CINXE.COM

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><title>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?</title><link rel="canonical" href="https://biblehub.com/john/3-12.htm" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/new9.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><meta property="og:image" content="https://biblehub.com/visuals/17/43_Jhn_03_12.jpg" /><meta property="og:title" content="John 3:12 - Jesus and Nicodemus" /><meta property="og:site_name" content="Bible Hub" /><meta property="og:description" content="If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?" /><script type="application/javascript" src="https://scripts.webcontentassessor.com/scripts/8a2459b64f9cac8122fc7f2eac4409c8555fac9383016db59c4c26e3d5b8b157"></script><script src='https://qd.admetricspro.com/js/biblehub/biblehub-layout-loader-revcatch.js'></script><script id='HyDgbd_1s' src='https://prebidads.revcatch.com/ads.js' type='text/javascript' async></script><script>(function(w,d,b,s,i){var cts=d.createElement(s);cts.async=true;cts.id='catchscript'; cts.dataset.appid=i;cts.src='https://app.protectsubrev.com/catch_rp.js?cb='+Math.random(); document.head.appendChild(cts); }) (window,document,'head','script','rc-anksrH');</script></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="/vmenus/john/3-12.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="/bmc/john/3-12.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="/">Bible</a> > <a href="/john/">John</a> > <a href="/john/3.htm">Chapter 3</a> > Verse 12</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div><div id="ad1"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/ad12.htm" width="100%" height="48" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="/john/3-11.htm" title="John 3:11">◄</a> John 3:12 <a href="/john/3-13.htm" title="John 3:13">►</a></div></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="topverse"> <a href="#audio" class="clickchap2" title="Context and Audio Bible"> Audio </a> <a href="#crossref" class="clickchap2" title="Cross References"> Cross </a> <a href="#study" class="clickchap2" title="Study Bible"> Study </a> <a href="#commentary" class="clickchap2" title="Commentary"> Comm </a> <a href="#lexicon" class="clickchap2" title="Lexicon"> Greek </a> </div><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheadingv">Verse<a href="/bsb/john/3.htm" class="clickchap" style="color:#001320" title="Click any translation name for full chapter">  (Click for Chapter)</a></div><div id="par"><a href="/niv/john/3.htm">New International Version</a> I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? <a href="/nlt/john/3.htm">New Living Translation</a> But if you don’t believe me when I tell you about earthly things, how can you possibly believe if I tell you about heavenly things? <a href="/esv/john/3.htm">English Standard Version</a> If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? <a href="/bsb/john/3.htm">Berean Standard Bible</a> If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? <a href="/blb/john/3.htm">Berean Literal Bible</a> If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? <a href="/kjv/john/3.htm">King James Bible</a> If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? <a href="/nkjv/john/3.htm">New King James Version</a> If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? <a href="/nasb_/john/3.htm">New American Standard Bible</a> If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? <a href="/nasb/john/3.htm">NASB 1995</a> &#8220If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? <a href="/nasb77/john/3.htm">NASB 1977 </a> “If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how shall you believe if I tell you heavenly things? <a href="/lsb/john/3.htm">Legacy Standard Bible </a> If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? <a href="/amp/john/3.htm">Amplified Bible</a> If I told you earthly things [that is, things that happen right here on earth] and you do not believe, how will you believe and trust Me if I tell you heavenly things? <a href="/csb/john/3.htm">Christian Standard Bible</a> If I have told you about earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? <a href="/hcsb/john/3.htm">Holman Christian Standard Bible</a> If I have told you about things that happen on earth and you don&#8217t believe, how will you believe if I tell you about things of heaven? <a href="/asv/john/3.htm">American Standard Version</a> If I told you earthly things and ye believe not, how shall ye believe if I tell you heavenly things? <a href="/cev/john/3.htm">Contemporary English Version</a> If you don't believe when I talk to you about things on earth, how can you possibly believe if I talk to you about things in heaven? <a href="/erv/john/3.htm">English Revised Version</a> If I told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you heavenly things? <a href="/gwt/john/3.htm">GOD'S WORD® Translation</a> If you don't believe me when I tell you about things on earth, how will you believe me when I tell you about things in heaven? <a href="/gnt/john/3.htm">Good News