jesus gave the authority or right to become children of God. This verse then explains the divine origin of this new identity, clarifying that this transformation isn't based on human lineage or effort, but is a direct gift from God.
In the preceding verses, John declares that Jesus is the true Light, who came into the world and was rejected by his own people. However, to those who did receive Him, Jesus gave the authority or right to become children of God. This verse then explains the divine origin of this new identity, clarifying that this transformation isn't based on human lineage or effort, but is a direct gift from God.
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After listing everything that isn't the source of becoming God's child, John lands on the incredible truth: it's all God.
The final phrase, 'but of God,' is the ultimate declaration. It reveals that the power and initiative to become a child of God belong entirely to Him.
God's Initiative, God's Power
This isn't about a human effort that God then blesses. It's about God initiating the process, God providing the means, and God working the transformation. The 'new birth,' or regeneration, is a supernatural act of God's Spirit upon our spirit.
A Gift, Not an Achievement
This means that becoming a child of God is a gift received by faith, not an achievement earned by works, lineage, or willpower. It redirects all glory to God. When we 'receive him,' as John states in verse 12, it's because God has first enabled us to do so.
The Foundation of True Life
This divine origination is what makes the new birth possible and meaningful. It's the difference between a temporary human arrangement and an eternal, spiritual reality established by the Creator himself.
"who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God." — This verse powerfully dismantles any idea that becoming a child of God is a matter of human effort, ancestry, or natural birth. The repeated "not of..." emphasizes that divine sonship originates sole…
