John 3:8 Meaning of The Wind Blows Wherever It Pleases

John 3:8

“The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

Explanation and Commentary of John 3:8

Jesus has been explaining to Nicodemus that in order to see the Kingdom of God, one has to be born again. Nicodemus doesn’t understand. Jesus says verse 8 in response. The Holy Spirit is not a what, but a who. He has a mind of his own, which is the mind of God. He has a will of his own. He saves who he wants. He cannot be controlled by us. Rather, it is we who submit to being controlled by him.

Those of us who have believed will often wonder how we believed when we did. How were we able to look within ourselves and answer the question: Is Jesus really God and did he really die to save me? The only way to see that it is true is to first be reborn by the Holy Spirit, who regenerates our spirit and makes a home in us. Only then will we see the Kingdom of God.

Consider that you would ask God to save someone you know and love. How would you expect him to save them? It is true that we are image-bearers with the capacity to make moral choices for which we will be held accountable, but Jesus was very clear that we must be drawn by God in order to come to him (Jn 6:44). When you pray for the Father to save, you pray for him to do the powerful working of drawing by regeneration.

Breaking Down the Key Parts of John 3:8

#1 “The wind…”
The Greek word for wind is pneuma. This is also the word for spirit and breath. Jesus is making a connection with the wordplay.

#2 “…blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going.”
You cannot see the wind. You can only see its effect on the material that gets blown about by it. You cannot actually hear wind either unless it is acting on an object in its way. The normal way to see the movement of the Holy Spirit of God is by his effect on those with whom he comes in contact. The Spirit’s movement can cause physical manifestations, healing, deliverance, and life transformation, and sanctification. But he is in charge of where he goes and what he does.

#3 “So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
We are called to rely on, walk in, and be obedient to the Holy Spirit. Those of us who are “born of the Spirit” should feel constant gratitude for God’s mercy on us in salvation, empowerment, and leading. That he has regenerated us is nothing short of a gift of pure mercy.

Bible Study on John 3:8

Expert Overview of John Ch. 1-12

Biblical Translations of John 3:8

NIV
“The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

NLT
“The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”

ESV
“The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

KJV
“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.”

NKJV
“The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”