Translation</a> You do not believe me when I tell you about the things of this world; how will you ever believe me, then, when I tell you about the things of heaven? <a href="/isv/john/3.htm">International Standard Version</a> If I have told you people about earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? <a href="/msb/john/3.htm">Majority Standard Bible</a> If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? <a href="/net/john/3.htm">NET Bible</a> If I have told you people about earthly things and you don't believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? <a href="/nheb/john/3.htm">New Heart English Bible</a> If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? <a href="/wbt/john/3.htm">Webster's Bible Translation</a> If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how will ye believe if I tell you heavenly things? <a href="/wey/john/3.htm">Weymouth New Testament</a> If I have told you earthly things and none of you believe me, how will you believe me if I tell you of things in Heaven? <a href="/web/john/3.htm">World English Bible</a> If I told you earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? <div class="vheading2">Literal Translations</div><a href="/lsv/john/3.htm">Literal Standard Version</a> if I spoke to you of the earthly things, and you do not believe, how, if I will speak to you of the heavenly things, will you believe? <a href="/blb/john/3.htm">Berean Literal Bible</a> If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? <a href="/ylt/john/3.htm">Young's Literal Translation</a> if the earthly things I said to you, and ye do not believe, how, if I shall say to you the heavenly things, will ye believe? <a href="/slt/john/3.htm">Smith's Literal Translation</a> If I spake to you earthly things, and ye believe not, how, if I speak to you heavenly things, will ye believe.<div class="vheading2">Catholic Translations</div><a href="/drb/john/3.htm">Douay-Rheims Bible</a> If I have spoken to you earthly things, and you believe not; how will you believe, if I shall speak to you heavenly things? <a href="/cpdv/john/3.htm">Catholic Public Domain Version</a> If I have spoken to you about earthly things, and you have not believed, then how will you believe, if I will speak to you about heavenly things? <a href="/nabre/john/3.htm">New American Bible</a> If I tell you about earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? <a href="/nrsvce/john/3.htm">New Revised Standard Version</a> If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?<div class="vheading2">Translations from Aramaic</div><a href="/lamsa/john/3.htm">Lamsa Bible</a> If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how then will you believe me, if I tell you about heavenly things? <a href="/aramaic-plain-english/john/3.htm">Aramaic Bible in Plain English</a> If I have told all of you that which is in the earth and you are not believing, how shall you believe me if I tell you that which is in Heaven?<div class="vheading2">NT Translations</div><a href="/anderson/john/3.htm">Anderson New Testament</a> If I have told you of earthly things, and you believe not, how will you believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? <a href="/godbey/john/3.htm">Godbey New Testament</a> <FR>If I spoke to you things upon the earth, and you do net believe, how will you believe, if I speak to you of things in heaven?<Fr> <a href="/haweis/john/3.htm">Haweis New Testament</a> If I have told you of earthly things, and ye believe not, how will you believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? <a href="/mace/john/3.htm">Mace New Testament</a> if you don't believe when I tell you what is plain, how should you believe, if I tell you of things more sublime? <a href="/wey/john/3.htm">Weymouth New Testament</a> If I have told you earthly things and none of you believe me, how will you believe me if I tell you of things in Heaven? <a href="/worrell/john/3.htm">Worrell New Testament</a> <FR>If I told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how will ye believe, if I tell you Heavenly things?<Fr> <a href="/worsley/john/3.htm">Worsley New Testament</a> <FR>If I have told you earthly <Fr>things<FR> and ye believe not, how will ye believe if I should tell you heavenly <Fr>ones? <a href="/parallel/john/3-12.htm">Additional Translations ...</a></div></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><a name="audio" id="audio"></a><div class="vheadingv">Audio Bible</div><iframe width="100%" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ixy2bchmXZ0?start=693" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe> <div class="vheadingv">Context</div><a href="/bsb/john/3.htm">Jesus and Nicodemus</a> …11Truly, truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, and yet you people do not accept our testimony. 