American Standard Version
John 3:20
20For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, and cometh not to the light, lest his works should be reproved.
John 3:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
- New International Version (NIV)Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.
- English Standard Version (ESV)For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.
- New King James Version (NKJV)For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.
Context of John 3:20
18He that believeth on him is not judged: he that believeth not hath been judged already, because he hath not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19And this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, and cometh not to the light, lest his works should be reproved. 21But he that doeth the truth cometh to the light, that his works may be made manifest, that they have been wrought in God. 22After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judæa; and there he tarried with them, and baptized.
Read all of John 3John 3:20 word by word
πᾶς γὰρ ὁ φαῦλα πράσσων μισεῖ τὸ φῶς καὶ οὐκ ἔρχεται πρὸς τὸ φῶς ἵνα μὴ ἐλεγχθῇ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ·Read the interlinear
Cross-references for John 3:20
- John 7:7The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that its works are evil.
- 1 Kings 22:8And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of Jehovah, Micaiah the son of Imlah: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.
- Job 24:13These are of them that rebel against the light; They know not the ways thereof, Nor abide in the paths thereof.
- Psalms 50:17Seeing that thou hatest instruction, And castest my words behind thee?
- Proverbs 1:29For that they hated knowledge, And did not choose the fear of Jehovah,
- Proverbs 4:18But the path of the righteous is as the dawning light, That shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
- Proverbs 5:12And say, How have I hated instruction, And my heart despised reproof;
- Proverbs 15:12A scoffer loveth not to be reproved; He will not go unto the wise.
- Amos 5:10They hate him that reproveth in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly.
- Luke 11:45And one of the lawyers answering saith unto him, Teacher, in saying this thou reproachest us also.
- James 1:23For if any one is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a mirror:
- Ephesians 5:12for the things which are done by them in secret it is a shame even to speak of.
Commentaries on John 3:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20For every one that doeth evil hateth the light - He who doth vile or abominable things: alluding to the subject mentioned in the preceding verse. The word , evil or vile, is supposed by some to come from the Hebrew פלס phalas, to roll, and so cover oneself in dust or ashes, which was practised in token of humiliation and grief, not only by the more eastern nations, see Job 42:6, but also by the Greeks and Trojans, as appears from Homer, Iliad xviii. l…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20That doeth evil - Every wicked person. Hateth the light - This is true of all wicked men. They choose to practice their deeds of wickedness in darkness. They are afraid of the light, because they could be easily detected. Hence, most crimes are committed in the night. So with the sinner against God. He hates the gospel, for it condemns his conduct, and his conscience would trouble him if it were enlightened. His deeds should be reproved - To “reprove”…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19-20When people live in spiritual darkness (a life separated from God), they do not want the light that Jesus brings. Jesus called himself "the light of the world" (8:12; 9:5). His light shows truth and exposes sin. Darkness does not simply ignore the light. It resists it and tries to overcome it. But the darkness cannot defeat the light (1:5). Those who refuse to believe continue to live in darkness (13:30). They stumble because they cannot see clearly…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 17-2117-21. not to condemn, &c.--A statement of vast importance. Though "condemnation" is to many the issue of Christ's mission (Joh 3:19), it is not the object of His mission, which is purely a saving one.Read the comment
Topics related to John 3:20
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on John 3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Catena Aurea
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- John Lightfoot Commentary
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries