27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing unless it be given him out of heaven.
Every good gift and every perfect gift comes down from above, from the Father of lights, with whom is no variation nor shadow of turning.
For who makes thee to differ? and what hast thou which thou hast not received? but if also thou hast received, why boastest thou as not receiving?
But *we* have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which [is] of God, that we may know the things which have been freely given to us of God: which also we speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, communicating spiritual [things] by spiritual [means]. But [the] natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him; and he cannot know [them] because they are spiritually discerned;
each according as he has received a gift, ministering it to one another, as good stewards of [the] various grace of God. If any one speak -- as oracles of God; if any one minister -- as of strength which God supplies; that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom is the glory and the might for the ages of ages. Amen.
to which *I* have been appointed a herald and apostle, (I speak [the] truth, I do not lie,) a teacher of [the] nations in faith and truth.
of which I am become minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me, according to the working of his power. To me, less than the least of all saints, has this grace been given, to announce among the nations the glad tidings of the unsearchable riches of the Christ,
Paul, apostle, not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ, and God [the] Father who raised him from among [the] dead,
But by God's grace I am what I am; and his grace, which [was] towards me, has not been vain; but I have laboured more abundantly than they all, but not *I*, but the grace of God which [was] with me.
Who then is Apollos, and who Paul? Ministering servants, through whom ye have believed, and as the Lord has given to each.
Paul, [a] called apostle of Jesus Christ, by God's will, and Sosthenes the brother,
[it is] as a man gone out of the country, having left his house and given to his bondmen the authority, and to each one his work, and commanded the doorkeeper that he should watch.
The baptism of John, was it of heaven, or of men? answer me. And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we should say, Of heaven, he will say, Why [then] have ye not believed him?
And Jehovah took me as I followed the flock, and Jehovah said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel.
But as for me, I have not hastened from being a shepherd in following thee, neither have I desired the fatal day, thou knowest: that which came out of my lips was before thy face.
And Jehovah the God of Israel chose me out of all the house of my father to be king over Israel for ever; for he has chosen Judah to be the prince; and of the house of Judah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my father he took pleasure in me to make me king over all Israel; and of all my sons, (for Jehovah has given me many sons,) he has chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of Jehovah over Israel.
And it shall come to pass, that the man whom I shall choose, his staff shall bud forth; and I will make to cease from before me the murmurings of the children of Israel, that they murmur against you.
Is it too little for you, that the God of Israel has separated you from the assembly of Israel, to bring you near to himself to do the work of the tabernacle of Jehovah, and to stand before the assembly to minister to them? -- that he has brought thee near, and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee; and seek ye now the priesthood also? For which cause thou and all thy band are banded together against Jehovah; and Aaron, who is he that ye murmur against him?
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on John 3
Commentary on John 3 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 3
In this chapter we have,
Jhn 3:1-21
We found, in the close of the foregoing chapter, that few were brought to Christ at Jerusalem; yet here was one, a considerable one. It is worth while to go a great way for the salvation though but of one soul. Observe,
This great truth of the necessity of regeneration being thus solemnly laid down,
Jhn 3:22-36
In these verses we have,
From the certainty of Christ's doctrine, John takes occasion,