Jesus answered, "Most assuredly I tell you, unless one is born of water and spirit, he can't enter into the Kingdom of God!
The only view that seems to be consistent with all four of these criteria is as follows. The Old Testament often used water metaphorically to symbolize spiritual cleansing and renewal (Numbers 19:17-19; Isaiah 55:1-3; cf. Psalms 51:10; Jeremiah 2:13; Jeremiah 17:13; Zechariah 14:8). God’s spirit (or Spirit) in the Old Testament represents God’s life (Genesis 1:2; Genesis 2:7; Genesis 6:3; Job 34:14). God promised that He would pour out His spirit on people as water (Isaiah 32:15-16; Joel 2:28-29). The result of that outpouring would be a new heart for those on whom the spirit came (Jeremiah 31:31-34). Thus the revelation that God would bring cleansing and renewal as water by His Spirit was clear in the Old Testament. Jesus evidently meant that unless a person has experienced spiritual cleansing and renewal from God’s spirit (or Spirit) he or she cannot enter the kingdom. This is what He meant by being born from above or again (cf. 1 Corinthians 6:11). [Note: Carson, pp. 191-96; cf. Hugo Odeberg, The Fourth Gospel, p. 50; ad Morris, pp. 191-93.] 