Quick Definition
ἄνωθεν Adv from above, from the beginning, again
Strong's Definition
from above; by analogy, from the first; by implication, anew
Derivation: from G507 (ἄνω);
KJV Usage: from above, again, from the beginning (very first), the top
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
advb. | ἀνά
84.13 · Spacial Extensions · Extension From a Source
from above, from the top of extension from a source which is above In JHN 3:31 the reference of ἄνωθεν is obviously heaven, and in many languages it is essential to translate ‘he who comes from heaven is far above all.’
In JHN 3:3 ἄνωθεν may also mean ‘again’ (see 67.55). For ἄνωθεν as part of an idiom, see 41.53.
MAT 27:51 · MRK 15:38 · JHN 3:3 · JHN 3:7 · JHN 3:31 · JHN 19:11 · JHN 19:23 · JAS 1:17 · JAS 3:15 · JAS 3:17
67.55 · Time · A Point of Time with Reference to Other Points of Time: Before, Long Ago, Now, At the Same Time, When, About, After
again a subsequent point of time involving repetition In JHN 3:3 ἄνωθεν involves a play on the two distinct meanings of the word, namely, ἄνωθεν[b] 'again' and ἄνωθεν[a] 'from above' (see 84.13). For the idiom γεννάω ἄνωθεν, see 41.53.
67.90 · Time · Duration of Time without Reference to Points or Units of Time: Time, Spend Time, Always, Eternal, Old, Immediately, Young
for a long time duration of time for a relatively long period in the past
41.53 · Behavior and Related States · Change Behavior
Collocation: γεννάω ἄνωθεν
to be born again, to experience new birth, rebirth (an idiom, literally: to be born again) to experience a complete change in one’s way of life to what it should be, with the implication of return to a former state or relation It is also possible to understand ἄνωθεν in JHN 3:3 as meaning ‘from above’ or ‘from God’ (see 84.13), a literary parallel to the phrase ἐκ θεοῦ ἐγεννήθησαν in JHN 1:13. In JHN 3:3, however, Nicodemus understood ἄνωθεν as meaning ‘again’ (see 67.55) and γεννάω as ‘physical birth’ (see 23.52).
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
ἄνωθεν, (dvw),adv.; a. from above, froma higher place: ἀπὸ ἄνωθεν (W. § 50, 7 N. 1), Mt. xxvii. 51 ['Tdf. om. ἀπό] ; Mk. xv. 38; ἐκ τῶν ἄνωθεν from the upper part, from the top, Jn. xix. 23. Often (also in Grk. writ.) used of things which come from heaven, or from God as dwelling in heaven: Jn. iii. 31; xix.11; Jas. i. 173 iii. 15,17. Ὁ. from the first: Lk. i. 3; then, from the beginning on, from the very first: Acts xxvi.5. Hence ο. anew, over again, indicating repetition, (a use somewhat rare, but wrongly denied by many [Mey. among them ; cf. his comm. on Jn. and Gal. as below]) : Jn. iii. 3, 7 ἄν. γεννηθῆναι, where others explain it from above, i. e. from heaven. But, ace. to this explanation, Nicodemus ought to have wondered how it was possible for any one to be born from heaven; but this he did not say; [ef. Westcott, Com. on Jn. p.63]. Of the repetition of physical birth, we read in Artem. oneir. 1, 13 (14) p. 18 [i. p. 26 ed. Reiff] (ἀνδρὶ) ἔτι τῷ ἔχοντι ἔγκυον γυναῖκα σημαίνει παῖδα αὐτῷ γεννήσεσθαι ὅμοιον κατὰ πάντα. οὕτω yap ἄνωθεν αὐτὸς δόξειε γεννᾶσθαι; cf. Joseph. antt. 1, 18, 3 φιλίαν ἄνωθεν ποιεῖσθαι, where a little before stands προτέρα φιλία; add, Martyr. Polye. 1, 1; [also Socrates in Stob. flor. exxiv. 41, iv. 135 ed. Meineke (iii. 438 ed. Gaisf.); Harpocration, Lex. s. vv. ἀναδικάσασθαι, ἀναθέσθαι, ἀναποδιζόμενα, ἀνασύνταξις ; Canon. apost. 46 (al. 39, Coteler. patr. apost. opp. i. 444); Pseudo-Basil, de bapt. 1, 2, 7 (iii. 1537); Origen in Joann. t. xx. ο. 12 (opp. iv. 322 ο. Dela Rue). See Abbot, Authorship of the Fourth Gospel, etc. (Boston 1880) p. 34 sq.]. πάλιν ἄνωθεν (on this combination of synonymous words ef. Kiihner § 534, 1; [Jelf § 777, 1]; Grimm on Sap. xix. 5 (6)): Gal. iv. 9 (again, since ye were in bondage once before).
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
ἄνωθεν anōthen 13x
from above, from a higher place, Jn. 3:31; of time, from the first or beginning, Acts 26:5; from the source, Lk. 1:33; again, anew, Jn. 3:3, 7; Gal. 4:9; with a prep., the top or upper part, Mt. 27:51
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
ἄνωθεν
adv,
(< ἄνω),
from above: ἀπὸ ἄ., Mt 27:51, Mk 15:38; ἐκ τῶν ἄ., Jo 19:28; meaning, from heaven: Jo 3:31 19:11, Ja 1:17 3:15, 17 .
from the first, from the beginning: Lk 1:3, Ac 26:5; whence
anew, again: Jo 3:3, 7, (so most, but v. Meyer, in l.; cf. Field, Notes, 86 f.); πάλιν ἄ., Ga 4:9 (MM, VGT, s.v.).†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
ἄνωθεν. In P Petr III. 43(2) 15.117 (B.c. 246) ἄνωθεν is found in opposition to κάτω : Azat contextus. P Hib I. 110% (records of postal service, ¢. B.C. 255) Spas πρώτης παρέδωκεν Θεύχρ[η]στος ἄνοθεν Δινίαι κυ(λιστοὺς) ¥, ‘‘ Ist hour, Theochrestus delivered to Dinias 3 rolls from the upper country ” (Edd.). Ανοθεν appears again twice in this document, and κάτοθεν ‘‘from the lower country.” (This is a very early example of the approximation of o and @, on which see Proleg.® pp. 244 and 35 f.). BGU IV. 1208? (Aug.) KatayTH[oals ἐκ τῶν ἄνωθεν [τόπων]... ἐκομισά[μη]ν Sia Σωτηρίχου κτὰ. In P Tebt I. 599", 10 (B.c. 99) ἣν ἔχετε πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἄνωθεν πατρικὴν φιλίαν, and διὰ τὸ ἄνωθεν
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
ἄνωθεν (anōthen) — from above/again. ἄνωθεν and ἄνωθε [Refs 5th c.BC+], Doric dialect ἄνωθα [Refs]: (ἄνω):—adverb of Place, from above, from on high, θεοὺς ἄ. γῆς ἐποπτεύειν ἄχη[Refs 5th c.BC+]; from the interior of a country, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; especially from inner Asia, [Refs 1st c.AD+]; from the north, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
2. like{ἄνω}, above, on high, opposed to κάτωθεν or κάτω, [Refs 4th c.BC+]: of the gods, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of men on earth, οἱ ἄ. the living, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; those on deck (in a ship), [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of birds of the air, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἡ ἄ. Φρυγία upper Phrygia, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
2. b rarely with genitive, ἄ. τοῦ στρατοπέδου[Refs 5th c.BC+]
II. in narrative or in quiry, from the beginning, from farther back, ἄ. ἄρχεσθαι, ἐπιχειρεῖν, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; in quotations, above, earlier, [Refs 5th c.BC+], etc.: οἱ ἔμπροσθεν καὶ ἄ. γονεῖς ancestors, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; Κορίνθιαι εἰμὲς ἄ. by descent, [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; πονηρὸς ἄ. a born rogue, [Refs 4th c.BC+]from early life, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
II.2. τὰ ἄ. higher, more universal principles, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II.3. over again, anew, afresh, φιλίαν ἄ. ποιεῖται[NT+1st c.AD+]