12<a href="/greek/1487.htm" title="1487: Ei (Conj) -- If. A primary particle of conditionality; if, whether, that, etc.">If</a> <a href="/greek/2036.htm" title="2036: eipon (V-AIA-1S) -- Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say.">I have told</a> <a href="/greek/4771.htm" title="4771: hymin (PPro-D2P) -- You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.">you about</a> <a href="/greek/1919.htm" title="1919: epigeia (Adj-ANP) -- From epi and ge; worldly.">earthly</a> <a href="/greek/3588.htm" title="3588: ta (Art-ANP) -- The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.">things</a> <a href="/greek/2532.htm" title="2532: kai (Conj) -- And, even, also, namely. ">and</a> <a href="/greek/3756.htm" title="3756: ou (Adv) -- No, not. Also ouk, and ouch a primary word; the absolute negative adverb; no or not."></a> <a href="/greek/4100.htm" title="4100: pisteuete (V-PIA-2P) -- From pistis; to have faith, i.e. Credit; by implication, to entrust.">you do not believe,</a> <a href="/greek/4459.htm" title="4459: pōs (Adv) -- Adverb from the base of pou; an interrogative particle of manner; in what way?; also as exclamation, how much!">how</a> <a href="/greek/4100.htm" title="4100: pisteusete (V-FIA-2P) -- From pistis; to have faith, i.e. Credit; by implication, to entrust.">will you believe</a> <a href="/greek/1437.htm" title="1437: ean (Conj) -- If. From ei and an; a conditional particle; in case that, provided, etc.">if</a> <a href="/greek/2036.htm" title="2036: eipō (V-ASA-1S) -- Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say.">I tell</a> <a href="/greek/4771.htm" title="4771: hymin (PPro-D2P) -- You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.">you about</a> <a href="/greek/2032.htm" title="2032: epourania (Adj-ANP) -- From epi and ouranos; above the sky.">heavenly</a> <a href="/greek/3588.htm" title="3588: ta (Art-ANP) -- The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.">things?</a> 13No one has ascended into heaven except the One who descended from heaven—the Son of Man.…<div class="cred"><a href="//berean.bible">Berean Standard Bible</a> · <a href="//berean.bible/downloads.htm">Download</a></div> <a name="crossref" id="crossref"></a><div class="vheading">Cross References</div><div id="crf"><a href="/john/1-10.htm">John 1:10-11</a> He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him. / He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. <a href="/1_corinthians/2-14.htm">1 Corinthians 2:14</a> The natural man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. <a href="/john/8-23.htm">John 8:23</a> Then He told them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. <a href="/1_john/4-5.htm">1 John 4:5-6</a> They are of the world. That is why they speak from the world’s perspective, and the world listens to them. / We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. That is how we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of deception. <a href="/john/5-46.htm">John 5:46-47</a> If you had believed Moses, you would believe Me, because he wrote about Me. / But since you do not believe what he wrote, how will you believe what I say?” <a href="/john/6-63.htm">John 6:63</a> The Spirit gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. <a href="/1_corinthians/15-47.htm">1 Corinthians 15:47</a> The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven. <a href="/john/12-37.htm">John 12:37-38</a> Although Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still did not believe in Him. / This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet: “Lord, who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” <a href="/hebrews/3-12.htm">Hebrews 3:12</a> See to it, brothers, that none of you has a wicked heart of unbelief that turns away from the living God. <a href="/isaiah/53-1.htm">Isaiah 53:1</a> Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? <a href="/matthew/11-27.htm">Matthew 11:27</a> All things have been entrusted to Me by My Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him. <a href="/romans/8-5.htm">Romans 8:5-6</a> Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh; but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. / The mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace, <a href="/ezekiel/12-2.htm">Ezekiel 12:2</a> “Son of man, you are living in a rebellious house. They have eyes to see but do not see, and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious house. <a href="/jeremiah/5-21.htm">Jeremiah 5:21</a> “Hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but do not see, who have ears but do not hear. <a href="/matthew/13-13.htm">Matthew 13:13-15</a> This is why I speak to them in parables: ‘Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.’ / In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled: ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. / For this people’s heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.’</div> <a name="tsk" id="tsk"><div class="vheading">Treasury of Scripture</div>If I have told you earthly things, and you believe not, how shall you believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?earthly.<a href="/john/3-3.htm">John 3:3,5,8</a> Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God… <a href="/1_corinthians/3-1.htm">1 Corinthians 3:1,2</a> And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ… <a href="/hebrews/5-11.htm">Hebrews 5:11</a> Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.heavenly.