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224

A. D. 30.

JOHN III. 3-6.

I

a Jesus answered, Verily, verily, say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit, ver. 5, 6. See also on ver. 13. chap. i.

b But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him : neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned, 1 Cor. ii. 14. In whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them, 2 Cor. iv. 4.

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imagination of the thoughts of his
heart was only evil continually, vi. 5.
And God looked upon the earth, and,
behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh
had corrupted his way upon the earth.
And God said unto Noah, The end of
earth is filled with violence through
all flesh is come before me; for the
them: and, behold, I will destroy
them with the earth, vi. 12, 13. Who
can bring a clean thing out of an un-
What is
man, that he should be clean? and he
clean? not one, Job xiv. 4.
which is born of a woman, that he
should be righteous? Behold, he put-
teth no trust in his saints; yea, the
How much more abominable and filthy
heavens are not clean in his sight:
is man, which drinketh iniquity like

c See on Matt. iii. ver. 2. clause 2. water? xv. 14-16. How then can

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VER. 5.

̓Απεκρίθη ὁ Ἰησοῦς· ̓Αμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω σοι, ἐὰν μή τις γεννηθῇ ἐξ ὕδατος καὶ Πνεύματος, οὐ δύναται εἰσελθεῖν, εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ.

Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say
unto thee, Except a man be born of
water, and of the Spirit, he cannot
enter into the kingdom of God.

a See on Matt. iii. ver. 6. clause 1.
b See on chap. i. ver. 13. clause 1.
See on Matt. v. ver. 20. clause 2.

VER. 6.

Τὸ γεγεννημένον ἐκ τῆς σαρκὸς, σάρξ
ἐστι· καὶ τὸ γεγεννημένον ἐκ τοῦ Πνεύμα-
τος, πνεῦμά ἐστι.

That which is born of the flesh is
born of the
flesh; band that which
Spirit is spirit.

a And Adam lived an hundred and
thirty years, and begat a son in his
own likeness, after his image; and
called his name Seth, Gen. v. 3. And
God saw that the wickedness of man
was great in the earth, and that every

man be justified with God? or how
can he be clean that is born of a woman?
Behold, even to the moon, and it
shineth not; yea, the stars are not
pure in his sight: How much less man
that is a worm? and the son of man,
which is a worm? xxv. 4-6. Create
in me a clean heart, O God; and re-
new a right spirit within me, Psal. li.
10. For when we were in the flesh,
the motions of sins, which were by
the law, did work in our members, to
bring forth fruit unto death, Rom. vii.
5. For I know that in me (that is, in
my flesh), dwelleth no good thing :
for to will is present with me; but how
to perform that which is good I find
not. For the good that I would I do
not: but the evil which I would not,
that I do. Now if I do that I would
not, it is no more I that do it, but sin
that dwelleth in me. I find then a
law, that, when I would do good, evil
For I delight in
is present with me.
the law of God after the inward man:
But I see another law in my mem-

mind, and bringing me into captivity
bers, warring against the law of my
to the law of sin which is in my mem
bers. O wretched man that I am!
who shall deliver me from the body of
this death? I thank God, through
Jesus Christ our Lord. So then, with
the mind I myself serve the law of
God, but with the flesh the law of sin,
18-25. There is, therefore, now no
condemnation to them which are in
Christ Jesus, who walk not after the
flesh, but after the Spirit, viii. 1. For

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what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh, do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace: Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God, 3-8. This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God, Gal. v. 16-21. Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others, Eph. ii. 3. In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ, Col. ii. 11.

b And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you: and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh: That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, Ezek. xi. 19, 20. Then will 1 sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filVOL. II.

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thiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will 1 give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them, xxxvi. 25-27. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit, Rom. viii. 5. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness, 9, 10. He that is joined unto the Lord is one Spirit, 1 Cor. vi. 17. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would, Gal. v. 17. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God, 1 John iii. 9.

VER. 7.

entñva avabev.
Μὴ θαυμάσης ὅτι εἶπόν σοι· Δεῖ ὑμᾶς

Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born *again.

* Or, from above.

a What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; "there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes. Now we know that Q

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what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin, Rom. iii. 9— 20. That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness, Eph. iv. 22-24. Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord, Heb. xii. 14. As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy, 1 Pet. i. 14-16. And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life, Rev. xxi. 27.

VER. 8.

Τὸ πνεῦμα ὅπου θέλει πνεῖ, καὶ τὴν φωνὴν αὐτοῦ ἀκούεις, ἀλλ ̓ οὐκ οἶδας πόθην ἔρχεται, καὶ ποῦ ὑπάγει· οὕτως ἔστι πᾶς ὁ γεγεννημένος ἐκ τοῦ Πνεύματος.

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.

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not righteousness is not of God, nei-
ther he that loveth not his brother,
iii. 7-10. We know that we have
passed from death unto life, because
we love the brethren. He that loveth
not his brother, abideth in death, 14.
And hereby we know that he abideth
in us, by the Spirit which he hath
And we
given us, 24, and iv. 13.
know that we are of God, and the
whole world lieth in wickedness,
v. 19.

VER. 9.

