איבער אַ גלייַך צווייפל

The verse is John 3:13:

“No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.” (NIV)

In other common translations:

King James Version (KJV): “And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of Man which is in heaven.”

English Standard Version (ESV): “No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.”

New American Standard Bible (NASB): “No one has ascended into heaven, except He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man.”

Context & Meaning

The Dialogue with Nicodemus: Jesus speaks these words during His nighttime conversation with Nicodemus, a Pharisee and member of the Jewish ruling council, who struggled to grasp spiritual truths and the concept of being "born again."

Unique Authority: In verse 12, Jesus asks how Nicodemus will believe heavenly things if he does not believe earthly things. Verse 13 establishes Jesus’ unique qualification to reveal divine truths: no human being has ascended into heaven on their own authority to gain direct knowledge of God, but Jesus can speak with ultimate authority because heaven is where He originated.

Relation to Old Testament Figures: In Christian theology, this verse does not contradict passages like the bodily assumptions of Enoch (Genesis 5:24) or Elijah (2 Kings 2:11). Those figures were taken up into heaven by God, whereas the Greek verb used here (anabebēken) refers to ascending under one's own power or achieving a status to unveil heaven's secrets.