Question: How many times does Jesus use the term "born again" in the Bible?
Answer: 1. (John 3:3)
Comments: The Christian expression "Born Again" does originate with Jesus, but he never stressed the phrase. In fact, it is found on his lips in only one canonical gospel - John. (It also resurfaces in I Peter - 1:3, 1:23.)
Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:3, NASB)
Jesus utters the term "born again" while teaching Nicodemus, a Pharisee (a very educated branch of Judaism). It is significant that Jesus uses the phrase with this audience as he challenges the traditional Jewish notion that salvation was rooted in "the seed of Abraham" - a physical lineage . In contrast, Jesus poses that one must be born a second time via a spiritual rebirth.
The term gained great popularity in Evangelical circles with the publication of a book titled Born Again in 1976. Charles W.Colson (b. 1931)'s book describes the Watergate conspirator and convicted felon's conversion in conjunction with his criminal imprisonment. The book played a significant role in solidifying "Born Again" as a cultural construct in the United States.
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