̓Απεκρίθη Νικόδημος, καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Πῶς δύναται ταῦτα γενέσθαι ;

Nicodemus answered and said unto him, a How can these things be? a See on ver. 3. clause 2. VER. 10.

εἶ

̓Απεκρίθη ὁ Ἰησοῦς, καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Σὺ ὁ διδάσκαλος τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ ταῦτα οὐ vσx;

Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, band knowest not these things?

a For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers, hath he covered. And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee : and he saith, I cannot : for it is sealed. And the book is des livered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned, Isa. xxix. 10-12. The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the LORD; and what wisdom is in them? Jer. viii. 9.

a If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him, 1 John b Circumcise therefore the foreskin ii. 29. Little children, let no man de- of your heart, and be no more stiffceive you he that doeth righteous-necked, Deut. x. 16. And the LORD ness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth

thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live, xxx. 6. But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people, Jer. xxxi. 33. And they shall be my people,

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you

VER. 12.

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Εἰ τὰ ἐπίγεια εἶπον ὑμῖν, καὶ οὐ πιστ τεύετε: πῶς, ἐὰν εἴπω ὑμῖν τὰ ἐπουράνια, πιστεύσετε ;

If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?

VER. 13.

Καὶ οὐδεὶς ἀναβέβηκεν εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν, εἰ μὴ ὁ ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καταβὰς, ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ὁ ὢν ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ.

And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

and I will be their God: and I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them and I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me, xxxii. 38-40. And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you ; and I will take away the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh, Ezek. xi. 19. Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make a new heart and a new spirit: for Then Jesus said unto them, Vewhy will ye die, O house of Israel? rily, verily, say unto you, Moses xviii. 31. Then will I sprinkle clean gave you not that bread from heaven; water upon you, and ye shall be clean: but my Father giveth you the true from all your filthiness, and from all bread from heaven. For the bread your idols, will I cleanse you. A of God is he which cometh down from new heart also will I give you, and a heaven, and giveth life unto the new spirit will I put within you: world, John vi. 32, 33. For I came and I will take away the stony heart down from heaven, not to do mine out of your flesh, and I will give you own will, but the will of him that an heart of flesh. And I will put my sent me, 38. I am the living bread Spirit within you, and cause you to which came down from heaven. If any walk in my statutes, and ye shall man eat of this bread, he shall live keep my judgments, and do them, for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world, 51. This is that bread which came down from heaven:

xxxvi. 25-27.

VER. 11.

Αμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω σοι, ὅτι ὁ οἴδαμεν λαλοῦμεν, καὶ ὁ ἑωράκαμεν μαρτυροῦμεν καὶ τὴν μαρτυρίαν ἡμῶν οὐ λαμβάνετε.

Verily, Verily, I say unto thee, a We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; band ye receive not our witness.

a And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony. He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true, ver. 32, 33. All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him, Matt. xi. 27. and Luke x. 22. And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the firstbegotten of the dead, and the Prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, Rev. i. 5.

See on chap. i. ver. 11. clause 2.

not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever. These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum. Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you? What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? 58-62. Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me, viii. 42. I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father, xvi. 28. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self, with the glory which I had with thee before the world was, xvii. 5. The second man is the Lord from heaven,

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8-10.

See on Matt. xvi. ver. 13. clause 4.

No man hath seen God at any time; the only-begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him, John i. 18. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of

them, Matt. xviii. 20. Lo, I am with

you alway, even unto the end of the world, xxviii. 20. Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all, Eph. i. 23.

VER. 14.

Καὶ καθὼς Μωσῆς ὕψωσε τὸν ὄφιν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, οὕτως ὑψωθῆναι δεῖ τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου·

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, beven so must the Son of man be lifted up :

* And the LoRD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpent, from us. And Moses prayed for the people. And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole: and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived, Numb. xxi. 6-9. He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brazen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan, 2 Kings xviii. 4.

Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that

|

A. D. 30. I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things, John viii. 28. See also on Matt. xx. ver. 28. clause 4.

b

VER. 15.

Ἵνα πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων εἰς αὐτὸν, μὴ ἀπό ληται, ἀλλ ̓ ἔχῃ ζωὴν αἰώνιον.

That a whosoever believeth in him

should not perish, © but have eternal life.

b

a See on Mark xvi. ver. 16. clause 1. that heareth my word, and believeth Verily, verily, I say unto you, He

on him that sent me, hath everlast

ing life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life, John v. 24. And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall them out of my hand. My Father, never perish, neither shall any pluck which gave them me, is greater than all; and none is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand, x. 28, 29. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost, Luke xix. 10. See also on Matt. xviii. ver.11.

See on Matt. xix. ver. 16. clause 3.

VER. 16.

Οὕτω γὰρ ἠγάπησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν κόσμον, ὥστε τὸν υἱὸν αὑτοῦ τὸν μονογενῆ ἔδωκεν ἵνα πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων εἰς αὐτὸν μὴ ἀπόληται, ἀλλ ̓ ἔχῃ ζωὴν αἰώνιον.

For a God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

a For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us, Rom. v. 6-8. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ; as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christ's stead, Be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of

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