Did Jesus really exist?

[Ichneumonwasp]

What does the actual Aramaic word mean in English?

From my personal understanding of Christian mysticism I would say that being "born again" refers to the process probably best related as "ego death and subsequent rebirth." Being born "from above" is similar but adds the extra concept of being "born again in the spiritual realm," relating to the Platonic notion of there being an archetypal realm from which our world descends.

Nick

There are apparently separate terms for being born again and being born from above in aramaic, so there is no possibility for ambiguity on this score. There is no aramaic word in the text (it's in Greek), so I'm not exactly sure what you are asking. In John's gospel Jesus uses the Greek word in only one way -- to mean being born from above. Nicodemus does not understand and thinks that Jesus means that he must be physically born again (re-enter the womb).