That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse isn't just stating an obvious fact about reproduction; it's drawing a stark contrast between two fundamental ways of being. "Flesh" here represents our entire natural human existence, shaped by sin and mortality, while "spirit" signifies a life fundamentally reoriented by God’s divine influence, capable of interacting with His kingdom.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is explaining to Nicodemus, a respected Pharisee, that a spiritual transformation is absolutely necessary to truly understand and enter God's kingdom. He contrasts the natural birth from human parents with a divine birth, emphasizing that simply being born into a religious or privileged lineage isn't enough. This verse highlights that a person's fundamental nature, whether entirely fleshly or genuinely spiritual, is determined by their origin.
Nicodemus is struggling with how a grown man can be 'born again.' Jesus uses a simple, undeniable principle to show him why a mere change of behavior won't cut it.
Jesus starts with what Nicodemus understands: natural birth. He states, 'That which is born of the flesh is flesh.' This isn't just about biology; it's a profound truth about inheritance.
Like Begets Like
Think about it: a dog has puppies, and those puppies are dogs. A rose bush produces seeds, and those seeds grow into rose bushes. There's an inherent continuity. What comes from a certain source inherits the nature of that source.
When Jesus says 'flesh,' He's referring to our human nature, inherited from our parents, marked by sin and separation from God. So, if we are born 'of the flesh,' we are born with this inherent nature – we are 'flesh.' This means our natural state is defined by the limitations and inclinations of this fallen humanity, not by a capacity for God's kingdom.
If being born of the flesh means we're stuck with a 'fleshly' nature, how can anyone ever enter God's kingdom? Jesus provides the answer: a birth from the Spirit.
The second part of Jesus' statement is the crucial counterpoint: '...and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.' This is where the hope lies!
A Divine Impartation
Just as natural birth brings forth more of the same kind, spiritual birth brings forth a new kind of being. When the Holy Spirit works in a person, He doesn't just tweak the old nature; He imparts a , spiritual nature.
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This 'spirit' is not just an abstract concept; it refers to a transformed life, aligned with God's will, capable of knowing and experiencing Him. It's a divine impartation that creates a spiritual reality where there was once only a natural, fleshly one. This is not about human effort or improvement; it is entirely the work of God's Spirit.
Understand the original words
gennaō · Greek Verb
The process of bringing forth life; in a theological context, it refers to the beginning of existence or the origin of a person's nature. Being "born of" denotes the source or the generative power behind that life.
sarx · Greek Noun
In this context, it refers to the fallen, physical, and sinful human nature inherited from Adam, which is inherently incapable of pleasing God or entering His kingdom apart from divine intervention.
pneuma · Greek Noun
Refers to the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, who is the divine agent of regeneration, life-giving power, and the transformation of the human heart.
This verse establishes the principle of inherited nature from parents, showing that Adam, after his fall, 'fathered a son in his own likeness, after his image,' which is the foundational idea behind 'that which is born of the flesh is flesh.'
Romans 8:5-8Paul directly contrasts those who live according to the flesh, whose minds are set on fleshly things, with those who live according to the Spirit, highlighting the spiritual outcome of each disposition, mirroring John's statement.
1 Corinthians 2:14This verse explains that the 'natural person' (referring to the unregenerate, fleshly person) does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, reinforcing the fundamental difference between flesh and spirit that Jesus is explaining.
Galatians 5:16-17The Apostle Paul describes the ongoing conflict between the flesh and the Spirit within believers, illustrating how these two principles remain distinct and opposing forces, just as John's verse suggests.
1 John 5:4This verse declares that 'everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world,' directly linking the new birth by the Spirit to a victorious spiritual life, a concept inherent in John 3:6's contrast.
ellicottJohn 3:6: "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit."
(6) That which is born of the flesh is flesh. —The first step is to remind him of the law of likeness in natural generation. “Flesh,” as distinct from “spirit,” is human nature in so far as it is common with animal nature, consisting of the bodily frame and its animal life, feelings, and passions. “Flesh,” as opposed to “spirit,” is this nature as not under the guidance of the human spirit, whi…
vincentJohn 3:6: "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit."
That which is born (τὸ γεγεννηένον)Strictly, that which hath been born, and consequently is now before us as born. The aorist tense (John 3:3, John 3:4, John 3:5, John 3:7), marks the fact of birth; the perfect (as here), the state of that which has been born (see on 1 John 5:18, where both tenses occur); the neuter, that which, states the principle in the abstract. Compare John 3:8, where th…
This verse isn't just stating an obvious fact about reproduction; it's drawing a stark contrast between two fundamental ways of being. "Flesh" here represents our entire natural human existence, shaped by sin and mortality, while "spirit" signifies a life fundamentally reoriented by God’s divine influence, capable of interacting with His kingdom.
Jesus is explaining to Nicodemus, a respected Pharisee, that a spiritual transformation is absolutely necessary to truly understand and enter God's kingdom. He contrasts the natural birth from human parents with a divine birth, emphasizing that simply being born into a religious or privileged lineage isn't enough. This verse highlights that a person's fundamental nature, whether entirely fleshly or genuinely spiritual, is determined by their origin.
Jesus is explaining to Nicodemus, a respected Pharisee, that a spiritual transformation is absolutely necessary to truly understand and enter God's kingdom. He contrasts the natural birth from human parents with a divine birth, emphasizing that simply being born into a religious or privileged lineage isn't enough. This verse highlights that a person's fundamental nature, whether entirely fleshly or genuinely spiritual, is determined by their origin.
"That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." — This verse isn't just stating an obvious fact about reproduction; it's drawing a stark contrast between two fundamental ways of being. "Flesh" here represents our entire natural human existence, shap…
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Last reviewed October 2026