The term is derived from an event in the 

New Testament in which the words of Jesus were not understood by a Jewish

Pharisee, Nicodemus.
Jesus replied, "Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again." "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!" Jesus
answered, "Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit."

— Gospel of John, chapter 3, verses 3–5, NIV

The Greek phrase in the text is ambiguous, resulting in a wordplay in which "born again" is rendered as "born from above" in some
translations such as the NET and the NRSV.
The King James Version uses the phrase born again three times, two of them in chapter 3 of the Gospel of John when Jesus is
speaking to Nicodemus.
John's Gospel was written in Greek, and the word translated as again is ἄνωθεν (ánōtʰen), which could mean again, or from above.
The New Revised Standard Version prefers this latter translation, and both the King James Version and the Revised Version give it
as an alternative in the margins. Hoskyns argues that it is to be preferred as the fundamental meaning and he drew attention to
phrases such as "birth of the Spirit (v.5)", "birth from God (cf. Jn 1:12-13; 1Jn 2:29, 3:9, 4:7, 5:18)" but maintains that this
necessarily carries with it an emphasis upon the newness of the life as given by God himself.
The final use of the phrase occurs in the First Epistle of Peter, rendered in the King James Version as:
Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, [see that ye] love one
another with a pure heart fervently: / Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which live
and abides forever.[1 Peter 1:22-23]
Here, the Greek word translated as "born again" is ἀναγεγεννημένοι (anagegennēménoi).
The traditional Jewish understanding of the promise of salvation is interpreted as being rooted in "the seed of Abraham"; that is,
physical lineage from Abraham. Jesus explained to Nicodemus that this doctrine was in error—that every person must have two
births—natural birth of the physical body and another of the water and the spirit. This discourse with Nicodemus established the
Christian belief that all human beings—whether Jew or Gentile—must be "born again" of the spiritual seed of Christ. The Apostle
Peter further reinforced this understanding in 1 Peter 1:23. The Catholic Encyclopedia states that "[a] controversy existed in the
primitive church over the interpretation of the expression the seed of Abraham. It is [the Apostle Paul's] teaching in one instance
that all who are Christ's by faith are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to promise. He is concerned, however, with the fact that
the promise is not being fulfilled to the seed of Abraham (referring to the Jews)." [10]
Charles Hodge writes that "The subjective change wrought in the soul by the grace of God, is variously designated in Scripture" with
terms such as new birth, resurrection, new life, new creation, renewing of the mind, dying to sin and living to righteousness,
and translation from darkness to light.[11]
Jesus used the "birth" analogy in tracing spiritual newness of life to a divine beginning. Contemporary Christian theologians have
provided explanations for "born from above" being a more accurate translation of the original Greek word transliterated anōthen.
[12]
 Theologian Frank Stagg cites two reasons why the newer translation is significant:

1. The emphasis "from above" (implying "from Heaven") calls attention to the source of the "newness of life". Stagg writes
that the word "again" does not include the source of the new kind of beginning;
2. More than personal improvement is needed. "a new destiny requires a new origin, and the new origin must be from
God."[13]
An early example of the term in its more modern use appears in the sermons of John Wesley. In the sermon entitled A New Birth he
writes, "none can be holy unless he be born again", and "except he be born again, none can be happy even in this world. For ... a
man should not be happy who is not holy." Also, "I say, [a man] may be born again and so become an heir of salvation." Wesley
also states infants who are baptized are born again, but for adults it is different:
our church supposes, that all who are baptized in their infancy, are at the same time born again. ... But ... it is sure all of riper years,
who are baptized, are not at the same time born again.
The quotation from the Gospel of John has raised some questions about the meaning and authenticity of the phrase "born again". In
the chapter, Nicodemus is puzzled and asks Jesus what he means by saying that "Ye must be born again". He questions: "How can
a man re-enter his mother's womb?" Scholar Bart D. Ehrman says that this confusion is because in Greek (the language of the
gospel) the word again is ambiguous. It might mean again or a second time or from above, which would explain Nicodemus'
confusion. However, the Jews at Jesus' time were actually speaking Aramaic, in which there would not have been a double
meaning. Ehrman says that this raises questions about the authenticity of the dialogue, the meaning of the words, and, therefore,
the use of the phrase.
A 19th-century source notes that the phrase was not mentioned by the other Evangelists, nor by the Apostles except Peter. "It was
not regarded by any of the Evangelists but John of sufficient importance to record." It adds that without John, "we should hardly
have known that it was necessary for one to be born again." This suggests that "the text and context was meant to apply to
Nicodemus particularly, and not to the world."
I stand strong in my faith devoting myself to Jesus. And believing in Him as my
Lord and savior. I follow Him with focus and commitment as a youth Christian. I
stand in His steadfast love and in abundance of His grace.

1. I develop my devotion to Jesus in applying the things I learned in relevance to

my growth as a Christian.
2. My faith helps me to be a better individual in helping others according to the
scriptures.