<a href="/john/3-13.htm">John 3:13-17,31-36</a> And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven… <a href="/john/1-1.htm">John 1:1-14</a> In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… <a href="/1_corinthians/2-7.htm">1 Corinthians 2:7-9</a> But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: … <div class="vheading">Jump to Previous</div><a href="/luke/24-25.htm">Belief</a> <a href="/john/1-50.htm">Believe</a> <a href="/luke/24-5.htm">Earth</a> <a href="/revelation/9-3.htm">Earthly</a> <a href="/john/1-51.htm">Heaven</a> <a href="/luke/21-26.htm">Heavenly</a> <a href="/john/3-11.htm">Speak</a> <a href="/john/2-22.htm">Words</a><div class="vheading2">Jump to Next</div><a href="/john/5-39.htm">Belief</a> <a href="/john/3-18.htm">Believe</a> <a href="/john/3-31.htm">Earth</a> <a href="/john/3-31.htm">Earthly</a> <a href="/john/3-13.htm">Heaven</a> <a href="/acts/26-19.htm">Heavenly</a> <a href="/john/4-26.htm">Speak</a> <a href="/john/3-31.htm">Words</a><div class="vheading2">John 3</div>1. <a href="/john/3-1.htm">Jesus teaches Nicodemus the necessity of being born again,</a> 14. <a href="/john/3-14.htm">of faith in his death,</a> 16. <a href="/john/3-16.htm">the great love of God toward the world,</a> 18. <a href="/john/3-18.htm">and the condemnation for unbelief.</a> 22. <a href="/john/3-22.htm">Jesus baptizes in Judea.</a> 23. <a href="/john/3-23.htm">The baptism, witness, and doctrine of John concerning Jesus.</a> </div></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script>  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div>  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div>  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div>  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div>  <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> </div> </td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="combox"><div class="padcom"><a name="study" id="study"></a><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top"><a href="/study/john/3.htm">Study Bible</a></td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/study/john/" title="Book Summary and Study">Book ◦</a> <a href="/study/chapters/john/3.htm" title="Chapter summary and Study">Chapter </a></tr></table></div>If I have told you about earthly things This phrase refers to Jesus' previous teachings and miracles that were observable and understandable within the natural world. Earthly things could include the concepts of being born again (<a href="/john/3-3.htm">John 3:3-8</a>) and the physical signs Jesus performed, which were meant to reveal His divine authority. The use of "earthly things" highlights the tangible aspects of Jesus' ministry that should have been accessible to human understanding. In the context of Jewish culture, earthly things often related to the Law and the prophets, which were foundational to their faith and daily life.and you do not believe This highlights the spiritual blindness and skepticism of the audience, particularly Nicodemus, a Pharisee and teacher of the law. Despite being a religious leader, Nicodemus struggled to grasp the spiritual truths Jesus presented. This disbelief is a recurring theme in the Gospels, where Jesus often encounters doubt and misunderstanding from those who should have recognized Him. The Jewish expectation of a Messiah was often more political and earthly, which contributed to their disbelief in Jesus' spiritual teachings.how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? Heavenly things refer to the deeper spiritual truths and mysteries of God's kingdom, such as the nature of salvation, the work of the Holy Spirit, and the eternal life offered through Christ. This rhetorical question underscores the difficulty of understanding divine truths without faith. It also points to the necessity of spiritual rebirth to comprehend the kingdom of God. The contrast between earthly and heavenly things emphasizes the need for spiritual insight, which is a gift from God. This theme is echoed in other scriptures, such as <a href="/1_corinthians/2-14.htm">1 Corinthians 2:14</a>, which speaks of the natural man's inability to understand the things of the Spirit.<div class="vheading2">Persons / Places / Events</div>1. <a href="/topical/j/jesus_christ.htm">Jesus Christ</a> The central figure in this passage, Jesus is speaking to Nicodemus, explaining spiritual truths using earthly analogies. 2. <a href="/topical/n/nicodemus.htm">Nicodemus</a> A Pharisee and member of the Jewish ruling council who comes to Jesus at night seeking understanding of His teachings. 3. <a href="/topical/j/jerusalem.htm">Jerusalem</a> The city where this conversation takes place, a significant location for Jewish religious life and Jesus' ministry.<div class="vheading2">Teaching Points</div><a href="/topical/u/understanding_spiritual_truths.htm">Understanding Spiritual Truths</a> Jesus uses earthly analogies to explain spiritual realities, emphasizing the need for spiritual discernment. <a href="/topical/t/the_challenge_of_unbelief.htm">The Challenge of Unbelief</a> Even religious leaders like Nicodemus can struggle with belief, highlighting the importance of faith over mere knowledge. <a href="/topical/t/the_importance_of_faith.htm">The Importance of Faith</a> Faith is essential to understanding deeper spiritual truths. Without belief in the basics, the more profound truths remain inaccessible. <a href="/topical/t/the_role_of_the_holy_spirit.htm">The Role of the Holy Spirit</a> Spiritual understanding requires the illumination of the Holy Spirit, who helps believers grasp heavenly realities. <a href="/topical/g/growth_in_spiritual_maturity.htm">Growth in Spiritual Maturity</a> Believers are encouraged to move beyond elementary teachings to mature in their understanding of God's kingdom.<div class="vheading2">Lists and Questions</div><a href="/top10/lessons_from_john_3.htm">Top 10 Lessons from John 3</a> <a href="/q/what_defines_the_city_of_god.htm">What defines the City of God?</a> <a href="/q/what's_jude's_role_and_message_in_the_bible.htm">When will Satan's defeat occur?</a> <a href="/q/does_heaven_exist.htm">Does Heaven exist?</a> <a href="/q/major_prophets_and_their_significance.htm">What is the Church of the Firstborn?</a><a name="commentary" id="commentary"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/ellicott/john/3.htm">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</a></div>(12) Earthly things--i.e., things upon earth, having the sphere of their action upon earth. These are not necessarily restricted to the subjects of this interview. The context includes previous witness borne by Him, and there must have been much which is unrecorded. (Comp. <a href="/john/2-23.htm" title="Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did.">John 2:23</a>.) But the new birth is not excluded from "earthly things," because it is the entrance to a life which, while it is spiritual, is still a life upon earth.Heavenly things, in the same way, are things which have the sphere of their action in heaven, the full development of the spiritual life, of which the birth only is on earth; the divine counsels of redemption; the Messianic mysteries, of which this ruler of Israel does not understand even the initiation. Comp. the question in the Wisdom of Solomon, "What man is he that can know the counsel of God? or who can think what the will of the Lord is? . . . And hardly do we guess aright at things that are upon earth, and with labour do we find the things that are before us: but the things that are in heaven who hath searched out?" (<a href="/john/9-13.htm" title="They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind.">John 9:13</a>; <a href="/john/9-16.htm" title="Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keeps not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.">John 9:16</a>).The earthly things are the elements of spiritual knowledge, having their test in the moral sense and in their fitness to supply the spiritual wants of man. When these elements are learnt, the mind is then, and then only, fitted to receive heavenly things. The teaching can only proceed step by step from the known to the unknown; but if the will refuses or the intellect neglects to know the knowable, the man cuts himself off from the power to receive truth. The message from the spirit-world has come, and others read it; but he has not learnt the alphabet. (Comp. Note on <a href="/john/16-12.htm" title="I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.">John 16:12</a>.)<div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/pulpit/john/3.htm">Pulpit Commentary</a></div>Verse 12. - If I told you earthly things and ye believe not, how will ye believe if I tell you of heavenly things? Our Lord here drops the plural form of address, and returns to the singular. He is about to refer to matters in which the testimony of disciples was not available. It has sometimes been said that the "earthly" and "heavenly" things refer to the wind parable and its interpretation. But, on the supposition that there is a parable or metaphor in ver. 8, which we have seen reason to doubt, there would be no perplexity about the reception of the earthly illustration; none could in that day have made a moment's question touching the invisibility and incomprehensibility of the motion of the wind. The birth from water has been supposed by others to be the (ἐπίγειον) "earthly" thing of which he had spoken, as contrasted with the heavenly thing, the birth anew from the Spirit. But this also is improbable, for of all the things of which Jesus spoke, that was the least likely to have been rejected by the Pharisaic party. The "earthly things" are the subject matter of the discourse as a whole, in apprehending which Nicodemus manifested such obtuseness. The change, renovation of human nature, the new beginning "from the Spirit" of each human life, was indeed operated on the ground of an earthly experience, and came fairly within the compass of common appreciation. Though produced by the Spirit, these things were enacted on earth. When