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John 3:4
ESV Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother 's womb and be born?"
NIV "How can someone be born when they are old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!"
NASB Nicodemus *said to Him, 'How can a person be born when he is old? He cannot enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born, can he?'
CSB "How can anyone be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked him. "Can he enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born?"
NLT What do you mean?' exclaimed Nicodemus. 'How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?'
KJV Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
NKJV Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”

What does John 3:4 mean?

Nicodemus doesn't misinterpret Jesus, or take a physical, literal view of His reference to being "born again." He asks this question because he knows Jesus did not intend a literal meaning. But Nicodemus is confused. Jesus is, in fact, referring to birth, but not a physical one. Rather, this is a spiritual birth.

The term "born again" can become a cliché, but it's an important metaphor. Parents endure pain so their child can be changed and inherit their attributes. God endured our pain, in the form of Jesus on a cross, to give us a new birth (1 Peter 1:3). According to Scripture, being "born again" is an absolute, universal requirement for salvation (John 3:3). The gospel is offered to everyone, yet it is also exclusive: restricted to only a certain group. Only those who put their faith in Christ are saved. The gospel of John repeats this concept several times (John 3:5, 18, 36; 14:6).
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