Bible Strands
John 3:31
The One who comes from above is above all. The one who is from the earth belongs to the earth and speaks as one from the earth. The One who comes from heaven is above all.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — John the Baptist speaks, following a dispute with a Jew over purification, to affirm Jesus' supremacy and his own role as the one who must decrease (v. 30).
The words — ἄνωθεν (anōthen, "from above") marks origin and source; ἐπάνω (epanō, "above") marks position and rank. The verse pairs origin with rank: the One who comes from above is above all.
The thread — John 8:23 repeats the from-below/from-above binary in Jesus' own words; Matthew 28:18 and Romans 9:5 state the "above all" claim as a finished fact rather than a present-tense assertion.
Why it lands — The verse forces a binary location: you are either from the earth or you accept testimony from above. The very next verse (3:32) states that no one accepts it, which is the real question.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.
Cross-references
- Matthew 28:18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.
- John 8:23 Then He told them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.
- Romans 9:5 Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them proceeds the human descent of Christ, who is God over all, forever worthy of praise! Amen.
- John 6:33 For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
- John 3:12 If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?
- 1 John 4:5 They are of the world. That is why they speak from the world’s perspective, and the world listens to them.
- Philippians 2:9 Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name above all names,
- John 6:51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And this bread, which I will give for the life of the world, is My flesh.”
- Revelation 19:16 And He has a name written on His robe and on His thigh: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
- John 5:21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom He wishes.