In this verse there is a play on words which comes through in Greek or in Hebrew but is difficult to bring out in English. In Greek, as in Hebrew, the same word may mean either wind or “spirit.” In this context wind is the primary comparison, and so Good News Translation and most other translations render it in that way. Some translations add a footnote, indicating that the word for wind may also mean “spirit” (Bible de Jérusalem, Jerusalem Bible, New English Bible, New American Bible, Zürcher Bibel).

Here, as in verse 6, Jesus is speaking in parables. He is drawing an analogy between something that happens in this world (the freedom of the wind to blow where it will), and what happens in the realm where God’s Spirit operates (the freedom of the Spirit to give spiritual birth to whomever he will).

In some languages it may be impossible to speak of an inanimate force (“wind”) as “wishing.” The closest equivalent may be “The wind blows in any and all directions” or “The wind blows now in one direction and then in another direction.” In some receptor languages an equivalent phrase would be “You never know from what direction the wind will be blowing.”

Some languages have no noun for “wind” but only a verb “to blow,” which refers to the movement of air through the atmosphere. The equivalent expression in such instances would be “There is blowing in any and all directions.”

It is not even possible in some languages to speak of “the wind making a sound.” The wind moves objects or comes in contact with objects and the objects make a noise. Note also that it is the wind that “comes” and “blows” and not the sound; but it may not be possible to speak of a wind coming or going, if such verbs are restricted to the movement of animate objects. An equivalent may be “You do not know from where it is blowing or to where it is blowing.”

It is like that with everyone who is born of the Spirit may be rendered “This is just what happens with everyone to whom the Spirit gives birth,” but it may be important to use a verb meaning “rebirth” or “gives new life to.” Otherwise, the reference might be understood to be to some malevolent spirit giving supernatural birth to a person. The use of the fuller phrase “Holy Spirit” may remove this possible misinterpretation.

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on the Gospel of John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1980. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .