The Greek word means "born anew." The cause of the being born anew is God, thus from above.
The Greek word is 'anothen' (
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) can mean 'anew' or 'over again', but that's not what Christ meant, thus His further explanation in answering Nicodemus's unenlightened question in the next verse:
5 Jesus answered, `Verily, verily, I say to thee, If any one may not be born of water, and
the Spirit, he is not able to enter into the reign of God;
6 that which hath been born of the flesh is flesh, and that which hath been
born of the Spirit is spirit. Jn 1 YLT
Christ wasn't speaking of an earthly physical birth which Nicodemus wrongly perceived, He was speaking of a spiritual birth FROM ABOVE.
"Born from above" syncs with a large amount of other scripture, old and new, and is consistent with the apostle John's (James also) intended use of the word anothen:
3 Jesus answered and said to him, 'Verily, verily, I say to thee, If any one may not be born
from above, he is not able to see the reign of God;' (YLT)
7 'Thou mayest not wonder that I said to thee, It behoveth you to be born
from above; (YLT)
31 He that cometh
from above is
above all: he that is of the earth is earthly , and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is
above all. Jn 3
11 Jesus answered , Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee
from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.
23 Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from
the top throughout . Jn 19
As is the case with James:
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is
from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Ja 1
15 This wisdom descendeth not
from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
17 But the wisdom that is
from above is first pure , then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. Ja 3
YLT conveys a 'celestial motif' in the dialogue (yea, the entire chapter) between Christ and Nicodemus that the rendering 'born again' misses:
2 this one came unto him by night, and said to him, `Rabbi, we have known that
from God thou hast come -- a teacher, for no one these signs is able to do that thou dost, if God may not be with him.`
3 Jesus answered and said to him, `Verily, verily, I say to thee, If any one may not be born
from above, he is not able to see the reign of God;`
7 `Thou mayest not wonder that I said to thee, It behoveth you to be born
from above;
21 but he who is doing the truth doth come to the light, that his works may be manifested, that
in God they are having been wrought.`
27 John answered and said, `A man is not able to receive anything, if it may not have been given him
from the heaven
31 he who
from above is coming is
above all; he who is from the earth, from the earth he is, and from the earth he speaketh; he who
from the heaven is coming is
above all. Jn 3 YLT
Born again, or born anew gives all you free willer enemies of sovereign grace 'wiggle room' to lay claim or take credit for something you had zilch to do with. You were 100% totally passive in the birth from above:
13 who were
born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. Jn 1
