From the top

In today’s Gospel (John 3:1-8), our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ says this,

Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless one is born from above,
he cannot see the Kingdom of God.

Traditionally, the word translated as “from above” has been translated as “again” – giving rise to the expression “born again”.

Verily, verily, I say unto thee,
Except a man be born again,
he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Both translations are faithful to the meaning of the Greek word, which means “from above, from a higher place, of things which come from heaven or God, from the first, from the beginning, from the very first, anew, over again.”

(A clumsy, colloquial translation of this word that embraces both senses – “again” and “from above” – would be “from the top” – unless one is born from the top)

Both translations are also faithful to our Lord’s ultimate meaning: human beings, born in sin, must be born again and it must not be just a generic renewal: they must be born “from above”, indeed, from the very highest place.

Starting over again, by itself, will not save us.

Starting over again in Christ will.