Nicodemus asks the question "how?" he launches the inquiry into another region. There is wide difference between the question "what?" and the question "how?" The one in physical science refers to the whole range of phenomena, and the answer states the facts as they present themselves to the senses; the other question inquires into what Bacon called the latens processus - into verae causae, into the movements and method of the creative hand. So the answer to the question "what?" may be an "earthly thing," the answer to the question "how?" a "heavenly thing." If Christ answer the "how" of his listener, he raises his mind to the "heavenly" and transcendental realities which Nicodemus and we too will have to receive on an authority which entirely outsoars that of daily experience or temporal phenomena. Truly he does proceed to do so, but the difficulty of acceptance is indefinitely augmented. The answer of Christ to the matters of personal experience, verifiable by conscience and affirmed by Scripture, was difficult to the master of Israel. The answer of Jesus to the question "how?" may prove far more formidable. It involves the revelation of "the Son of man," and the redemption by the cross, and the ascension of the Son of man into heaven, and the love of God to the world, and the gift of eternal life to faith. <a href="/commentaries/john/3-12.htm">Parallel Commentaries ...</a> <a name="lexicon" id="lexicon"></a><div class="vheading">Greek</div>If Εἰ (Ei) Conjunction <a href="/greek/strongs_1487.htm">Strong's 1487: </a> If. A primary particle of conditionality; if, whether, that, etc. I have told εἶπον (eipon) Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular <a href="/greek/strongs_2036.htm">Strong's 2036: </a> Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say. you {about} ὑμῖν (hymin) Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural <a href="/greek/strongs_4771.htm">Strong's 4771: </a> You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou. earthly ἐπίγεια (epigeia) Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural <a href="/greek/strongs_1919.htm">Strong's 1919: </a> From epi and ge; worldly. things τὰ (ta) Article - Accusative Neuter Plural <a href="/greek/strongs_3588.htm">Strong's 3588: </a> The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the. and καὶ (kai) Conjunction <a href="/greek/strongs_2532.htm">Strong's 2532: </a> And, even, also, namely. you do not believe, πιστεύετε (pisteuete) Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural <a href="/greek/strongs_4100.htm">Strong's 4100: </a> From pistis; to have faith, i.e. Credit; by implication, to entrust. how πῶς (pōs) Adverb <a href="/greek/strongs_4459.htm">Strong's 4459: </a> Adverb from the base of pou; an interrogative particle of manner; in what way?; also as exclamation, how much! will you believe πιστεύσετε (pisteusete) Verb - Future Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural <a href="/greek/strongs_4100.htm">Strong's 4100: </a> From pistis; to have faith, i.e. Credit; by implication, to entrust. if ἐὰν (ean) Conjunction <a href="/greek/strongs_1437.htm">Strong's 1437: </a> If. From ei and an; a conditional particle; in case that, provided, etc. I tell εἴπω (eipō) Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Singular <a href="/greek/strongs_2036.htm">Strong's 2036: </a> Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say. you {about} ὑμῖν (hymin) Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural <a href="/greek/strongs_4771.htm">Strong's 4771: </a> You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou. heavenly ἐπουράνια (epourania) Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural <a href="/greek/strongs_2032.htm">Strong's 2032: </a> From epi and ouranos; above the sky. things? τὰ (ta) Article - Accusative Neuter Plural <a href="/greek/strongs_3588.htm">Strong's 3588: </a> The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the. <div class="vheading">Links</div><a href="/niv/john/3-12.htm">John 3:12 NIV</a> <a href="/nlt/john/3-12.htm">John 3:12 NLT</a> <a href="/esv/john/3-12.htm">John 3:12 ESV</a> <a href="/nasb/john/3-12.htm">John 3:12 NASB</a> <a href="/kjv/john/3-12.htm">John 3:12 KJV</a> <a href="//bibleapps.com/john/3-12.htm">John 3:12 BibleApps.com</a> <a href="//bibliaparalela.com/john/3-12.htm">John 3:12 Biblia Paralela</a> <a href="//holybible.com.cn/john/3-12.htm">John 3:12 Chinese Bible</a> <a href="//saintebible.com/john/3-12.htm">John 3:12 French Bible</a> <a href="/catholic/john/3-12.htm">John 3:12 Catholic Bible</a> <a href="/john/3-12.htm">NT Gospels: John 3:12 If I told you earthly things (Jhn Jo Jn) </a></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="/john/3-11.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="John 3:11"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="John 3:11" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="/john/3-13.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="John 3:13"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="John 3:13" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>