John 3:18

John 3:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
• New International Version (NIV)Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Context of John 3:18

16God loved the people in the world so much that he gave his one and only Son to save them. As a result, everyone who believes in the Son will not die. Instead, they will live for ever with God.’ 17God did not send his Son into the world because he wanted to punish people. He sent his Son to save the people in the world from punishment. God will not punish anyone who believes in his Son. But if people refuse to believe in the Son, God has already decided that he must punish them. They have not believed in God's one and only Son. 19God's Son has brought light into the world. But some people did not love the light. They loved the dark instead. That was because they were doing evil things. That is why God has decided to punish those people. 20Everyone who does evil things hates the light. A person like that will not come to the light because he is afraid. He does not want the bad things that he has done to show clearly.

John 3:18 word by word

ὁ πιστεύων εἰς αὐτὸν οὐ κρίνεται· ὁ δὲ μὴ πιστεύων ἤδη κέκριται ὅτι μὴ πεπίστευκεν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ μονογενοῦς υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• He that believethπιστεύωpisteuō · to trust (in)G4100
• onεἰςeis · towardG1519
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• isκρίνωkrinō · to judgeG2919
• notοὐou · noG3756
• butδέde · thenG1161
• notμήmē · notG3361
• alreadyἤδηēdē · alreadyG2235
• becauseὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
• the nameὄνομαonoma · nameG3686
• of the only begottenμονογενήςmonogenēs · uniqueG3439
• Sonυἱόςuihos · sonG5207
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316

Cross-references for John 3:18

• John 3:36Anyone who believes in the Son has life with God for ever. But anyone who refuses to obey the Son will never have life with God. God will continue to be angry with people like that.’
• John 5:24I tell you this: Everyone who hears my message should believe in the Father who sent me. If they believe in me, they will have life for ever with God. God will not say that they are guilty. They are no longer under the power of death. Instead, they have life with God.
• John 6:40These are the people who will have life for ever with God: everyone who sees the Son and believes in him. I will raise them all up on the last day. That is what my Father wants.’
• John 20:31But I have written about these things, so that you will be able to believe the truth. You will believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. Because you believe in him, you will have life with God.
• Romans 5:1So we see that God has accepted us as right because we believe in him. As a result, we are friends with God, because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done for us.
• Romans 8:1Now we know this: God has forgiven those people who are united with Christ Jesus. God will never say that they are guilty.
• 1 John 5:12So whoever belongs to the Son has this true life. But anyone who does not belong to the Son of God does not have this true life.
• Mark 16:16If a person believes in me, then you should baptize that person. And God will save that person. But if a person does not believe, God will judge that person to be guilty.
• Hebrews 2:3As for us, God has shown us the way that he will save us from our sins. So we must not forget God's message about his great way to save us. If we do, he will certainly punish us. The Lord Jesus himself first spoke that message about how God would save people. Then the people who heard Jesus told the message to us. That is how we know that it is true.
• Hebrews 12:25So be careful! Always be ready to listen when God speaks. God used Moses as his servant on the earth to speak to Israel's people. When they refused to obey, God punished them. They could not get away. As for us, God speaks to us from heaven. So we will certainly not get away from God's punishment if we turn away from him.
• 1 John 5:10Anyone who believes in Jesus, the Son of God, will know that what God says is true. But anyone who does not believe God is saying that God tells lies. He does not believe the message that God has told us clearly about his Son.

Commentaries on John 3:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18He that believeth - As stated before on John 3:16. Is not condemned - For past sin, that being forgiven on his believing in Christ. But he that believeth not - When the Gospel is preached to him, and the way of salvation made plain. Is condemned already - Continues under the condemnation which Divine justice has passed upon all sinners; and has this superadded, He hath not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God, and therefore is guilty of…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18He that believeth - He that has confidence in him; that relies on him; that trusts to his merits and promises for salvation. To believe on him is to feel and act according to truth that is, to go as lost sinners, and act toward him as a Saviour from sins; relying on him, and looking to him “only” for salvation. See the notes at Mark 16:16. Is not condemned - God pardons sin, and delivers us from deserved punishment, because we believe on him. Jesus died…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18As light shines into a dark place, it reveals what was hidden. In the same way, when Jesus came into the world, he exposed its sin and unbelief. Because of this, God’s judgment has already begun. People who see this light and understand their true condition must respond. They are responsible to believe in God’s Son (3:16–17).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 3:18

• Faith
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Responsibility
• Righteous
• Salvation
• Unbelief
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Son of God
• Only Begotten
• Born
• Call
• Condemn
• Condemnation
• Darkness
• Decrease

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