John 1: 13

"who" were born- those who believed and received of  v:12, those who had been given the right to become children of God.

These were born:

• not of blood
• nor of the will of the flesh
• nor of the will of man

This verse shows that man cannot cause himself to be born again. He cannot choose of his own free will to be born again. It is not 'of' the will of the 'flesh' or 'of' the will of man. It is not because of whose family he was born into.

 A. W. Pink writes (Foundations of Grace by Steven Lawson*) "...the new birth is 'not of blood,' that is to say, it is not a matter of heredity, for regeneration does not run in the veins; 'nor of the will of the flesh', the will of the natural man is opposed to God, and he has no will God-ward until he has been born again; 'nor of the will of man', that is to say, the new birth is not brought about by the well-meant efforts of friends, nor by the persuasive powers of the preacher, 'but of God.' The new birth is a divine work. It is accomplished by the Holy Spirit applying the Word in living power to the heart."

Leon Morris says *, "The new birth is sheer miracle. All human initiative is ruled out."

John MacArthur says*, "Those three negative statements stress the fact that salvation is not obtainable through any racial or ethnic heritage (blood), personal desire (flesh), or man-made system (man)...Because all bear the guilt of unbelief and rejection, the phrase 'but of God' means that salvation, that is, receiving and believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, is impossible for any sinner. God must grant the power supernaturally and with it the divine life and light to the lifeless, darkened sinner."

• but of God

Salvation is all of God. The Spirit gives life to the dead sinner causing him/her to believe and receive, making them a child of God- born into the family
The apostle John is talking about how a person becomes a Christian, a Christ follower. It is a radical new thing- a birth into a new family brought about by God's will, God's Spirit. Those who are born of God receive Jesus, believe God's Word- they no longer reject as those of the world.

and all for 'the praise of the glory of His grace"